There’s a very common saying in the pro audio world that not backing up your files is a mistake you’ll only make once. Whether you’ve got ten years of unfinished songs on your external hard drive or you’re just putting the finishing touches on an album for a rising artist, I've heard countless tales of storage devices breaking, corrupting, and being lost to the ether.

I know of several producers who have been close to completing projects for a big client, only to come to their computer the next day and find their hard drive has failed. Some of them have had to painstakingly recreate entire songs from scratch, or call the artist back in again to re-record, and this has had a knock-on effect on their work going forward. I myself lost around three years of music when a well-meaning relative decided to format and reinstall our home PC without letting me know first.

• Shop the full Amazon Big Spring Sale

So, if you want to avoid the agony of having to tell someone you lost all their data, or the pure pain of knowing all of your creations for the last few years are gone forever, it’s generally advised that you should follow the 3-2-1 rule when backing up your data. That means you should have three different copies of all your projects. This breaks down to two different media, for example, two external hard drives or a copy on a different computer, and one ‘off-site’ copy, like a cloud backup or a hard drive that isn’t connected to any network.

It’s World Backup Day today, the Amazon Big Spring Sale is in full flow, and we’re close to payday for most people. So, if you’re not already backing up your productions, then hopefully this is the kicker you need to start doing this essential piece of house cleaning. There are a lot of different hard drives available on Amazon, so I’ve done the hard work for you and found x deals on rock-solid drives that will suit any musician.

Spring has sprung, well, nearly, and Thomann is celebrating the only way they know how, with a massive sale, of course. This Spring Sale sees up to 60% off, with over 700 items included. Whether you’re chasing a new axe, dreaming of a fresh amp, or just looking to finally pull the trigger on that piece of gear you’ve had bookmarked for months, now’s the time to dive in.

If you’ve spent any time browsing Thomann’s site, you already know it’s basically a candy store for tone chasers with thousands of products across every category, at prices that won’t break the bank. I know that with a sale this size, it can be genuinely overwhelming to know where to start, so I’ve done the digging for you.

Now, I’m a massive pedal head. I just love stompboxes, and when a sale drops, it’s usually the thing I try to check out first. I find myself adding to, rearranging and reworking my pedalboard more than any guitarist probably should, but I can’t help it. I find that pedals can be unlimited sources of inspiration, with so many cool new sounds to discover.

I’ve hand-picked eight guitar pedals from across the Thomann sale that caught my eye, ranging from lush reverbs and gnarly drives to studio-grade multi-effects. Whether you’re a bedroom noodler or a gigging road warrior, there’s something in here with your name on it.

Although better known for budget guitar pedals, this year the Amazon Spring Sale has delivered a deluge of deals on better-known pedal brands. With up to 26% off Boss guitar pedals, it's a great time to stock up on some super stompboxes for much less.

The deals are only available on a select few pedals, but I spotted a big saving on a Waza Craft Metal Zone, the incredibly versatile DD-8 Digital Delay, and one of my all-time favourite loopers in the RC-600. It's not just pedals either, I also spotted a significant saving on one of the best pairs of guitar amp headphones in the Boss Waza-Air.

Having looked through the whole sale, I figured I'd pick out some of my favourites to help you cut through the noise. Here are 7 of the best deals from the Amazon spring sale:

In these days of terminally online transactions, it can feel like there isn’t all that much going on out there beyond what’s served to us via the algorithm. That’s why I love getting out and engaging with the wider guitar community face to face. At The Guitar Show this weekend, I headed to Birmingham, UK, to get hands-on with brands big and small, trying out some of the hottest guitar gear launched in early 2026, as well as some as-yet-unavailable products due for release this year.

From custom guitar cabinets to multi-effects pedals from the biggest guitar brands on earth, there was pretty much everything you could think of at a sold-out industrial park south of the UK’s second city. Vintage guitars priced north of £50,000 took the stage alongside cheap and cheerful guitar headphone amps, and all were available for any guitar player to try out at their leisure.

As someone who regularly reviews guitar gear, The Guitar Show is a great place to get a gauge on what the guitar community is excited about, get real-world opinions on gear, and speak directly to both big and small brands about what they’ve got coming up. This year, I tried out more gear than I can remember, but these are the items available right now that stood out to me.

So, if you're here, you most likely got a new beginner keyboard or digital piano for Christmas. Let me start by saying welcome to the club, and I hope your new instrument brings you years of joy. Now, I know that grabbing a bunch of piano-rated accessories isn't as thrilling as choosing the perfect instrument, but the right products can significantly enhance your playing experience, and you definitely shouldn't overlook them.

So, if you're a beginner digital piano newbie looking to hit the ground running and fully kit yourself out, I’ve pulled together a collection of my piano and keyboard essentials to ensure you get started on the right foot. From benches that'll keep you comfy during those long practice sessions to high-quality headphones that let you get lost in your music without disturbing the neighbours, I’ve got you covered.

Oh, and remember, every great pianist started somewhere, and with the right gear, you’ll be making beautiful music in no time.

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