
Matt McCracken
Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at MusicRadar. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on audio interfaces, studio headphones, studio monitors, and pretty much anything else home recording-related. Responsible for over 60 buying guides, a large part of his role is helping musicians find the best deals on gear. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites, including Guitar World, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog.
A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and producing bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the UK in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at. He's an alumnus of Spirit Studios, where he studied studio engineering and music production. When not writing for MusicRadar, you'll find him making a racket with northern noise punks Never Better.
Latest articles by Matt McCracken

"Offers a huge amount of options for all players of stringed instruments, and provides the highest accuracy available for any clip-on tuner": Peterson Stroboclip HDC review
By Matt McCracken published
One of the most accurate clip-on tuners available for musicians, and discuss that astronomical entry fee

“A great option for beginner players or those looking to expand their tonal palette on a budget”: Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Advanced review
By Matt McCracken published
The middle model of Harley Benton’s budget multi-effects pedal range looks for your attention in a crowded market

Quick! Get the original Spark smart amp at a super low price for a limited time in Positive Grid’s big Labor Day sale
By Matt McCracken published
With the launch of the Spark 2, prices are starting to plummet on the original and much-loved Spark amp

Best studio monitor stands: Optimise your home studio
By Chris Corfield last updated
Everything you need to know about studio monitor stands and why you need them in your recording studio

Best distortion pedals: our pick of the top gain stages for guitar
By Michael Astley-Brown last updated
Bring the filth with 10 of the best distortion pedals for hard-rock, metal, and beyond

With up to 94% off at Plugin Boutique, these are the best plugin deals you’ll see for a while - here’s 5 picks from a mixing fanatic with 20 years in the home recording game
By Matt McCracken published
Now’s the perfect time to upgrade your plugin collection with this ginormous sale at Plugin Boutique

"One of the standout signature guitars I’ve played in my time": Gretsch Electromatic John Gourley Broadkaster review
By Matt McCracken published
A relatively affordable semi-hollow signature guitar with a stunning look from the man behind Portugal. The Man

How to set the preamp gain on your audio interface
By Matt McCracken last updated
Ensure you are getting the best recording quality possible every time with our top tips

How to plug mics and instruments into your audio interface
By Matt McCracken last updated
Not sure how to plug into your shiny new audio interface? Get set up for recording like a pro

Best podcast headphones: An essential tool for your podcast rig
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our pick of closed-back, wired headphones will help you up your podcasting game in no time

Best podcast mixers: The central hub of your podcasting setup
By Chris Corfield last updated
Find the ideal mixer for podcasting with our top picks from Rode, Yamaha, PreSonus, and others – from budget to pro

“Left me wishing my first guitar had been this much fun to play”: Harley Benton TE-52 NA Vintage Series review
By Matt McCracken published
We get hands-on with one of the cheapest guitars in the Harley Benton range

“Huge storage and ability to load your own loops make it an instrument in its own right”: DigiTech JamMan Solo HD review
By Matt McCracken published
We welcome back another DigiTech staple with massive storage and stereo-looping capabilities

“Feels like you’re playing through an amp with excellent low-latency performance”: Blackstar Polar 2 review
By Matt McCracken published
We get hands-on with the new guitarist-friendly audio interface from British amp manufacturer Blackstar

How to use an amp simulator with an audio interface
By Matt McCracken published
Turns out we may have all been using our amp simulator plugins completely wrong. Let's clear up the matter once and for all

Learn to play guitar for just $4.99 a month with this mammoth Fender Play discount - get 60% off for a limited time
By Matt McCracken published
Ending on July 6th, this huge 60% reduction on a Fender Play annual plan won’t be around for long

Best beginner electric guitars: Start strong with our top picks
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our round-up of the best electric guitars for beginners, tested by experts

Waves just slashed pretty much every plugin down to only $29.99 - including the channel strip we swear by
By Matt McCracken published
With 239 plugins reduced to just $29.99, it's the perfect time to refurbish your plugin folder

Will upgrading your audio interface improve sound quality? It's time to bust some myths...
By Matt McCracken published
Wondering whether a new interface will have a noticeable impact on the quality of your recordings? We take a look at the science to find the answer

Best pedalboards: top choice 'boards for guitarists
By Alex Lynham last updated
Organise your guitar effects pedal collection with one of the best pedalboards available from Pedaltrain, D'Addario, Gator and more

Today is your last chance to grab Waves's bonkers distortion plugin Berzerk for free - exclusive to MusicRadar readers
By Matt McCracken last updated
We've teamed up with Waves to offer you Berzerk for free (rather than $29.99) until 1400 BST/0900 EST – find out how to claim your plugin for nothing

Audio interface vs mixer: Which should you choose for your home studio?
By Matt McCracken published
There’s more than one way to get audio in and out of your computer - we look at two of the most common options for musicians

Waves just slashed the price on 20 of their best-selling plugins, including Waves Tune and Vocal Rider at just $35.99 each
By Matt McCracken published
Mix like a pro for less with cut-price channel strips, AI noise removal tools and creative plugins in the Waves best-seller's sale
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.

