“We experimented for our whole career as INXS, which is insane from a commercial point of view”
“I like co-writing with people, but I also enjoy just trusting myself to write the song”
Artists
“We experimented for our whole career as INXS, which is insane from a commercial point of view”
“I like co-writing with people, but I also enjoy just trusting myself to write the song”
How Jim Adkins nailed his solo to Jimmy Eat World’s The Middle
The Middle needed a big solo to go with its over-sized hooks, and on the spot, with a Telecaster in hand, Adkins found one
“It has a reputation for being a big, dumb, four-chord song”: A music professor breaks down the theory behind Oasis’s Wonderwall
We put Wonderwall under the musical microscope and explore how the song became a standard for beginner guitarists
Olivia Rodrigo on the making of Stupid Song – and an unlikely artistic inspiration
She's also announced a new music festival with an impressive all-women line-up
How to get Radiohead’s resonant National Anthem vocal effect in software
On Kid A, Radiohead went resonant with some severe vocal processing - although complex at the time, the incredible results can now be easily achieved in software
“I nearly f***in’ fainted up there”: Rod Stewart has to steady himself with oxygen during show in Utah
Venue was 4,300 feet above sea level
"I collect instruments I can't play": Ital Tek on creating ‘sonic worlds’ and new album Mind Abandon
Watch the Planet Mu mainstay breakdown album highlight A Hidden Path in his Oxford studio
Music Tech
I stress-tested the MacBook Neo for music production and failed to topple it - now, with £50 off for Prime Day it’s the only budget laptop I’m recommending to musicians
It might be cheap, but the MacBook Neo is no slouch when it comes to music production tasks
The best plugins for re-creating the grit and punch of classic analog drum machines
If you love the sound of an analog drum machine, but don’t want to splash-out on vintage hardware, here’s our pick of the best vintage machines, in hardware and software form
This time-saving tool can sample YouTube, Spotify or any other app with a single keyboard shortcut
AudioRoute looks like one of the most streamlined solutions for recording system audio that we've seen yet, letting you sample any app without leaving your DAW
Amazon Prime Day has over 100 sound treatment deals. I run my own studio – these are the only 5 products that will actually work in your space
Sound treatment is the most easily-overlooked aspect of any music-making space, but Prime Day just became the perfect excuse for you to right that wrong and spend your budget most effectively
Honey, it’s shrunk the orchestra!: How KeyComp is reducing the number of musicians in the musical theatre pit
And existing musicians are increasingly doubling-up instruments
Thinking of making your next music tech purchase on a rent-to-own plan? Read this first
Rent-to-own is often touted as the good alternative to plugin subscriptions but there are still reasons to be wary. Here are seven things to consider before signing on the dotted line
4 Prime Day fan deals to keep your home studio cool and your creativity flowing during the UK heatwave – plus, 3 practical reasons it's a wise investment for any musician
Because Prime Day isn't just about instrument deals...
"I collect instruments I can't play": Ital Tek on creating ‘sonic worlds’ and new album Mind Abandon
Watch the Planet Mu mainstay breakdown album highlight A Hidden Path in his Oxford studio
We investigate the claim that harnessing GPU can unlock limitless music production potential
The key to more powerful plugins may be the graphics processor that you already have in your computer. We discover how three developers are making this happen right now
Oscar Scheller on his chart-smashing, Zara Larsson-featuring remix of PinkPantheress' Stateside
The London-born producer's PinkPantheress remix soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and topped Spotify's global chart earlier this year
Thomann has taken the fight to Amazon with its Prime Day-beating Music Days sale – save up to 60% on big gear brands including Kawai, D'Angelico, Slate Digital, and so much more
Thomann is proving that the best music-making deals aren't found on Amazon this Prime Day with a truly massive sale that runs from now until July 14th
Guitars
How Jim Adkins nailed his solo to Jimmy Eat World’s The Middle
The Middle needed a big solo to go with its over-sized hooks, and on the spot, with a Telecaster in hand, Adkins found one
Johnny Marr is auctioning off his most-famous guitars
After documenting them in Marr's Guitars, the indie icon couldn't bear consigning them to storage once more, and they'll be auctioned via Christie's in September
Thomann is taking legal action against Fender in cease-and-desist dispute
"The questions raised here go far beyond a mere legal dispute and affect the future of diversity, innovation and competition in our industry"
“Fender is not suing anybody”: CEO pushes back on the cease-and-desist controversy
“We’re talking specifically about the Stratocaster”
EarthQuaker Devices unveils compact version of Sunn O))) Life Pedal – and this time the ultimate doom pedal is here to stay
The EarthQuaker Devices' HalfLife is a more compact version of the drone metal pioneers Sunn O))) octave fuzz and boost pedal based on the
How Tony Iommi found the secret to his Black Sabbath tone (and how he lost it)
A moment of madness from an amp tech and Iommi's secret weapon was gone, never to be seen again
"A stunningly good reverb pedal that sounds and operates like one twice the price": Hotone NC-200 Verbera review
With equally good algorithmic and IR convolution reverbs, this is a seriously impressive little pedal
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
Learn to play acoustic and electric guitar in record time with our guide to easy-to-read notation
"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 use reverb to build impressive-sounding filters, reverses, risers and pads
Create your own reverb effects with our step-by-step tutorial
How to get Radiohead’s resonant National Anthem vocal effect in software
On Kid A, Radiohead went resonant with some severe vocal processing - although complex at the time, the incredible results can now be easily achieved in software
Build your own expressive talkbox with plugins
If you love the sound of the talkbox, but grapple with the practicality of the hardware, we have some top tips for recreating the classic sound with plugins
How to get recognisable pop sounds and effects using only Logic’s stock plugins
If you’ve got Logic, you’re already more than capable of recreating Skrillex’s manipulated reverb, Billie Eilish’s formant shifting and much more…
How to emulate one of Jon Hopkins' signature sonic techniques with plugins
We get creative with an effects chain inspired by Jon Hopkins, and a heavy dose of felt piano
Exploring how Harry Styles brought the sounds of minimal techno to pop with Aperture
Aperture heralded a new approach for Styles, but its sounds clearly cribbed from the minimal techno playbook
Do you want to remix faster and better? Here's 6 essential remix skills every producer should know
Get the technical know-how required to make great remixes with these essential techniques
Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
Learn to play acoustic and electric guitar in record time with our guide to easy-to-read notation
I’m so obsessed with Olivia Rodrigo’s Drop Dead trance bass sound that I remade it in my DAW
We create our own transient-heavy synth bass with leanings towards the trance-heavy sounds of the 90s. ‘Drop Dead’ you exclaim? No way! We were Born Slippy!
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
Latest Reviews
“Well balanced and sit wonderfully with each other in terms of pitch”: Zultan Alaris Cymbals review
Zultan continues to expand its already impressive range of cymbals with the new Alaris Series
“Could easily become one of the most beneficial elements of your mastering suite”: Mastering the Mix - Stereovault review
If you find yourself struggling to get just the right amount of width in your mix, Stereovault may be the plugin you've always needed, as we broaden our panoramic horizons.
“Despite this minimalist footprint, it’s one of the sturdiest racks I’ve tested in this price bracket”: Donner Groove Ultra electronic drum set review
Donner continues its assault on budget gear with an e-kit packing fantastic hardware and standout looks, but the module needs some work
“So insanely powerful that I could see it lasting a decade or more in home recording studios”: Apple Mac Mini M4 review
Apple’s miniature desktop packs enough punch to run most music-making tasks without breaking a sweat
“I get to 171 tracks before any errors during a full playthrough at the lowest buffer setting”: Apple MacBook Neo review
We put Apple’s newest machine to the test to find out if it really is the ultimate budget laptop for music production
“An immensely powerful tool for recording, live use, rehearsing and practising, teaching, live streaming and more”: Yamaha EAD50 review
Nearly a decade after the release of the EAD10, Yamaha knocks it out of the park with the upgraded EAD50
"A stunningly good reverb pedal that sounds and operates like one twice the price": Hotone NC-200 Verbera review
With equally good algorithmic and IR convolution reverbs, this is a seriously impressive little pedal
“Sounds you'll never have heard from a guitar before”: Strandberg x Jamstik Chameleon review
Class-leading MIDI tech meets a top-rated ergonomic guitar – the perfect combination?
