“It turned into like a scavenger hunt”: Dave Grohl talks about hiding CDRs of the new Foos album in stores
Plus band’s music knowledge is tested by Track Star
Artists
“It turned into like a scavenger hunt”: Dave Grohl talks about hiding CDRs of the new Foos album in stores
Plus band’s music knowledge is tested by Track Star
Julian Lage wants to teach you guitar! The jazz virtuoso announces multi-day masterclass “diving deeply into everything” guitar
Inspired by those who taught him, Lage's first ever multi-day masterclass takes place on 19 to 23 August at the Wilson Center, in Brookfield, Wisconsin
“These songs are played a lot. They’re often not played well”: Guitar Center reveal the Top Ten riffs played at their stores
And Stairway To Heaven is conspicuous by its absence
How Johnny Rzeznik wrote Goo Goo Dolls' Iris, which has become the soundtrack to '90s nostalgia
Written for a '90s movie soundtrack, the song was later covered by Taylor Swift and has gone on to become a social media sensation
“I don’t recognise that name”: Kacey Musgraves goes undercover as an armadillo, looking for her album in Walmart
It’s what album promotion is in 2026, kids
“Pimply-faced boys wearing Iron Maiden shirts would be giving us the middle finger”: How Stone Temple Pilots fought their way to the top
Opening for Megadeth was a challenge
“I asked Sean and he said, ‘Oh, he would’ve wanted to engage.’”: Steven Soderbergh on his John Lennon doc and its use of AI
It won’t try to bring Lennon back to life, he insists
Music Tech
This one-button synth could be the wildest idea to come out of Superbooth 2026
With no keys, no knobs, no faders and no display, Cyma Forma's RND randomly generates a new idea with each button-press – its creators call it an "inspiration machine"
Ableton Live 12.4 is out now, with Link Audio and updated Erosion, Delay and Chorus-Ensemble devices
Link Audio allows users to stream multi-channel audio between compatible devices over a local network in real time
Soma set to unveil Enigma - a synth that responds to metal objects - at this year’s Superbooth
Enigma looks set to open up whole new avenues of sound design - and finally give a purpose for all those stacks of old coins in your kitchen drawers…
“An ‘instrument’ rather than a ‘synth’”: Ziggy is a desktop Buchla available for (just) under $1000
Complex oscillators and audio-rate modulation meets digital mod routing and effects in Buchla’s surprisingly approachable new monosynth
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
"It will always be my favourite”: Howard Jones takes you on a tour of the synth he’s owned since 1983
“The way it spits out those notes is incredible,” he says. “The attack… I just miss that on modern keyboards”
MusicRadar deals of the week: Calling all live performers, we've found $300 off a full Kustom PA, $120 off a popular Yamaha mixer and $100 off one of the best column speakers in the game
We've uncovered the very best offers on a range of music-making gear from the likes of Gibson, PRS, Yamaha, Fender and more
The ultimate synth shoot-out 2026: Hardware classics vs. their software successors - but can you really tell which is which?
Is there really any need to fork out for a hardware synth these days? We place a trio of hardware classics up against some immaculate software doppelgängers
The Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field finally gets undo
"Sometimes it’s nice to get a do-over. That’s why we are undoing what we did – we’re adding undo"
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
Guitars
“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 sub-$600 shred machine with active EMGs and roasted flame maple neck? Harley Benton expands its Pro Series with 41 hot-rodded but affordable S-styles
With EMG pickups, locking tuners, roasted figured maple necks and Floyd Rose 1000 Series vibratos, Harley Benton is offering Champagne specs at beer prices again
Julian Lage wants to teach you guitar! The jazz virtuoso announces multi-day masterclass “diving deeply into everything” guitar
Inspired by those who taught him, Lage's first ever multi-day masterclass takes place on 19 to 23 August at the Wilson Center, in Brookfield, Wisconsin
“These songs are played a lot. They’re often not played well”: Guitar Center reveal the Top Ten riffs played at their stores
And Stairway To Heaven is conspicuous by its absence
How Johnny Rzeznik wrote Goo Goo Dolls' Iris, which has become the soundtrack to '90s nostalgia
Written for a '90s movie soundtrack, the song was later covered by Taylor Swift and has gone on to become a social media sensation
With AI stem separation, component-level modelling, and access to 200,000+ neural captures, Blackstar's Beam Mini “redefines” the desktop amp
Introduced at NAMM 2026, the Beam Mini ups the ante for the digital practice amp, giving players access to AI-driven practice tools, Tone3000 NAM captures and top-class modelled sounds
“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
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
“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
“An undeniable classic, for the modern age”: Rhodes MK8 review
The new Rhodes electric piano is no longer a vintage curio from the '70s and '80s. We play the new MK8, with all of its FX and MIDI finery
“An excellent addition to the 64 Audio product line, bringing their excellent build quality and design to a more affordable price point”: 64 Audio Aspire series review
There’s an enticing new offering from in-ear leaders 64 Audio and we have three of the models on the test bench
“The ability to save multiple scenes for content creation, podcasting, and other creative endeavours makes it a very powerful interface indeed”: Yamaha URX44V review
Yamaha’s newest interface offers a high-tech hub for the multi-hyphenate creator
