Fender MIJ Hybrid II Limited Edition Stratocasters — Fender’s limited edition MIJ Hybrid II Stratocasters expands, offering specs and finishes previously only available in Japan A Strat to really make notes bloom, the Sakuraburst joins a Satin Sand Beige stunner, a Shell Pink HSS model with roasted maple neck, and a radical Strat with a reverse Tele headstock

Klevgrand Richter — Klevgrand’s Richter is a ‘tectonic’, super-heavy compressor plugin that the company thinks is off the scale Unconventional but apparently intuitive plugin promises to set off a sonic earthquake

Eddie Van Halen, live onstage in 1984 — New Van Halen documentary takes us back to the early ‘80s to tell the story of how Eddie built 5150 Studios as the band were coming apart Or how Eddie Van Halen helped pioneer working from home, reinvented guitar, befriended Frank Zappa and ended up producing My Mother Is A Space Cadet for a young Dweezil Zappa

Latest news

Close-up of Arturia Keystep keyboard controller

Best MIDI keyboards 2023: Mac, PC and iOS keyboards for players, composers and producers

By Andy Jones last updated 30 May 23

Our expert guide to the best MIDI keyboards of all sizes and budgets to integrate with your home studio

Tech

The Jura’s out: Air Music releases new plugin emulation of Roland’s Juno-60 synth

By Ben Rogerson published 30 May 23

It looks like it’s from 1982, but you can also switch to a more modern interface

Tech

The "first producer to be transformed into AI", Cosm Bot is an AI chatbot and music production expert trained on 1000 hours of online tutorials

By Matt Mullen published 30 May 23

Trained on YouTuber Tom Cosm's videos, Algonaut's Cosm Bot says it's "here 24/7 to answer your questions on audio production, DJing, or whatever's on your mind"

Tech

Dave Mustaine’s signature Vs from Epiphone and Kramer are officially released and they look mighty thrashable

By Jonathan Horsley published 30 May 23

Today is a V big deal for Mustaine fans as Epiphone unveils Classic and Prophecy versions of his signature Flying V, and Kramer drops a trio of Vanguards

Guitars

The plugin deals are heating up with 50% off in Native Instruments' Summer of Sound sale

By Daryl Robertson published 30 May 23

Unleash the sound of summer with 50% off music production staples Komplete 14, iZotope, Maschine bundles and more

Tech

The RX1200 plugin could be the closest you’ll get to having an E-MU SP-1200 sampler inside your DAW

By Ben Rogerson published 30 May 23

The lo-fi legend returns in a simplified and apparently improved format

Tech

Close up of the top of an Audient iD24 audio interface

Best audio interfaces 2023: 19 USB and Thunderbolt options for Mac and PC across every budget

By Andy Jones last updated 30 May 23

In this guide to the best audio interfaces, we take a deep dive into top PC/Mac Thunderbolt and USB audio interfaces for music producers, songwriters, podcasters and more

Tech

Paul Gilbert and his new Ibanez PGM1000T and PGM50 signature guitars

Ibanez expands its Paul Gilbert signature series with the super classy, super shreddable PGM50 and PGM1000T

By Jonathan Horsley published 30 May 23

And you can watch Mr Gilbert introduce them in the maximum shred demo video

Guitars

Positive Grid Riff audio interface with cables and headphones

Give the gift of great tone this Father's Day with these Positive Grid deals

By Matt McCracken published 29 May 23

Get yourself money off and a free gift with these tempting deals on Positive Grid Spark, Spark Mini, and BIAS software

Guitars

Picture of Bruce Springsteen and the TEAC 144

“Nebraska was cut on crap equipment…” How Bruce Springsteen made his most important album in his bedroom with just a Gibson J-200 and a TEAC 144

By Scott Rowley published 27 May 23

Back in 1981, Bruce Springsteen started recording two albums: one was a state-of-the-art gamechanger that influenced the production sounds of the 80s and made him an international superstar. The other was better than that…

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Latest tuition

How to create the 'perfect fifths' synth pad

By Dave Gale published 30 May 23

Get your fifths and ninths in order as we explore one of the most identifiable pad sounds around

Tech

Learn these four essential guitar chord inversions and unlock new ideas

By Leigh Fuge published 26 May 23

Bored of your chords? We can help!

Guitars

Quick Tips: What is control voltage and how does it work?

By Si Truss published 19 May 23

Get to know the CV/Gate system, the pre-MIDI method that synths, sequencers and music tech gear uses to communicate

Tech

How to use visual metering tools to help you mix

By Jon Musgrave published 19 May 23

Mixing might be mostly about using our ears, but there are other senses we can bring in too, specifically our eyes

Tech

Guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Eric Clapton performing in Rome, Italy, 1986. He is playing a Fender Stratocaster guitar

25 great blues-rock guitar licks lesson

By Jim Clark, Guitar Techniques published 10 May 23

Play in the style of Clapton, SRV, Hendrix, Gilmour, the three Kings, John Mayer and more with our tab and audio lessons

Guitars

Image of cover of Computer Music magazine

Computer Music 322 July 2023: free downloads

By Computer Music published 10 May 23

If you've purchased a copy (digital or print)* you can grab the bonus content to accompany issue 322 of CM here. Just click through to the embedded quiz and answer the questions below…