What just happened? It's MusicRadar's Quiz of the Week #5!
We spin back this week's hottest music news and test your musical might
Artists
What just happened? It's MusicRadar's Quiz of the Week #5!
We spin back this week's hottest music news and test your musical might
How Calvin Harris and Katy Perry buried the hatchet to craft their groovetastic 2017 hit, Feels
We analyse the un-escapable groove of Feels - which knowingly doffed its cap at Earth, Wind & Fire
“So yes, it’s official: I’ve made the move”: Jared James Nichols switches to Marshall amps
The purveyor of Blues Power says his heart belongs to the sound of a cranked Plexi and Gibson guitars
How Linda Perry channelled Gwen Stefani’s negative energy into her explosive debut single
“I'm like going, ‘What is this girl waiting for?’ You know, like, what is the deal?”
“Even though it was crazy, it was home to us”: Paul McCartney talks about his nostalgic duet with Ringo
Home To Us also features Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri
![Sterling By Music Man Joe Dart Collection, ft. the Joe Dart I [left] and the Joe Dart Vision – the bass with no controls](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/T84T8dqzsnoPcjxdf6JAdJ-840-80.jpg.webp)
No knobs? No problem – Sterling By Music Man takes bass guitar design minimalism to its logical conclusion with the super-cool Joe Dart Vision
The new Joe Dart signature bass has one pickup, no controls whatsoever, and it is available now in a timed release alongside his original SBMM bass. Order by end of May or miss out
“I think this is the one, after years of toiling in obscurity”: Stones launch new album in NY with Conan O’Brien
It’s out July, but no news yet on live dates
Music Tech
MusicRadar deals of the week: Just in time for Mother's Day, we've found $700 off an unusual Gibson, $500 off a stunning Ibanez Prestige AZ2204, plus heavy savings on recording and live gear
We've uncovered the very best offers on a range of music-making gear from the likes of Gibson, PRS, Yamaha, Fender and more
Teenage Engineering’s EP-136 Sidekick is part mixer, part effects unit – and surprisingly affordable
The latest addition to the EP range could be the ideal accompaniment to a compact hardware setup
Project Lydia, Roland’s neural sampling stompbox, moves a step closer to becoming a finished product
Next-gen pedal enables you to transform an audio signal into something that sounds completely different
Is it a filter or is it an instrument? For Erica Synths, the answer is ‘Why not both?’ as it drops Resonant Filterbank at Superbooth
Resonant Filterbank allows you to stretch and extend your sounds into entirely new shapes, or use it as a standalone sonic noise-crafter
Bastl Instruments’ quirky Kalimba is a fusion of traditional instrument design and state-of-the-art internals
It might feel like a delicate physical instrument, but Bastl’s Kalimba is capable of some seriously impressive synth sounds
Polyend Drums is a hybrid analogue-digital drum machine "built for immediacy, depth and performance"
Drums is a hybrid analogue-digital drum machine "built for immediacy, depth and performance"
1010music Blackbox 2 adds a better screen, onboard battery and USB audio streaming
Revamped Blackbox boasts better controls and new features resulting in a “more elegant” workflow
Modal's Element One brings expressive synthesis without the complex learning curve: “It doesn’t ask you to learn the rules; it dares you to play”
Launching today at Superbooth 2026, the no-fuss Element One is both a tactile and beginner-friendly route into the world of synthesis
Sonicware Deconstruct Minimal is a hardware groovebox designed for ‘hypnotic minimal grooves’
The battery-powered beat machine features sampled drums, a loop player and 303-inspired bass synth
“An inspiring ideas machine that trades technical theory for intuitive workflow”: Telepathic Instruments Orchid ORC-1 review
Is Telepathic Instruments Orchid, a chord-friendly portable synth, the perfect tool for studio inspiration and song-writing on the go?
Guitars
MusicRadar deals of the week: Just in time for Mother's Day, we've found $700 off an unusual Gibson, $500 off a stunning Ibanez Prestige AZ2204, plus heavy savings on recording and live gear
We've uncovered the very best offers on a range of music-making gear from the likes of Gibson, PRS, Yamaha, Fender and more
“Everything a headbanger could want from a metal guitar – just as long as you don’t need a neck pickup”: Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal KE1A Kelly review
Because the original Jackson Kelly was just not metal enough, right?
The most mighty mini amp modelling pedal just got mightier as IK Multimedia offers full MIDI integration and wireless editing on the Tonex One+
The Tonex One+ offers top-class sounds and is just as small as its predecessor – only now you have a lot more control over it
Project Lydia, Roland’s neural sampling stompbox, moves a step closer to becoming a finished product
Next-gen pedal enables you to transform an audio signal into something that sounds completely different
Meet the $99 stompbox that’ll crush your bits – JHS expands its affordable 3 Series with three exotic effects for your pedalboard
JHS Pedals unveils a ring modulator, glitch delay and bit crusher that's priced for beginners, because an affordable pedal can be fun and a little weird too
Eddie Van Halen-approved baked maple necks? Check. Flagship pickups? Check. EVH Gear unveils stunning refresh of the Wolfgang Special
The Wolfgang Special Baked Maple is offered with a Floyd or a fully adjustable EVH compensated bridge with fine-tuners. In other EVH news, a 5150III 6L6 2x12 has been added to the Hypersonic series
“This is quite a hard guitar to categorise – and perhaps Jacob Collier likes it that way... For the right player, though, it could be the key to experiencing guitar anew”: Taylor Jacob Collier GS Mini 5-String review
Compact, sweet-toned five-string, as quirky as its namesake
“So yes, it’s official: I’ve made the move”: Jared James Nichols switches to Marshall amps
The purveyor of Blues Power says his heart belongs to the sound of a cranked Plexi and Gibson guitars
No knobs? No problem – Sterling By Music Man takes bass guitar design minimalism to its logical conclusion with the super-cool Joe Dart Vision
The new Joe Dart signature bass has one pickup, no controls whatsoever, and it is available now in a timed release alongside his original SBMM bass. Order by end of May or miss out
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
"Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
The A major pentatonic, A minor pentatonic and Mixolydian are great places to start and we'll show you how
"There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
A string change is the ideal opportunity to get your 'board back to its best
What are the best online guitar lessons in 2026? I’m a professional guitar gear reviewer and these are my highest-rated lessons platforms
My expert pick of the best online guitar courses will supercharge your playing wherever you are, and whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player
How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
The Rage Against the Machine axe-man’s most memorable moment saw him emulate a DJ scratch breakdown using a trick that few have fully mastered
With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
Guitar Tricks is our number one online tuition platform for guitar players
Ignite your inner guitar god for just 27 cents a day with TrueFire’s July 4th sale - save 60% on online lessons
With over 84,000 lessons at your disposal, this is one of the best value guitar tuition subscriptions online right now
Can you fix your guitar's frets yourself? We try three innovative approaches from MusicNomad to investigate how they might conquer a major cause of fret buzz
Uneven frets are a common issue with our guitars, but MusicNomad has come up with different ways to empower players to deal with it themselves
Latest Tuition
How to emulate the sound of Gary Numan’s synth-pop classic Cars
We lift the bonnet on a foundational piece of synth genius, and demonstrate how you can achieve its distinctive sound yourself in your DAW
How to master virtually any software synth
Don't let your software arsenal overwhelm you - sometimes the best route to creative success is to mine just one instrument
"Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
The A major pentatonic, A minor pentatonic and Mixolydian are great places to start and we'll show you how
"Record everything all the time – and keep it all": 8 pro techno producers explain how they create their tracks
We delve into our In The Studio archive to compile the techno secrets behind releases on esteemed labels including Drumcode, Cocoon, Dekmantel, Second State and more
"There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
A string change is the ideal opportunity to get your 'board back to its best
How to pan like a pro and spread your mix across the stereo image
We help you broaden your mixing horizons with some useful tips for panning perfection
The difference between distortion and saturation and how to effectively get a gnarly sound
Adding small or even large amounts of saturation doesn’t have to be bad for you, as we explore how to singe your sonics
How to conjure the spirit of early techno and trigger your own retro zaps in software
How a sound design approach originally deployed for television effects became an electronic music staple - and how to make it yourself
How to replicate the trailblazing pulse of I Feel Love
I Feel Love’s innovative electronic rhythm section set the stage for pretty much everything that followed, and here’s how you can recreate its bewitching energy in your DAW
Improve the impact of your basslines by quickly learning the basics of bass compression
Creating the perfect foundation for your track begins just the right amount of compression for your bass - here’s how to not overdo it!
How Harry Styles brought the sounds of minimal techno to the world of pop with new single, Aperture
The former One Direction star’s latest effort is a far cry from his previous output
How close listening to Chic can teach us about the integral relationship between the kick and bass
If you want to add more punch to your production, start at the foundation of your track, with the kick and bass
How unquantizing your tracks can make them stand out from the AI-dominated crowd
If your music is sounding a little mechanical, maybe it deserves a sprinkle of organic nurturing. We invite you to un-click the quantize!
Stuck for ideas? Here's how to create fresh basslines and melodies with Ableton Live 12’s MIDI tools
In our latest video tutorial, we explore how to use Live generative MIDI tools and hardware-inspired sequencers to create riffs and patterns
7 great house and techno tips from Don’t Be Afraid label boss Semtek (aka DJ Persuasion)
The producer, DJ and founder of one of the UK's most respected underground labels revisits a 2012 release to explore what he's learned in 15 years of releasing house and techno
Four big-name guitarists spill their recording secrets
With insight from Paul Gilbert, John 5, Adam Dutkiewicz and Marty Friedman on their approaches to the recording process
37 heavyweight bass production tips
More than three dozen priceless nuggets of bass recording and production wisdom
Latest Reviews
“Everything a headbanger could want from a metal guitar – just as long as you don’t need a neck pickup”: Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal KE1A Kelly review
Because the original Jackson Kelly was just not metal enough, right?
“An inspiring ideas machine that trades technical theory for intuitive workflow”: Telepathic Instruments Orchid ORC-1 review
Is Telepathic Instruments Orchid, a chord-friendly portable synth, the perfect tool for studio inspiration and song-writing on the go?
“This is quite a hard guitar to categorise – and perhaps Jacob Collier likes it that way... For the right player, though, it could be the key to experiencing guitar anew”: Taylor Jacob Collier GS Mini 5-String review
Compact, sweet-toned five-string, as quirky as its namesake
“If this is the future of guitar, then sign me up”: Strandberg Boden Original N2.6T review
Look beyond the polarising aesthetic and you just might find something that completely changes your expectations of electric guitar
“A bit of EQ tweaking with the Bad setting will get it sounding like a viable substitute for a Klon... there’s a world of drive to be explored”: DOD Badder Monkey review
From Bad to Badder, DOD revives DigiTech’s drive pedal and gives it increased versatility
Fender 75th Anniversary Vintera Road Worn 1951 Telecaster & American Professional Classic Cabronita Telecaster review
To mark the company’s diamond anniversary, Fender has released a slew of celebratory models. Here’s a pair of polar opposite but equally alluring Telecasters
“It certainly appears a lot more expensive than it actually is”: Harley Benton Fusion IV HH FR review
The return of Harley Benton's Fusion series brings boutique spec at bedroom prices
"For blues players and fingerstyle enthusiasts especially, it’s hard to imagine a better-suited companion": Gibson L-00 Century 12-Fret review
Gibson harkens back to its past with a 12-fret version of an acoustic classic
