Articles by: Chris Barnes

Chris Barnes

I'm MusicRadar's eCommerce/Deals Editor, I play drums (and guitar, badly) and I've worked in the music gear industry for 16 years. I manage all buyer's guides on the site and it's my sole purpose to help musicians find the right gear and the best prices.

Articles by: Chris Barnes

Snag up to 80% off IK Multimedia Syntronik synths, plugins and more. A sign of mega Prime Day software discounts to come?

By Chris Barnes

Plus, snap up a free plugin if you sign up to IK's newsletter

Best snare drums 2021: 10 killer snares for all budgets and playing styles

By MusicRadar Team, Chris Barnes

Our expert selection of snare drums for stage or studio

MacBook Air M1 and Macbook Pro M1 prices are starting to drop ahead of Prime Day

Macbook Pro M1 and MacBook Air M1 prices are starting to drop ahead of Prime Day

By Chris Barnes

Looking to upgrade your music laptop? Save up to £169/$159 today on a M1 chip-equipped machine with these early-Prime Day deals

6 tips for buying your first PA system

By Chris Barnes

From bands to buskers, take your music to the masses with this guide to choosing a great first PA system

13 best electronic drum sets 2021: our expert pick of electronic drum kits for every playing level and budget

By Chris Barnes

Top picks and buying advice on the best electronic drum sets for every budget and all levels and styles of drummer – round-up includes kits by Roland, Yamaha and Alesis

129 popular plugins slashed to just $29.99 in the Waves Memorial Day sale

By Chris Barnes

Even better, spend over $120 and get 3 extra plugins completely free

11 best bass drum pedals 2021: single and double bass pedals for every budget

By Stuart Williams, Chris Barnes

Drummers, put your best foot forward with our guide to choosing the best bass drum pedal for you, with options from DW, Pearl, Tama and others

The 6 best Roland electronic drum sets 2021: The top Roland e-kits for beginner to pro drummers

By Chris Barnes, James Farmer

Find the right Roland electronic drum set for you

Best website builders for musicians and bands 2021: sell your merch and get your music heard

The 8 best website builders for musicians and bands 2021: get your music heard and sell some merch

By Chris Barnes

Our top picks of easy-to-use website builders for music makers, bands and creatives

18 gifts for drummers: the ultimate guide to present ideas for the drummer in your life

By Chris Barnes

Show your favourite drummer some love with our pick of accessories, gadgets and more in our budget-spanning round-up of gifts for drummers

Waves' Christmas deals continue with 160 plugins down to $29.99 - plus buy 2 plugins, get 2 free!

By Chris Barnes

Waves is closing out the year with one of its biggest music production software sales ever

Black Friday deal: We've never seen Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro prices this low

By Chris Barnes

Bag Apple's top end AirPods Pro for just £199/$199. Grab them before they sell out at this price

The best drum sets 2021: the best drum kits for beginner to pro drummers

By MusicRadar, Chris Barnes

Discover the best acoustic drum sets for the studio, stage and bedroom from Ludwig, Pearl, Tama, DW and more

The 7 best Yamaha e-kits 2021: top electronic drum sets from Yamaha for beginner, intermediate and pro drummers

By Chris Barnes

Our experts will help you find the right =Yamaha electronic drum kit for you

The best drumsticks 2021: wooden and synthetic drumsticks for pros and beginners alike

By Chris Barnes

And all the info you need to choose the right drumsticks for your own budget and drumming style

Waves’ epic 42-plugin Gold bundle is just $149.99 right now – save $650

By Chris Barnes

Plus, save 40% store-wide and get free plugins

Dell Black Friday in July sale: save up to £356/$300 on a Dell XPS music-making laptop

By Chris Barnes

Save big on a great music-making computer – including Dell XPS 13 and XPS 15 models

The best drum sets 2020: the best drum kits for beginners, intermediate and pro drummers

The best drum sets 2020: the best drum kits for beginner, intermediate and pro drummers

By MusicRadar, Chris Barnes

Explore the best acoustic drum sets for the bedroom, studio and stage, from Ludwig, Pearl, Tama, DW and more

Save up to 93% on guitar, drum and recording courses in the Udemy Flash Sale – start learning from just £12.99

By Chris Barnes

Today only! Save big on epic Udemy music courses, with lifetime access to content

Save up to 94% on guitar, drum and recording courses in the Udemy Sale

By Chris Barnes

Courses start from as little as £11.99 with lifetime access to the content

Get 4 months of TIDAL HiFi and pay just £/$4 per month – usually £/$19.99 per month

By Chris Barnes

Huge discount on TIDAL's Spotify and Apple Music-beating high quality audio

Get 3 months of FREE online guitar lessons with this epic Fender Play deal

By Chris Barnes

Start learning guitar, bass or ukulele at home today – extra free subscriptions added!

Person buying products online using a credit card

Where can you buy music gear online during the Coronavirus lockdown?

By Chris Barnes

As the lockdown continues, many online music retailers remain open. Here’s where you can still buy guitar, drum and studio gear and how you can support your local music shop