How David Bowie stared down death itself for his final left-turn
Bowie foresaw how the world would react to his end - and artfully deconstructed his own myth with a last great masterwork
Artists
How David Bowie stared down death itself for his final left-turn
Bowie foresaw how the world would react to his end - and artfully deconstructed his own myth with a last great masterwork
Chaka Khan says that she’ll be releasing a new album of songs that she recorded with Prince and Larry Graham
After covering I Feel For You in 1984, she released an album on Prince’s record label in 1998
“So full of energy, joy, anger and life”: The Hives big up their new record
Josh Homme also appears on album, due in August with a tour to follow
White Lotus composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer explains why he won’t be returning for season 4
“I was like, OK, this is like a rock band I’ve been in before where the guitar player doesn’t understand the singer at all”
“We’re losing the essence of the heartbeat”: Ronnie Wood bemoans technology’s impact on music
He claims “there’s not much new music”
“She’s my number one, my greatest living singer - and she’s a huge fan of Charli’s”: Bon Iver on sampling one of his heroes for his Charli XCX remix
Vernon appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss his forthcoming new album SABLE, fABLE and working with Charli XCX and Taylor Swift
Songwriter Eg White on how Adele took some “very boring chords” and turned them into an “explosive” hit
Why working with the star on 2008’s Chasing Pavements led White to question some of his own creative instincts
Music Tech
Best microphones for recording 2025: My top studio mics for instruments, vocals and more
These are the best recording microphones from the biggest brands including AKG, Rode, Audio Technica, Neumann and more
Happy 404 Day: Roland's latest SP-404 MKII update turns its legendary sampler into a Serato DJ controller
SP-404 MKII's V5 software update brings native support for Serato DJ Pro, Serato DJ Lite and Serato Studio
“So full of energy, joy, anger and life”: The Hives big up their new record
Josh Homme also appears on album, due in August with a tour to follow
"It’s a piece of music software history": ReCycle gets recycled as Reason Studios makes the classic sample editor available as a free download
To celebrate the relaunch, Reason Studios has announced a beat battle competition hosted by Def Jam's Don Cannon
Behringer's 2-XM Oberheim Two Voice clone is now available for pre-order
First teased in 2022, 2-XM recreates one of Tom Oberheim's most iconic designs in a modern, Eurorack-friendly format
How a fake Daft Punk fooled Kraftwerk’s Wolfgang Flür into a collaboration
They pretended to be Thomas Bangalter
“He was like, ‘You gotta say what’s true for you'”: Will Smith on taking advice from Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar
The younger men said 'keep it real’
This deep dive into a classic Beatles song reveals 4 synth parts that we’d never even noticed before
Anthony Marinelli’s video might change the way you listen to George Harrison’s ode to sunny positivity
Best MIDI keyboards for beginners 2025: 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
Uli Behringer speaks out on Behringer's pricing strategy: "Our competitors say 'how much could I charge and get away with it?' We take the cost, add a small margin and that's the sale price"
"In many cases, we build synthesizers and there is no commercial incentive behind it. In some cases we even lose money - it doesn't matter"
Guitars
Harley Benton's Nashville Nylon might just be the most affordable electro-acoustic nylon-string yet
Nylon-string electro acoustics have been having a moment ever since Polyphia released Playing God, but at just $270 this might be the most affordable one we've seen yet
Gibson expands finish options on its J-45 Standard and SJ-200 Standard
The paint room at Gibson's Bozeman, Montana facility has been busy as it presents even more options for two of its most-popular acoustics
Jackson and Revocation’s David Davidson unveil 2025's hottest metal guitar so far, the Warrior WR7
We've got G.A.S. for those Ferrari-inspired paint jobs on this radical, weaponised seven-string electric
30 essential acoustic guitar chords, with charts
Massively expand your musical vocabulary and songwriting options with these beautiful acoustic guitar chords
“The Ditto 2 is an evolution, not a revolution”: TC Electronic Ditto 2 Looper review
The original Ditto redefined both bang for buck and 'board space. So what's new with the Ditto 2?
Mythos and That Pedal Show team up for the Argo Boost Deluxe – an octave fuzz with switchable boost
Who couldn't use a COB-style octave-fuzz and boost with a bright red dial for the boost?
![Chris Hayes [left] wears a purple checked shirt and plays his 1957 Stratocaster in the studio; Michael J. Fox tears it up onstage as Marty McFly in the 1985 blockbuster Back To The Future.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nWZUSbFAwA6EqQdruLmXXh-840-80.jpg.webp)
How Chris Hayes wrote Huey Lewis and the News’ Back To The Future hit Power Of Love in his pyjamas
The Power Of Love scored Huey Lewis and the News their first number one and an Oscar nod but as Hayes remembers it he just “threw together” the guitar parts from the comfort of his couch
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
30 essential acoustic guitar chords, with charts
Massively expand your musical vocabulary and songwriting options with these beautiful acoustic guitar chords
"You owe your guitar the chance to be its best": How to clean and polish your guitar frets a better way
We take a look at two different products that can help you get your frets gleaming and your guitar back to its best for smoother bends and clearer vibrato
Play like Jimmy Page! Exclusive video lesson
Key techniques guitar players can learn from the Led Zeppelin legend
How learning and understanding chord symbols can prove a major benefit for sharing your musical ideas
Chord hieroglyphics can take several forms. We unravel the mysteries of one of the most symbolic and common examples
What are the best online guitar lessons in 2025? I review guitar gear for a living and these are my favourite lessons platforms
My pick of the best online guitar courses will get your playing up to speed from the comfort of your own home, whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player
Fingerboard care basics: 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
A string change is the ideal opportunity to get your 'board back to its best
Proggy pentatonic! How to use the good ol’ pentatonic scale in cool new ways
Latest Tuition
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: Newfangled Audio Pendulate
This free mono synth plugin is creative, chaotic and fun to use. It’s time to go West (Coast)
"You owe your guitar the chance to be its best": How to clean and polish your guitar frets a better way
We take a look at two different products that can help you get your frets gleaming and your guitar back to its best for smoother bends and clearer vibrato
“If you don’t have an idea, go mow the lawn": Follow Neil Young’s lead to demolish those frustrating songwriting barriers
It’s true, sometimes working relentlessly on perfecting a song or track that you’re just not feeling can do more harm than good
“It’s tougher and faster than ever”: Jump aboard the modern hardgroove train and learn to build a club-ready beat
Putting together the elements you need to craft a beat that just won't let up
Play like Jimmy Page! Exclusive video lesson
Key techniques guitar players can learn from the Led Zeppelin legend
Don't know where to start with virtual instruments? We're here to help
In today's world of music production, pretty much everything you can dream of will have a virtual counterpart. Let's explore
How learning and understanding chord symbols can prove a major benefit for sharing your musical ideas
Chord hieroglyphics can take several forms. We unravel the mysteries of one of the most symbolic and common examples
UA is giving away its 1176 plugin as a Valentine's gift – here's how to get it and use it!
Forget flowers, chocolates or champagne – give your loved one a free vintage compressor plugin instead! Better still, just get it for yourself…
Are all interpretations of songs correct? Kate Bush certainly thinks so
It’s easy to get precious about the true meaning of our creative endeavours, but how much authority do songwriters really have to own the definitive reading of their work?
How Aphex Twin fought the temptation to continually refine, and how we can learn from his example
It’s easy to carry on fiddling with our tracks, but as Richard D. James knows all too well, that urge to keep going can prove a problem
“Maybe I’ll write out five or six chords, then discipline myself to write something only with those chords involved”: Why David Bowie’s restrictive songwriting strategies provide a lesson for us all
Sometimes imposing rules can force us out of our creative comfort zones. It's a tactic David Bowie used to birth some of his most celebrated songs.
“It’s a favourite with jazz and funk players, but it's just at home in hits by artists such as Jessie Ware”: Expand your chordal colours with 9ths
Building an extension to a chord doesn’t require planning permission, but it might require a degree of design. We add 9ths to our extension palette
“If you're listening to amazing gear through terrible monitors, you've wasted your cash”: Why monitors are the most important part of your studio
Don't know where to begin with buying and using studio monitor speakers? Listen up
“The net result of this process is a progression which sounds smoother, calmer and more musical”: The value of adding chord inversions
If your chord progressions sound a little clunky, try approaching your harmony in an inverse way.
How to connect your audio interface to your computer – for both PC and Mac users
My guide to hooking up your audio interface to a laptop or computer, step-by-step
“When used in conjunction with other unextended chords, it will sound amazing”: How to enhance your songwriting with major sevenths
From bossanovas to Carole King and even James Bond villains, the major seventh can completely change your song’s mood.
How to connect a MIDI keyboard to your audio interface
Learn how to hook up your MIDI keyboard to your audio interface - no matter how complex your setup
“Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here
Don't let a brilliant song be swallowed up in a bad mix by following our guide to the central principles of the process
Latest reviews
“The Ditto 2 is an evolution, not a revolution”: TC Electronic Ditto 2 Looper review
The original Ditto redefined both bang for buck and 'board space. So what's new with the Ditto 2?
“This is the only tremolo pedal in the world that lets you plot your own waveform shapes using controls you first got to grips with as a child”: SoundLad Sketchy review
Don’t let the fun Etch A Sketch-inspired retro design fool you, this is a serious tremolo with serious capabilities
"Once set up to taste, its utility is astounding": TC Electronic Plethora X1 review
Is it a delay, reverb, modulation, harmoniser or compressor? Well, yes, to all the above
J Rockett PXO Review
J Rockett teams up with the Bon Jovi ace to bring us a no-frills, but premium pedal that boasts something of an original tone whilst still serving classic sounds
“An excellent entry point into the world of cast-shell drums”: DrumCraft Bell Brass Snare review
As heavy-shell snare drums make a comeback, DrumCraft is letting us in on the action at a snip of the price
“Perfect for that '80s arena-rock vibe”: MXR Rockman X100 pedal review
MXR revives Tom Scholz’s fabled '80s guitar headphone-amp tone in its latest pedal. Mass Hysteria ensues...
“A superb-sounding, pro-end keyboard”: Roland V-Stage 88 & 76-note keyboards review
If you’re a gigging keyboard player, the new Roland V-Stage could be the next major addition to your rig
"Whatever magic is in the Van Halen ear canals has been imparted here too": EVH SA-126 Special review
The first new design from EVH under Wolfgang Van Halen's watch is a Gibson-inspired semi-hollow with plenty of personality
