Overdrive vs distortion: explore the sounds, the players and the effects pedals to try
Add some extra dirt to your guitar sound with our deep dive into the world of overdrive and distortion
Advice
Advice for music careers, and lessons for music gear and techniques
Latest advice articles
How to clean a microphone: keep your mics germ-free
Microphones can become germ motels if they're not looked after. Use our step-by-step guide to keep yours clean
The basic song arrangement template: the anatomy of a 'standard' layout
Plus! The club and dance arrangement toolkit laid bare
Songwriting basics: how to create a heartbreaking, sad chord progression
Sprinkle a little magic, wonder and even soul into your chord progressions with this neat music theory device
How to create a dynamic FX riser
Give your track a sense of movement with rising FX created using Arturia Pigments
Get to know the different microphone types and where you should use them
Don’t know your dynamic from your ribbon or condenser microphones? Here’s what you need to know about live and studio microphones
How to program a Robert Hood-style lead synth sound
Use TAL Bassline 101 to build a hypnotic groove
How to program a mutated techno synth drone
Create an unpredictable background texture using Native Instruments' Absynth
Notting Hill Academy of Music teams up with Raw Power Management and Relentless Records to offer scholarships
Enrolling from September, the nine-month course in Creative Music Business offers a full-time industry-focused curriculum
The future for live music and 7 tips on performing online with Tesseract bassist Amos Williams
Back To Live: Insights and ideas on how bands can redefine their live performances
Songwriting basics: using a sample as the inspiration for a new track when you’ve run out of ideas
How one sound can provide the spark for a complete song
The 40 greatest synth sounds of all time, No 30: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
10 million sales, and counting...
Creative drum programming using Novation Circuit Tracks groovebox
Rhythmic fun with this high-value synth/drum machine
The 40 greatest synth sounds of all time, No 1: Vangelis - Blade Runner Main Titles
We have a winner, and perhaps the CS-80 deserves an award, too
