Latest articles by Adam Douglas
Exploring the rise of plugin subscriptions and possible alternative models
“I think the dislike of subscriptions is almost universal”
“We're talking about measurable increases in dopamine, reduced anxiety, and better emotional resilience”: Why making music is actually good for you
AI is pushing us to cut corners, but the evidence is very clear: playing and making music is a powerfully healthy activity, one that humans evolved to do
How the effects of Long COVID have harmed professional musicians and DJs
Though the 2020 COVID pandemic had many negative effects on the music industry, an underreported aspect is how Long COVID has left some professional musicians unable to continue with their careers
“There’s a freedom of thought that doesn’t exist elsewhere”: How and why California became the heart of the synthesizer world
Many of the biggest players in the genesis of modern music-making hailed from California, but just what made the state such fertile ground for the synth pioneers to flourish?
I tried a music tracker and it rewired my brain (in a good way)
Beloved by artists from Aphex Twin to Deadmau5, trackers swap the trusty piano roll for a text-based, vertically-scrolling interface that looks like something out of The Matrix. Let's find out how deep the tracker rabbit hole goes
The groundbreaking tech that will shape the future of music production
This isn’t sci-fi. We look at five areas where the future of music production might evolve based on very real technology
Why reverb is one of the most reliable effects in a producer's arsenal
“When used correctly, a good reverb can lift a song into the stratosphere”
Should today’s music-makers and producers fear AI - or embrace its inevitability?
This is the dawning of the AI age - but it doesn’t have to be the death knell for humans. Here’s why we believe music production will always be a human-led pursuit
“Analogue is better than digital, Behringer gear is garbage, and your cheap-ass monitors are ruining your mixes”: 10 of the most persistent music tech myths busted
It's time to separate fact from fiction. We take on ten hot takes confidently spouted by purists, gatekeepers and overzealous Redditors
Why there’s nothing wrong with collecting gear as a hobby - even if you don’t use it
Gatekeepers will tell you to sell your synths if you’re not using them “enough” - but isn’t your personal relationship with them sufficient reason to keep them around?
“I started getting messages from strangers asking if I knew about this other product”: A tale of two mini-synths
MicroKits’ Synth-a-Sette is a tiny synthesizer in a cassette-like form factor. So is Dubreq's Stylosette. Is it a copycat or a coincidence?
How to work with reverb effectively
“When used correctly, a good reverb can lift a song into the stratosphere”
Should you consider attending a music production school?
Attending a music production school could give you the skills to succeed in the industry. But is it really worth the money?
"Is it actually overpriced or is there something I'm missing?": Why is the Teenage Engineering OP-XY so expensive?
Teenage Engineering provoked the wrath of the synth community with the release of its $2299 OP-XY. We take a look at why people are so enraged, why the device is priced so highly, and whether it's actually worth the cash
Is using commercially available samples in a track really that much of a problem?
“There's no such thing as cheating. Just make music you like and stop following rules.”
“It’s rumoured to have been used by everyone from Björk to Aphex Twin”: The history of making music with video games consoles
For many of us, video games were a potent point of introduction to the world of music production. We take a look back at the games and consoles that have inspired music-makers over the years