![Kirk Hammett plays his Mummy ESP signature guitar [left]; Neal Schon plays a Les Paul on a stage lit up in purple.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zLwrLewdapgJA4vxYgYjSK-320-80.jpg.webp)
Kirk Hammett felt so guilty after buying Neal Schon's Les Paul on the cheap he offered to return it
Some might have thought that this was the bargain of a lifetime, a Factory Black '57 Les Paul with P-90s, and it was. And that was the problem
Artists
![Kirk Hammett plays his Mummy ESP signature guitar [left]; Neal Schon plays a Les Paul on a stage lit up in purple.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zLwrLewdapgJA4vxYgYjSK-840-80.jpg.webp)
Kirk Hammett felt so guilty after buying Neal Schon's Les Paul on the cheap he offered to return it
Some might have thought that this was the bargain of a lifetime, a Factory Black '57 Les Paul with P-90s, and it was. And that was the problem
Jackson and Brandon Ellis unveil a top-tier 27-fret Kelly that's designed especially for metal solos
The Cannibal Corpse touring guitarist's Kelly is finished in Gold Crackle and comes loaded with his Dyad Parallel Axis humbucker and a Gotoh double-locking vibrato
We speak to video game horror soundtrack godfather Akira Yamaoka about the legacy of Silent Hill
Akira has composed the memorable soundtracks for the beloved video game series since the very beginning
Mick Jagger had to check that Paul McCartney's bass playing was "punk" enough for new Rolling Stones song
“I said to Andy, ‘Is he into this?’ Because it's really a punk tune, and it's going to go really fast," remembers Jagger
"I avoid Splice as that's what everyone else uses": Yung Singh on the Punjabi sounds behind debut EP Bloom
The lauded DJ-turned-producer brings together a love for contemporary bass music with sonic nods to his Punjabi heritage on his debut EP
How Eminem made the ultimate motivational anthem
Eminem’s autobiographical juggernaut is a masterclass in tension-building - and is frequently rolled out for sporting fixtures
A Skyfall of Stars: Rare Coldplay recordings are being auctioned, including a would-be Bond theme
They date from before the millennium and are currently owned by producer Chris Allison
Music Tech
DAWs for DJs, rotary mixers and the world's first standalone motorized controller: 5 of the coolest pieces of gear we saw at Thomann's DJ Days
We ventured out to rural Germany to check out the latest and greatest in DJ controllers, mixers, software and more at the European gear retailer's DJ-focused trade show
Best microphones for recording 2026: My top studio mics for instruments, vocals and more
These are the best recording microphones whether you're recording a podcast at home or working in a studio on proper productions
Best digital pianos 2026: I'm a professional piano and music gear reviewer, and these are my top picks
With a decade of experience selling and reviewing pianos, these are my recommendations for the very best digital pianos from Kawai, Yamaha, Roland, Casio, and Korg at all price points - including full reviews and video demos
AlphaTheta’s CDJ-1500X is a WiFi equipped DJ player that lets your audience vote on track requests
The brand’s latest multiplayer distills the essence of the flagship CDJ-3000X into a smaller, more affordable package
"I avoid Splice as that's what everyone else uses": Yung Singh on the Punjabi sounds behind debut EP Bloom
The lauded DJ-turned-producer brings together a love for contemporary bass music with sonic nods to his Punjabi heritage on his debut EP
“An affordable and flexible Neumann U47 FET-inspired mic”: Warm Audio WA-47jr SE review
Classic mics can be very expensive. Can this affordable mic inspired by a popular classic deliver? Let’s find out
"At this price, it is hard to find a more complete portable digital piano": Kawai ES120 digital piano review
Could this be the best portable digital piano at this price? Kawai's ES120 makes a very strong case
“You'll come for the hands-on tweaking but stay for the sound”: Modal Electronics Carbon8X review
It's built like a tank and sounds the bomb
UJAM's Retrocraft is an all-in-one multi-effects plugin for lo-fi vintage vibes
Promising to bring the nostalgic character of retro audio gear to your tracks, Retrocraft is equipped with six effects modules and a generous array of hardware emulations
"It is an impressive and genuinely pleasurable keyboard to play, and arguably one of the finest key actions available on any digital piano today" Kawai CA901 digital piano review
The CA901 blurs the line between digital and acoustic in ways that will surprise even the most seasoned pianist
Guitars
Orange Outlowd ES3 Ed Sheeran signature amp review
Orange teams up with Ed Sheeran to create the Outlowd series of acoustic amplifiers. The diminutive ES3 is the home tool that could add an extra level of lush tone to our home sessions.
Kirk Hammett felt so guilty after buying Neal Schon's Les Paul on the cheap he offered to return it
Some might have thought that this was the bargain of a lifetime, a Factory Black '57 Les Paul with P-90s, and it was. And that was the problem
“An effortlessly usable unit that delivers dynamically playable sounds”: Blackstar ID:X Floor Three review
Blackstar takes the sounds from its ID:X amp series and puts them into an easy-to-use floor pedal
Jackson and Brandon Ellis unveil a top-tier 27-fret Kelly that's designed especially for metal solos
The Cannibal Corpse touring guitarist's Kelly is finished in Gold Crackle and comes loaded with his Dyad Parallel Axis humbucker and a Gotoh double-locking vibrato
Mick Jagger had to check that Paul McCartney's bass playing was "punk" enough for new Rolling Stones song
“I said to Andy, ‘Is he into this?’ Because it's really a punk tune, and it's going to go really fast," remembers Jagger
MusicRadar’s epic guitar gear round-up: June ’26 edit, ft. EHX, PRS, Fender’s mega-launch and more
Guitar gear worth a pay day blow-out, ft. metal-friendly signature guitars from PRS and Jackson, the return of Squier's Paranormal series and more Inspired By Gibson Custom Epiphone models
Guild’s S-300 returns: can the cult-classic offset find its niche with today’s player?
With that body shape in Vintage Sterling and Neptune Blue Metallic finishes, the S-300 looks like a home run for Guild – and it's just $799 street
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
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 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
Latest Reviews
Orange Outlowd ES3 Ed Sheeran signature amp review
Orange teams up with Ed Sheeran to create the Outlowd series of acoustic amplifiers. The diminutive ES3 is the home tool that could add an extra level of lush tone to our home sessions.
“An effortlessly usable unit that delivers dynamically playable sounds”: Blackstar ID:X Floor Three review
Blackstar takes the sounds from its ID:X amp series and puts them into an easy-to-use floor pedal
“An affordable and flexible Neumann U47 FET-inspired mic”: Warm Audio WA-47jr SE review
Classic mics can be very expensive. Can this affordable mic inspired by a popular classic deliver? Let’s find out
"At this price, it is hard to find a more complete portable digital piano": Kawai ES120 digital piano review
Could this be the best portable digital piano at this price? Kawai's ES120 makes a very strong case
“You'll come for the hands-on tweaking but stay for the sound”: Modal Electronics Carbon8X review
It's built like a tank and sounds the bomb
"It is an impressive and genuinely pleasurable keyboard to play, and arguably one of the finest key actions available on any digital piano today" Kawai CA901 digital piano review
The CA901 blurs the line between digital and acoustic in ways that will surprise even the most seasoned pianist
"The baritone format might just be the CVT’s natural home": Gretsch Electromatic CVT Baritone review
Forget surf, this baritone is designed to deliver at the meatier end of the rock spectrum
“A very impressive all-in-one audio recording solution aimed at music and multimedia users”: Hisong AirStudio S1 review
Crowdfunded startup Hisong wants to simplify mobile recording. Let’s see if it has succeeded
