LANDR's AI-powered Composer plugin will instantly generate "chord progressions, basslines, melodies, and harmonies" for you
Following LANDR's acquisition of Orb Plugins, the company has released an enhanced version of Orb Producer Pro
Artists
Mike Campbell recalls his conversation with Tom Petty after he’d sent him the songs he’d written for his side project
“Well, if they’re really good, why don’t we do them?” Petty asked him
Epiphone and Tak Matsumoto strike gold with 1955 Les Paul Standard based on his vintage original
This Epiphone x Gibson Custom shop collaboration is liberally finished in Antique Gold and features USA Burstbucker Pros, but it’s only available in Japan and from the Gibson Garages
Jonas Brothers gig stopped after laser pen is pointed in Nick Jonas’s face
Jonas Brothers' gig stopped after laser pen incident
Joe Bonamassa reveals the secret to tube amp consistency on tour and he “nicked it” from Angus Young
Tube amps are like fine wine; they often don’t travel well. But a power gizmo designed for clinical settings keeps Bonamassa’s epic touring rig in top form
Talking Heads make appearance on US game show Jeopardy
Talking Heads appear on US game show Jeopardy
“John Lennon’s death had a huge effect on me”: How Foreigner’s Mick Jones connected with a hero
The guitarist experienced Beatlemania first-hand
No one knew about the lyrical Easter eggs I dropped into a Rihanna hit, says songwriter
The Michael Jackson, Tears For Fears and A-ha references passed everyone by, he reveals
Music Tech
LANDR's AI-powered Composer plugin will instantly generate "chord progressions, basslines, melodies, and harmonies" for you
Following LANDR's acquisition of Orb Plugins, the company has released an enhanced version of Orb Producer Pro
Tracklib announces "first of its kind" royalty-free sample packs made up of authentic '70s recordings
The Actually Vintage series launches with two sample packs made up of recordings made in Rome in the 1970s
Native Instruments discontinues Maschine MK1 and MK2, but new Maschine software is on the way - with stem separation and more
Could Maschine MK4 be around the corner?
“Spreads those SidStation ripples even further”: Elektron’s Syntakt gets new sounds in a free update
Elektron’s free 1.30 OS makes the hybrid groovebox more appealing than ever
“Huge sounds, overwhelming options, great value and easy modulation, all in a crazily priced package”: The Synth Factory Horizen review
A synth/sampler that packs in a lot of power at an almost silly price – despite its low profile. We gaze at Horizen…
“Why lend your talents to Michael Jackson?”: Alex Van Halen told Eddie not to play on Beat It
Was Eddie’s most famous solo really “a mistake”?
How ATB accidentally came up with the hook for 9PM (Till I Come) while showing off his studio to impress a date
“9PM changed everything for me - but it wasn’t planned”
“The Les Paul approach, playing everything yourself”: How Lindsey Buckingham reinvented Fleetwood Mac
The ex-Mac guitarist sheds new light on the Tusk album
How to build an artist identity that cuts through the noise
Establishing your artist name is more vital than you might think
"I didn’t know how to work any of it": Elton John says he’s never got over his Hammond organ “phobia”
“I was a piano player trying to play the organ like a piano, and it just doesn’t work that way - it’s a completely different technique, one I couldn’t master”
Guitars
Epiphone and Tak Matsumoto strike gold with 1955 Les Paul Standard based on his vintage original
This Epiphone x Gibson Custom shop collaboration is liberally finished in Antique Gold and features USA Burstbucker Pros, but it’s only available in Japan and from the Gibson Garages
Joe Bonamassa reveals the secret to tube amp consistency on tour and he “nicked it” from Angus Young
Tube amps are like fine wine; they often don’t travel well. But a power gizmo designed for clinical settings keeps Bonamassa’s epic touring rig in top form
Fractal packs “over 400” effects from the Axe-Fx III into its compact VP4 ‘Virtual Pedalboard’
The Fractal VP4 stakes a claim for pedalboard supremacy offering players hundreds of sounds in an easy-to-use format, 104 user configurable presets, and a signal path that can be populated by up to four effects simultaneously,
Friedman unveils Jake E. Lee IR-J tube preamp pedal, a high-end solution for nailing ‘80s Ozzy tones
The former Ozzy guitarist’s tone is all about ‘70s hard-rock and the box-office hard rock and metal of the ‘80s, and this fully featured, IR-equipped tube preamp pedal nails it all
“My guitar hero has always been Brian May”: The Last Dinner Party’s Emily Roberts salutes Queen
She loves a guitar solo you can sing along to
Gretsch unveils a stunning limited edition Center Block electric for Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore
The G6618-MG Martin Gore Anniversary Center Block betrays the synth-pop pioneer's rock 'n' roll influences, and features a top-tier build with TV Jones pickups, a Two-Tone Smoke Green finish, and we just can't get enough of that G-cutout tailpiece
“I became a better player because I had to follow Randy Rhoads”: How Jake E. Lee found fame with Ozzy
The guitarist is currently recovering after being shot in Las Vegas
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
How to clean your guitar better
Finish, strings, hardware – it all needs a spruce now and again. Here's how to do it right
Fans and theory experts unpick Nirvana's About a Girl
"Everything being diatonic is not some sort of requirement or restriction on things sounding good"
Learn these unexpected Oasis guitar chords
Definitely maybe some chords you don't know
Matteo Mancuso shares all the secrets behind his breathtaking style in Jam Track Central masterclass
The Sicilian maestro introduces his course with a blazing solo with JTC promising everything you need to nail his fingerstyle fusion approach, with easy-to-follow exercises, solos and more
“World’s fastest player” Rusty Cooley shares practice tips for building hyper-shred speed
The “world’s fastest player” Cooley endorses the discipline of non-stop repetition until you find your fastest clean speed but argues variety is key to building technical excellence
If you've ever wanted to learn to play guitar and sing at the same time this is how to start
Gibson shows you how
Latest Tuition
Slice beats, humanise grooves and work around the 4-track limit: 9 Ableton Move workflow tips
We catch up with Ableton to get some tips on how to get the most out of the company's new hardware groovebox
How to clean your guitar better
Finish, strings, hardware – it all needs a spruce now and again. Here's how to do it right
How to build a complete mastering chain in Logic Pro using only stock plugins
Setting up an entire mastering chain in your DAW needn’t be a daunting task. Here we take a look at one way you can go about it…
How to troubleshoot common audio interface issues
Hearing unwanted buzz? Not getting any sound at all? Here’s how to fix these and other unwanted interface issues and get your session back on track
How to produce a dance pop hit
Dance music’s core genres have influenced pop for decades. We dig into their impact on the mainstream
How to make a searing lead synth patch with GForce Axxess
It’s time to turn up the heat and Axxess a spicy lead
How to make a loop into a fully-fledged track
It’s simple to make a killer loop, but how does that become a dancefloor-filling hit? It only takes a few steps to get the process started…
The MPE masterclass: Express yourself with the new generation of software synths and hardware controllers
We take you step by step through some of the basic operations of MPE, from setting it up to understanding basic parameters to creating or amending a patch
5 practical music theory tools to help you make better electronic music
Find out how to use today's top theory tools to make your tunes stand out
Learn these unexpected Oasis guitar chords
Definitely maybe some chords you don't know
How to tailor reverbs to work with any mix
Reverb is a great tool, but cleverly thinking about its application can really take your mix to the next level. Here’s how to get tailoring…
How to use your audio interface with a patch bay – a step by step guide
Revolutionise your home studio connectivity and signal paths with a patch bay – here's how
Music theory you can use: 6 chord tricks for songwriters and producers
Go beyond the basics with these handy power-composer tips and techniques
Get creative with Logic Pro’s secret weapons for creating interesting effects
Elevate your sound design with fantastic stock plugins Logic users will already have
How to use effects to take your sound design to the next level
Branch out into the world of effects and expand your sound design aspirations beyond the basics
How to master modulation and make your synth sounds move
Create sounds with movement, layering and drama that you won’t quite believe
14 sound design tips that will make your tracks stand out
In these days of ‘ultimate sample banks’ and ‘preset-packed’ synths and effects, it’s easy to think that sound design is a dying art. But, if anything, we think it should be your go-to creative process
Latest reviews
“Huge sounds, overwhelming options, great value and easy modulation, all in a crazily priced package”: The Synth Factory Horizen review
A synth/sampler that packs in a lot of power at an almost silly price – despite its low profile. We gaze at Horizen…
“Has Oberheim running through its samples, like a stick of rock!”: GForce Software Oberheim DMX review
If the beginning of your week feels like a Blue Monday, then take a Walk This Way…
"Where the Foxgear units shine is being fully integrated, including the power stage": Foxgear 100W Series review
Foxgear wades into the integrated pedalboard amp fight with four pocket-sized offerings
"The Jeval is a decent integrated pedal solution as a fly rig or pedalboard gigging solution": Baroni Jeval review
The Jeval joins the AFK150 as a high-gain hybrid pedalboard amp but how does it stack up?
“Breaks down the complex task of mastering but we’d love different options on how to pay for it”: Softube Flow Mastering Suite review
Mastering your music just got as easy – or as complex – as you want. But is it worth yet another monthly subscription?
“A unique-sounding synth plugin to create absorbing sounds and textures”: Expressive E Noisy 2 review
Expressive E brings us a new software instrument that will undoubtedly excite and resonate. We make a racket!
"Mixing on the XDJ-AZ is a hugely rewarding experience, with nothing feeling clunky or cramped": AlphaTheta XDJ-AZ review
Can AlphaTheta improve on the Pioneer DJ all-in-one DJ System, the XDJ-XZ?
“A new keybed, solid DAW integration, touch-sensitive controls, and deep configuration”: Arturia KeyLab 61 mk3 review
Serious productions need serious controllers – we check out Arturia’s latest
“Slicker than ever and although some of the improvements are quite nuanced, the incoming Sonarworks SoundID integration and monitoring extras will no doubt be suitably welcomed”: Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 review
The next generation of Universal Audio Apollo is here, and we got hands-on ahead of launch to put it through its paces
