Daryl Robertson

First and foremost, I'm a guitar enthusiast – a fanatic, some might say. I'm a firm believer that most of the world's problems can be solved with a Gibson SG and a catastrophically loud amp. Before writing about music gear for a living as a Junior Deals Writer on MusicRadar, I worked in music retail for 7 years, giving advice on guitars, basses, drums, pianos, and PA systems. I also have a love for recording and live audio production; I'm a fully qualified sound engineer with experience working in various venues in Scotland, where I live.

Articles by: Daryl Robertson

Man sands a guitar's body in his workshop

Best DIY guitar kits 2022: put together your dream guitar with these self-assembly guitar kits

By Daryl Robertson published 25 January 22

With kits from Harley Benton, StewMac and Martin, this is our pick of the ultimate guitar building kits for the player in need of a project

Get Native Instruments' Stacks and Burnt Hues bundle for only £66 and add some vintage mojo to your hip-hop production

By Daryl Robertson published 13 January 22

Get inspired by top-quality jazz and soul samples, live bass licks, horns, strings, keys, and much more with the Burnt Hues Expansion and Stacks Play Series instrument

RCF EVOX JMIX8 review

By Daryl Robertson published 10 January 22

£859
€1,049
$1,549

A seriously clever all-in-one line array speaker system that's perfect for small gigs

Best keyboards for beginners and kids 2022: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages

By Dave Clews, Chris Corfield, Daryl Robertson published 7 January 22

Useful advice and recommendations to help you find the right entry-level keyboard piano for you or your child

Best Boss GT-1000 deals January 2022: the best prices for this versatile multi-effects pedal

By Daryl Robertson published 6 January 22

Discover more about the flagship Boss multi-effects unit and where to find the best prices

Best Casio Privia PX-770 deals January 2022: bag a top digital piano deal today

By Daryl Robertson published 6 January 22

Plus, everything you need to know about this slimline digital piano, suitable for beginner to intermediate players

Best Yamaha Piaggero NP-12 deals January 2022: learn to play today with these compact keyboard bargains

By Daryl Robertson published 6 January 22

Explore the latest Piaggero NP-12 keyboard deals, plus everything you need to know about this slimline home keyboard

Best budget guitar amps under $500/£500 in 2022: top cheap amps for smaller budgets

By MusicRadar, Chris Corfield, Richard Blenkinsop, Daryl Robertson published 5 January 22

We showcase some of the best cheap tube and digital modelling guitar amp heads and combos, for all playing styles

Should you order a piano online?

By Daryl Robertson published 28 December 21

Allow us to quash any worries you may have about ordering your next piano online - be it an acoustic, digital or stage piano

Christmas just arrived early with 50% off all Waves plugins

By Daryl Robertson published 22 December 21

Polish your mix with half-price plugins and bag up to $30 Waves Cash to splash on even more ways to improve your recordings

Treat your ears to superior audio this Christmas with Tidal HiFi Plus for just £2/$2 for three months

By Daryl Robertson published 21 December 21

Bag yourself three months of hi-res music streaming, just in time for Christmas

Treat the musician in your life to quality lessons with up to $100 off an ArtistWorks gift card this Christmas

By Daryl Robertson published 16 December 21

From guitar to piano, drums to woodwind, they can learn it all at ArtistWorks - all while saving you up to $100

Become the guitarist you always wanted to be with 50% off a Fender Play annual subscription

By Daryl Robertson published 8 December 21

Learn to play some of the biggest riffs of all time from bands such as Metallica, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Green Day, and many more

The best digital pianos 2021: options for every budget

The best digital pianos 2022: options for every budget

By Daryl Robertson published 22 November 21

Enter the digital realm with pianos from Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Kawai and Korg

Best guitars for kids 2022: the ultimate guide to the best electric and acoustic guitars for children

By Daryl Robertson published 22 November 21

10 top kid’s guitars from the likes of Fender, Epiphone, Yamaha, Ibanez and more

Best studio monitors 2022: 12 budget-spanning studio speakers for musicians and producers

By MusicRadar, Chris Corfield, Daryl Robertson published 19 November 21

Our guide to the best studio monitor speakers for home recording, whether you’re a beginner or pro producer – including Yamaha, IK Multimedia, Focal and more

Best pianos 2022: our pick of acoustic and digital options for home, studio and stage

By Dan Goldman, Dave Clews, Daryl Robertson published 10 November 21

From Yamaha and Casio, to Nord, Roland and more, here’s our pick of the best pianos

The 8 best acoustic guitars for beginners 2022: top beginner acoustic guitars

The 9 best acoustic guitars for beginners 2022: top beginner acoustic guitars

By Chris Corfield, Daryl Robertson published 9 November 21

Strum your first chords with the best acoustic guitars for beginners from Taylor, Fender, Epiphone and more

Save a colossal 67% off selected E-Instruments with Native Instruments and dramatically improve the quality of your home recordings

Save a colossal 67% off Native Instruments' E-Instruments and dramatically improve your home recordings

By Daryl Robertson published 9 November 21

Seriously up your production value with this crazy early Black Friday discount on a range of virtual instruments, from violins to electric pianos

The 12 best pedalboards 2021: top choice pedalboards for guitarists

By Alex Lynham, Daryl Robertson published 4 November 21

Organise your guitar effects pedal collection with one of the best pedalboards available

Best online piano lessons 2022: recommended piano lesson apps, software and websites

By MusicRadar, Dave Clews, Daryl Robertson published 3 November 21

Learn to master music theory and play your favourite piano songs over the internet with ease

The best acoustic guitars in 2022 for new players and pros

By MusicRadar, Chris Bird, Daryl Robertson, James Farmer published 3 November 21

Expert buying advice and recommendations for the best acoustic guitars at every price point

Should you buy a piano, digital piano or keyboard this Black Friday?

By Daryl Robertson published 3 November 21

With the crazy deals we are expecting this November, is Black Friday the right time to splash the cash on a new set of keys?

7 things to consider when setting up a digital piano at home

By Daryl Robertson published 2 November 21

Take the fear out of setting up your digital piano with our handy tips and tricks

21 best electric guitars 2022: our pick of guitars to suit all budgets

By MusicRadar, Chris Bird, Daryl Robertson published 29 October 21

Find the top electric guitar for your budget and playing style, whether you play rock, metal, blues or beyond