OMD’s Andy McCluskey says it was a Kraftwerk legend who advised him to form girlband Atomic Kitten
“He took me by surprise that he actually did it!,” said the Kraftwerk member in 2022
![A press shot of Paul Gilbert [left] wearing a tricorn hat and playing a pink Ibanez; Todd Rundgren wears dark shades and performs live in 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eqnUjQP9yE9HY87SbYmucb-1920-80.jpg.webp)
Artists
OMD’s Andy McCluskey says it was a Kraftwerk legend who advised him to form girlband Atomic Kitten
“He took me by surprise that he actually did it!,” said the Kraftwerk member in 2022
“It took me one second to understand that she's a survivor”: Melissa Auf der Maur on why she’s “proud” of Courtney Love
She has a memoir out this week
"I’d say 95 percent of the work I’ve done was unpaid”: James Blake on the hit and miss nature of production work
“You’re throwing stuff at a wall and seeing what sticks” he says
Why Bruno Mars' new single Risk It All could have ended up sounding very different
“Most of the other versions were more up-tempo," says co-writer/producer D'Mile
We speak to The Smiths’ producer Stephen Street and learn how their most beloved song came to be
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out remains one of The Smiths’ most heartbreaking songs - a near-perfect example of the potency of Marr and Morrissey’s songwriting partnership
"Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
He used it to write A Day In The Life
“When that song came out, it changed everything”: How Stone Temple Pilots created one of the great alternative rock anthems
Singer Scott Weiland called the track “a metaphor for a lost, obsessive relationship”
Music Tech
"How real can drums feel inside a plugin?": Klevgrand promises to "redefine what a drum sampler can be" with OneShot 2
OneShot 2 features a new Motion Engine designed to create phrases that "breathe and evolve" by morphing through multiple samples, such as cymbal swells, brushed textures or foley elements
"Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
He used it to write A Day In The Life
“All I hear is ‘Auto-Tune sucks’ and 'drum machines have no soul'”: Flying Lotus on the backlash against AI music
FlyLo weighs in on Suno and talks us through the making of BIG MAMA, a chaotic speedrun of an EP that zooms through chiptune, breakcore and jazz fusion without looping a single bar
“I didn't get it at first.”: House icons Alan Braxe and Fred Falke on embracing AI in the studio
As they reissue the cult classic Intro for its 25th anniversary, the French producers tell us how they see AI reshaping sampling culture
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $200 off a whacky Gibson guitar, $150 off UAD plugins, and $200 off a must-have Moog synth
We've uncovered the very best offers on a range of music-making gear from the likes of Gibson, PRS, Yamaha, Fender and more
Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
The best speakers for small studios and portable use, from KRK, Focal, IK Multimedia, Genelec and more
"A massive expansion of its abilities as a modulation and automation powerhouse": Bitwig Studio 6 review
This sizeable update to Bitwig Studio expands on its strengths, and locks it in as the creative sound designer’s ultimate home base
Get a FREE Bitwig 6 8-Track license exclusively with MusicRadar
To mark this week’s release of the latest version of Bitwig Studio, we’re offering MusicRadar readers a limited supply of codes for the 8-Track version of the DAW. But be quick!
25 Comments
Bitwig Studio 6 is here with improved automation, Clip Aliases and tons of workflow enhancements
Promising users a "big step up", Bitwig Studio 6 builds on core DAW functions to help music-making become faster and more intuitive
“MIDI controllers can be expensive!": PinkPantheress records her songs using her MacBook’s keyboard
Who needs a MIDI controller when you’ve got Logic Pro’s Musical Typing feature?
Guitars
“It took me one second to understand that she's a survivor”: Melissa Auf der Maur on why she’s “proud” of Courtney Love
She has a memoir out this week
“There’s plenty of output to use the pedal as a conventional boost with tonal options. And there’s a whole area of dirt to be explored”: JHS Pedals 424 Gain Stage review
The latest from JHS Pedals captures the sound of plugging your guitar into the input stages of a vintage multi-track recorder, aka, the mk.gee approach
"Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
He used it to write A Day In The Life
“It would be way better if drummers weren’t reduced to nothing”: Eric Johnson on the one thing he doesn’t like about modern pop music
The Texan guitar phenom says contemporary pop has got loads going for it, but the human element from having a live drummer would be a “win-win”
“Would I take this to gigs and use it with confidence, knowing that my pedals are being powered sufficiently and safely? Absolutely”: Harley Benton Spaceship Power 40-B review
The classic four-bar pedalboard with a comprehensive built-in power supply
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $200 off a whacky Gibson guitar, $150 off UAD plugins, and $200 off a must-have Moog synth
We've uncovered the very best offers on a range of music-making gear from the likes of Gibson, PRS, Yamaha, Fender and more
A future player favourite? Gibson unveils the Songwriter Recording Artist acoustics
It would take a pretty special instrument to pull focus from the Hummingbird, Dove or J-45... And yet, these acoustics, available as a cutaway or non-cutaway, have got something special
"For a guitar that comes in at this price, the overall build is impressive, with a level of attention to detail that’s more than respectable": Harley Benton Custom Line King-12 CE NT review
The German brand is looking to be crowned as the best budget 12-string acoustic, but does it deserve the title?
![Joe Bonamassa [left] wears a dark blue suit and shades as he performs with a Gibson Les Paul in 2024. BB King [right] has a mischevious look on his face as he performs seated with Lucille.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PbkcJv2BpVtqqgcwRMPZCm-840-80.jpg.webp)
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
The Rage Against the Machine axe-man’s most memorable moment saw him emulate a DJ scratch breakdown using a trick that few have fully mastered
With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
Guitar Tricks is our number one online tuition platform for guitar players
What are the best online guitar lessons in 2026? 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
Ignite your inner guitar god for just 27 cents a day with TrueFire’s July 4th sale - save 60% on online lessons
With over 84,000 lessons at your disposal, this is one of the best value guitar tuition subscriptions online right now
Can you fix your guitar's frets yourself? We try three innovative approaches from MusicNomad to investigate how they might conquer a major cause of fret buzz
Uneven frets are a common issue with our guitars, but MusicNomad has come up with different ways to empower players to deal with it themselves
How to play like George Harrison on The Beatles' Abbey Road
Learn the guitar style of the most expressive and accomplished playing The Beatle would ever commit to tape
How to play guitar like David Gilmour: Bluesy diads, slides, quarter-tone blues curls and more
Tackle the expressive phrasing and minor pentatonic tricks of one of rock's finest guitarists, David Gilmour
Latest Tuition
How to pan like a pro and spread your mix across the stereo image
We help you broaden your mixing horizons with some useful tips for panning perfection
The difference between distortion and saturation and how to effectively get a gnarly sound
Adding small or even large amounts of saturation doesn’t have to be bad for you, as we explore how to singe your sonics
How to conjure the spirit of early techno and trigger your own retro zaps in software
How a sound design approach originally deployed for television effects became an electronic music staple - and how to make it yourself
How to replicate the trailblazing pulse of I Feel Love
I Feel Love’s innovative electronic rhythm section set the stage for pretty much everything that followed, and here’s how you can recreate its bewitching energy in your DAW
Improve the impact of your basslines by quickly learning the basics of bass compression
Creating the perfect foundation for your track begins just the right amount of compression for your bass - here’s how to not overdo it!
How Harry Styles brought the sounds of minimal techno to the world of pop with new single, Aperture
The former One Direction star’s latest effort is a far cry from his previous output
How close listening to Chic can teach us about the integral relationship between the kick and bass
If you want to add more punch to your production, start at the foundation of your track, with the kick and bass
How to emulate the sound of Gary Numan’s synth-pop classic Cars
We lift the bonnet on a foundational piece of synth genius, and demonstrate how you can achieve its distinctive sound yourself in your DAW
How unquantizing your tracks can make them stand out from the AI-dominated crowd
If your music is sounding a little mechanical, maybe it deserves a sprinkle of organic nurturing. We invite you to un-click the quantize!
Stuck for ideas? Here's how to create fresh basslines and melodies with Ableton Live 12’s MIDI tools
In our latest video tutorial, we explore how to use Live generative MIDI tools and hardware-inspired sequencers to create riffs and patterns
7 great house and techno tips from Don’t Be Afraid label boss Semtek (aka DJ Persuasion)
The producer, DJ and founder of one of the UK's most respected underground labels revisits a 2012 release to explore what he's learned in 15 years of releasing house and techno
Four big-name guitarists spill their recording secrets
With insight from Paul Gilbert, John 5, Adam Dutkiewicz and Marty Friedman on their approaches to the recording process
37 heavyweight bass production tips
More than three dozen priceless nuggets of bass recording and production wisdom
Creating chords for electronic music: 3 ways to generate more interesting progressions in Ableton Live 12
Let’s explore how Live’s MIDI effects can help us write better progressions
25 recording tips and tricks everyone should know
Get better takes in the studio and on the stage, with our essential advice for producers and DIY music-makers
Produce better music with our ultimate compression cheat sheet
Confused about where to start with compressors and dynamics effects? We'll guide you through the essential features and settings
Ever wondered how a microphone really works?
If microphone terminology confuses more than it helps, this guide will illuminate the microphone basics
Latest Reviews
“There’s plenty of output to use the pedal as a conventional boost with tonal options. And there’s a whole area of dirt to be explored”: JHS Pedals 424 Gain Stage review
The latest from JHS Pedals captures the sound of plugging your guitar into the input stages of a vintage multi-track recorder, aka, the mk.gee approach
“Would I take this to gigs and use it with confidence, knowing that my pedals are being powered sufficiently and safely? Absolutely”: Harley Benton Spaceship Power 40-B review
The classic four-bar pedalboard with a comprehensive built-in power supply
"A massive expansion of its abilities as a modulation and automation powerhouse": Bitwig Studio 6 review
This sizeable update to Bitwig Studio expands on its strengths, and locks it in as the creative sound designer’s ultimate home base
"For a guitar that comes in at this price, the overall build is impressive, with a level of attention to detail that’s more than respectable": Harley Benton Custom Line King-12 CE NT review
The German brand is looking to be crowned as the best budget 12-string acoustic, but does it deserve the title?
"The amp and effects modelling unit for those who’d rather play than get bogged down in too many details" Blackstar ID:X Floor Two review
Modelling doesn't need to be expensive or complicated, and Blackstar has just delivered the first proof for 2026
“Evocative organ sounds and slower, gentler revolutions with a distinctive flavour”: Crumar Burn rotary speaker simulation pedal review
A convincing Leslie sound isn't easy. Can a keyboard maker provide the solution for guitarists?
"This might be the most amp-like option out there, and it's certainly convinced me of the benefits of the humble FRFR speaker": Blackstar Artist FR Standard
The race for the ultimate FRFR speaker is hotting up, with Blackstar going up against Fender, Laney, Positive Grid and Line 6 with its own range of digital amp modeler speaker companions
“Undoubtedly the most versatile lunchbox amp Victory has ever made”: Victory MKX review
The British amp specialist unveils its most advanced lunchbox amp to date
