How a feat of spontaneous creativity resulted in one of Pink Floyd’s most majestic moments
A gentle meditation on mortality was brought to passionate life thanks to one woman’s improvised vocal
![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-320-80.jpg.webp)
Artists
How a feat of spontaneous creativity resulted in one of Pink Floyd’s most majestic moments
A gentle meditation on mortality was brought to passionate life thanks to one woman’s improvised vocal
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
“I saw these banners: ‘SAMMY SUCKS!' 'WE WANT DAVE!’”: How Sammy Hagar and Van Halen won their war with David Lee Roth
An epic rock battle began 40 years ago today
![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
“I was a bit taken aback by how big a deal it was”: Noel Gallagher speaks about Oasis ticket chaos
Plus he names his four favourite Oasis songs
PinkPantheress says that having her authenticity questioned by dance music purists “was a bit annoying”
"I spoke to one of these jungle purists - and it was very interesting hearing his side of things," she adds
“I have never felt so ashamed to be onstage”: When John McLaughlin laid into Jaco Pastorius after an onstage meltdown
Trio Of Doom was aptly named…
Music Tech
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"
Best metronomes 2025: The top mechanical and digital metronomes for musicians
Are you rushing, or are you dragging? You’ll know for sure with these essential time-keeping devices from Boss, Korg, Wittner, and more
Guitarist Mick Rogers thinks he's in possession of Jeff Beck's last recording
"Nothing came of it because Jeff was playing through his dodgy Marshall and didn’t like the sound,” he explains
Is Sabrina Carpenter the world’s biggest Teenage Engineering fan? Please, please, please say that it’s true
Photo evidence suggests that she may have been jamming with an OP-1 and OP-XY during her Short n’ Sweet tour downtime
Forever 89 releases Topos, a topographical effects plugin that (quite literally) puts saturation on the map - and there's a free version
The offbeat software studio launched by former Ableton and Teenage Engineering developers releases an amp and speaker-simulating saturation tool
Behringer reveals DeepMind X upgrade for the synth's tenth anniversary - and it's got a new, Juno-inspired paint-job
Their DeepMind synth proved to be a great, all-analogue success, but its eagerly awaited new version looks like a step backwards
“He was like, ‘You’ve got it all wrong, man”: How Neil Young changed Mumford And Sons’ approach to making albums
"You need to pay attention to how you record music," they were advised
Dog Paw looks like a drum pad but plays like they just crossed a weighted piano with a violin
Add in a built-in synth and sample engine and its own audio outs and you’ve a musical instrument that defies description
Guitars
“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?
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
Martin recreates Eric Clapton’s MTV Unplugged acoustic for limited edition 30th anniversary run
These two versions of Slowhand's pre-war 1939 acoustic were announced on his 80th birthday and celebrate the 30th anniversary of his first signature Martin
Great Eastern FX’s Focus Fuzz Deluxe has got boost, drive, octave, fuzz... everything
One of our favourite fuzz pedals just got expanded but can we call it a fuzz-box when it does so much more?
Gibson remixes the Les Paul Special with mini humbuckers
Available with dual mini humbuckers or with a P-90/mini humbucker combo, these Tobacco Burst singlecuts are available exclusively from Gibson direct
“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
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
"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
Get strumming: The 22 essential beginner, blues and folk guitar chords every guitarist should learn first
Inspiration for every skill level
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
