Latest articles by Matt McCracken
Best guitar cables 2026: Leads and patch cables for all budgets
Quality cables make the difference, here's our top picks from Mogami, Ernie Ball, Fender and more
Best MIDI keyboards for beginners 2026: Entry-level controllers for those starting out in music production
Get producing your own music with my pick of the best MIDI controller keyboards for beginner musicians
Best in-ear monitors 2026: IEMs for stage and studio
Our expert guide to the best in-ear monitors we've testedfor practice, performance and production, no matter your budget
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
Shake off the winter lull and dust off the cobwebs with up to 60% off guitars, pedals, synths, mixers, and more in the massive Thomann Spring Sale, including £542 off an ESP LTD and £70 off a UAFX reverb pedal
With over 600 bits of music gear discounted, the Thomann Spring Sale is the place to bag a saving and kick start your music making for 2026
Best acoustic guitars 2026: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
Our pick of the very best flat tops from Taylor, Martin, Gibson, Fender and loads more
Best electric guitars 2026: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
Find the top electric guitar for your budget and playing style, whether you play rock, metal, blues or beyond
Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
The best speakers for small studios and portable use, from KRK, Focal, IK Multimedia, Genelec and more
As a pro guitarist, I think Boss makes the most reliable pedals around, so with 26% off everything from the DD-8 to the Waza Metal Zone in Amazon's Spring Deal Days sale, it's time to stock up
Amazon might usually be the home of cheap guitar pedals, but the Spring Sale has unleashed a slew of savings on Boss stompboxes
Best MIDI keyboards 2026: Find your perfect match for the home studio
My expert guide to the best MIDI keyboards of all sizes and budgets to integrate with your home studio
Here's 7 of the hottest guitar gear releases I tried at The Guitar Show this weekend that are available to buy right now
I joined a sold-out Guitar Show in Birmingham, UK, to get hands-on with the latest and greatest from the world of guitar
Best budget studio monitors 2026: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
The best cheap studio monitors for home recording, with my hand-picked and affordable options from Adam, IK Multimedia, M-Audio, PreSonus and more
Best studio monitors 2026: Studio speakers for musicians and producers on any budget
My comprehensive guide to the best studio monitor speakers for home studio recording, whether you’re a beginner or pro producer
Get golden-era guitar tone with $600 off thanks to the awesome Presidents' Day sale on Vintera II guitars over at the official Fender store
Fender just launched a slew of deals for Presidents' Day with some monumental discounts
“Jam-packed with features and functionality that will serve more experienced users well, and simple enough to use that pretty much anyone could pick it up and start making music with”: Akai MPK Mini IV review
Akai refines its classic MIDI keyboard and finally ditches the joystick
Best studio desks 2026: budget-spanning options for organising your recording studio space
Streamline your production setup and bring order to your creative space with one of the best desks for music production
Best condenser mics 2026: My expert picks for home recording, no matter your budget
Capture every nuance of a vocal and high-fidelity detail of an instrument with my condenser microphone recommendations from Rode, Neumann, Audio-Technica, Aston, AKG and more
Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
Immerse yourself in your guitar playing with headphones, earphones and IEMs from Boss, Vox, Sennheiser, Shure, Focal and more…
After years of covering the NAMM cycle I've never seen flagship gear hit the shelves so quickly - here are 6 of the hottest NAMM 26 releases you can pick up right now
The biggest stars of NAMM 2026 are already in stock and ready to rock - including the much-discussed Quad Cortex Mini and a gigantic new MPC
Best guitar wireless systems 2026: Cut the cord and liberate your playing today
Invest in a transmitter/receiver and ditch trailing cables with our pick of the best wireless guitar systems from beginner to pro
Best electric guitar strings 2026: Sets for all styles and budgets
These are the very best guitar strings from Ernie Ball, D’Addario, Elixir, Rotosound and more
Best budget in-ear monitors 2026: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
My recommended budget IEMs for practice and performance – options starting from $45/£45
Best home studio mixers 2026: analogue and digital mixing desks for all budgets
A comprehensive look at the best home studio mixers on the market today – from compact consoles to podcasting heavyweights
