"It’s the best reverb for the buck": Composer Jason Graves on his go-to reverb plugin
After scoring Dead Space and Call of Duty, Graves' most recent video game project takes him offshore to a monster-infested oil rig
Artists
"It’s the best reverb for the buck": Composer Jason Graves on his go-to reverb plugin
After scoring Dead Space and Call of Duty, Graves' most recent video game project takes him offshore to a monster-infested oil rig
“I won’t miss being in a sh** band with horrible humans”: Mastodon guitarist slams his ex-bandmates
Brent Hinds left metal band in March
“She thought anything could be pop“: Sophie’s brother and studio engineer Ben Long on the release of her final album
We sit down with Ben Long to talk through the making of Sophie's posthumous final project and gain a rare insight into the creative process of a generational talent
Olivia Rodrigo surprises fans during her headline Glastonbury set by duetting with The Cure’s Robert Smith
He joined her for Friday I’m In Love and Just Like Heaven
“Eddie told me, ‘Roth is driving me nuts'": When Eddie Van Halen asked to join Kiss — and they turned him down!
“We’re all proud Birmingham people and we love this city”: Black Sabbath have been awarded the freedom of Brum
Honour come a week before their final performance together
Lawrence Hart on the mixed blessings of classical training and being ‘scrappy’ in the studio
The Domino artist and George Fitzgerald collaborator on the creative process behind Come In Out Of The Rain
Music Tech
Exploring the rise of plugin subscriptions and possible alternative models
“I think the dislike of subscriptions is almost universal”
How to record virtual and live instruments more smoothly by taking stock of your sample buffer
Latency on your plugins and audio recordings can derail a developing musical idea - but if you get a handle on managing your sample buffer you’ll have a much smoother ride
"It's a stupendously powerful tool": 10 of the best sampler plugins in 2025
From full-featured behemoths and retro emulations to MPC-style beatmakers and must-have freebies, we round up 10 software samplers that make sampling fun, fast and intuitive
“She thought anything could be pop“: Sophie’s brother and studio engineer Ben Long on the release of her final album
We sit down with Ben Long to talk through the making of Sophie's posthumous final project and gain a rare insight into the creative process of a generational talent
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
Hybrid synths offer a wealth of synthesis options and this one is absolutely free. What are you waiting for?
Don't know where to start with virtual instruments? We're here to help
Because there's never been a better, easier, more affordable time to make great music on your computer
“They all remind me of certain times in my life”: McCartney names his all time top three albums
And, of course, Pet Sounds is in there
The ultimate soft synth showdown: Serum 2, Pigments 6, Phase Plant, Vital and Massive X: But which is best?
We pit five of today's most powerful, flexible and versatile synth plugins against each other to find out who comes out on top in 2025
"I woke up the next day and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s over. I know it’s over'": How Lorde cured stage fright
She spills the beans to Stephen Colbert
"In a blind test of 100 musicians, it beat the $200 plugin 3-to-1. Not bad for a free app": AudioKit releases Synth One J6, a free Juno-inspired synth for iOS
"No ads. No subscriptions. No hidden fees. Just an exceptional instrument, freely given to inspire creativity everywhere"
Lorde on the Frank Ocean collaborator who helped to humanise the synths on her new album, Virgin
The star performed a secret set to open this weekend's Glastonbury Festival
"There's not a shred of evidence on the internet that this band has ever existed": This apparently AI-generated artist is racking up hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams
The Velvet Sundown has no online footprint, a suspiciously artificial artist image and a ChatGPT-generated biography - but somehow has almost 350,000 monthly listeners
Guitars
MusicRadar deals of the week: The 4th of July sales are here, and you can score $1,000 off a Vox guitar, $600 off the Music Man St. Vincent, as well as hundreds off gear from Alesis, Roland, Yamaha and more
We've uncovered the very best offers on a range of music-making gear from the likes of Yamaha, Music Man, Vox, Epiphone, Fender and more
Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
These hotrodded S-styles come in a super-hot "Radiant Red" paint job, are available with single or dual humbuckers, have stainless steel frets, and retail for under 500 bucks
Uli Jon Roth says his Sky Guitar’s active pickup system was so powerful it blew up his amps
Fender Twin... Boom! Vox... Boom! 5150... Nice try. Here's what the German virtuoso learned from giving the amp 80dB from his guitar
Behringer unveils the BM-15M Murf Box, a $129 animated filtering pedal based on a ‘00s Moog classic
No prizes for guessing which pedal the Murf Box is inspired by, but with originals changing hands for big money online, this could be an affordable option for guitar and synth players
“The Tritone was universally loved by the crew but the vibes clashed with the palette of the Soft Focus Deluxe”: Catalinbread is selling off its prototype guitar pedals, and the first is a “B-side” pitch echo from its smash-hit shoegaze stompbox
Waste not, want not, Catalinbread's Proto Club presents some unreleased gems to the public, and first up is the Tritone Proto 227
“Unbeatable... A play-anything guitar”: Duesenberg Alliance Series Tom Bukovac Session Man review
One of the world's G.O.A.T. sessions players gets a candidate for G.O.A.T. signature guitar – a stunning semi-hollow with dual humbuckers and a piezo, and a vibrato, and... well, it's a lot of guitar
Strandberg launches limited edition Plini Boden Standard with glow-in-the-dark Mirage graphic finish
Introduced at NAMM, now available to buy, Plini's limited edition twist on the headless electric looks even better in the dark
![Brent Smith [left] performs in a blazer and white T-shirt as flames from pyro light the stage behind him. On the right, Rick Beato is photographed in a denim overshirt at NAMM 2022.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9MSHbXfF6HqJNm2sy8DmFS-840-80.jpg.webp)
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
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
How to play like George Harrison on The Beatles' Abbey Road
Learn the guitar style of the most expressive and accomplished playing The Beatle would ever commit to tape
How to play guitar like David Gilmour: Bluesy diads, slides, quarter-tone blues curls and more
Tackle the expressive phrasing and minor pentatonic tricks of one of rock's finest guitarists, David Gilmour
30 essential acoustic guitar chords, with charts
Massively expand your musical vocabulary and songwriting options with these beautiful acoustic guitar chords
"You owe your guitar the chance to be its best": How to clean and polish your guitar frets a better way
We take a look at two different products that can help you get your frets gleaming and your guitar back to its best for smoother bends and clearer vibrato
Play like Jimmy Page! Exclusive video lesson
Key techniques guitar players can learn from the Led Zeppelin legend
How learning and understanding chord symbols can prove a major benefit for sharing your musical ideas
Chord hieroglyphics can take several forms. We unravel the mysteries of one of the most symbolic and common examples
What are the best online guitar lessons in 2025? I review guitar gear for a living and these are my favourite lessons platforms
My pick of the best online guitar courses will get your playing up to speed from the comfort of your own home, whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player
Latest Tuition
How to record virtual and live instruments more smoothly by taking stock of your sample buffer
Latency on your plugins and audio recordings can derail a developing musical idea - but if you get a handle on managing your sample buffer you’ll have a much smoother ride
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
Hybrid synths offer a wealth of synthesis options and this one is absolutely free. What are you waiting for?
Don't know where to start with virtual instruments? We're here to help
Because there's never been a better, easier, more affordable time to make great music on your computer
8 things you can do with Ableton Live's updated Auto Filter device
Given a major overhaul in Live 12.2, Auto Filter features a variety of creative filter types, new modulation options and real-time visualization
The ultimate compression cheat sheet – go-to settings to help you make better music
Confused about where to start with compressors and dynamics effects? We'll guide you through the essential features and settings
Piano basics: the black notes - what are they for and how do you use them?
Fear of a black key?… Don't be afraid. Adding flats and sharps to your music will give it a new lease of life.
From Parlour to Jumbo: The beginner's guide to acoustic guitar body shapes (and which one is right for you)
There are key variables that affect how an acoustic guitar will sound - its projection and tonal characteristics in particular
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: TDR Nova
If regular EQ and compression aren’t delivering, then dynamic EQ might be the answer – and we have the perfect free plugin
The head of Audacity shares his top 5 tips for beginner podcasters
The man who leads development of the world’s most popular free and open-source audio editor offers his advice
The ultimate guide to pedal board essentials (and what order to put them in)
Here's what you need on board and where they all sit best for maximum effect
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
10 music theory tricks every producer and songwriter should know
Spruce up your chords and snazz up those scales with our simple but powerful techniques
“When you want a boring sound to sound rhythmic and exciting - reach for the delay”: How to understand and use delay effectively in your productions
It's one of the most widely used effects for producers, synthesists and guitarists alike, but how does it work?
Want to record some real musicians in your studio? Here’s how to prep for success
One of the biggest learns when becoming a producer is just how you manage - and work with - real musicians.
Here's how to compress your mix bus for sonic punch
What does mix bus compression do, how do you use it, and which compressor should you use?
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: Full Bucket FB-3300
Classic synthesizer plugins offer a great entry point for unusual and rare synth designs, and this Korg design is one of the rarest
How to play like George Harrison on The Beatles' Abbey Road
Learn the guitar style of the most expressive and accomplished playing The Beatle would ever commit to tape
Technically capable, but struggle to make your tunes sound musical? 5 simple music theory hacks to make your tracks stand out
Level up your music-making with these simple but effective tricks that can be easily used by those with zero knowledge of music theory
Latest reviews
“We were even encouraged to dig out some particularly gnarly old stuff that hadn’t seen the light of day in years”: Freqport FreqInOut FO1 review
We take a look at Freeport’s latest in/out box which promises to morph your hardware into plugin form without breaking a sweat
“Unbeatable... A play-anything guitar”: Duesenberg Alliance Series Tom Bukovac Session Man review
One of the world's G.O.A.T. sessions players gets a candidate for G.O.A.T. signature guitar – a stunning semi-hollow with dual humbuckers and a piezo, and a vibrato, and... well, it's a lot of guitar
"An honest pair of compact, affordable monitors that are easy to set up": KRK Systems Kreate 5 review
KRK have a new affordable monitor range designed to help you create
“It took 400 audio tracks for me to get it to throw an error, which is frankly insane”: Asus ProArt P16 review
Looking for an alternative to a MacBook? Asus might have just provided the answer for musicians everywhere
“A worthy addition to Moog’s long history of analogue synths”: Moog Messenger review
It might look a little basic at first glance, but on closer inspection Moog’s latest is a smart and inspiring – if pricey – monosynth
“At times it can really feel like more of a multi-effects pedal rather than just a straight reverb pedal”: Electro-Harmonix Oceans Abyss review
EHX brings us a reverb pedal with sliders, a screen, and all the potential to be a Strymon-killer
“We’ll push the boat out here and say that this could be its finest synth plugin to date”: Cherry Audio ODC 2800 review
“One of the most iconic synthesizers of all time, in a highly usable and great sounding piece of software”: GForce Software Oberheim TVS Pro review
Introducing a software rebirth, based on a hardware reissue. GForce presents two seminal voices in a single legendary Oberheim
