Latest articles by Simon Fellows
Best Casio Keyboards: Our pick of the tech giant’s finest keyboards, whatever your budget or ability
Feeling the brain fog descend as you attempt to pick the right keyboard from Casio’s substantial range? Fear not, we’re here to bring clarity to your keyboard buying experience
Focal ST6 Solo6 review
Rich tones for the wealthy? Or invaluable monitors regardless of cost? Listen to reason…
Best banjos: Whether you’re into bluegrass, folk, alt, or rock, there's a banjo for you
Elevate your performances with a level of snap and twang that only a banjo can deliver. Our pick of the best from Fender, Epiphone, and more
Focal ST6 Sub12
We take a deep dive into this behemoth of bass from premium audio brand Focal
Best mandolins: Our top-rated mandolins for all budgets
Whether you play folk, bluegrass, rock, or alternative, we’ve curated the best mandolins from Gibson, Fender, Epiphone, Ibanez, The Loar, and more…
Neat Worker Bee II
Is the Worker Bee II a real honey or have we been stung? Bee suit at the ready, we lift the hive lid…
Can I use a digital piano as a MIDI controller?
Repurposing a digital piano as a MIDI controller is a fantastic way to expand your musical horizons. It’s a no-brainer for many musicians
Apogee Boom
Boasting impressive components, the Boom doesn’t come cheap. Is it worth it? We test it out
sE Electronics DM2 TNT
The DM2 TNT is an ultra-quiet, inline preamp that provides a lot of bang for your buck
sE Electronics Neom USB
At last! A premium USB mic capable of professional results. We check out sE’s latest release
Focusrite Vocaster Two Studio
Everything you need to start podcasting, but is it everything you want? We find out
Audio interfaces for recording your entire band: Our picks from budget to pro
Want to capture that live vibe in the studio? We've chosen the finest audio interfaces with enough I/O to record your entire band from Antelope Audio, Universal Audio, Focusrite, Roland…
Best closed-back headphones: studio-friendly options for music makers
Our pick of recommended closed-back studio headphones for optimal audio
Best mouse for music production: The finest mice, trackpads, and trackballs you can lay your hands on
Accelerate your DAW workflow with the best mice and input devices from Logitech, Kensington, Apple, Contour and more
Best acoustic guitar mics: our pick of microphones for recording your acoustic guitar
Capture your acoustic guitar's wonderful shimmering highs and warm, deep lows with 10 choice microphones from Shure, Beyerdynamic, and more…
Best beginner synthesizers: Our pick of the finest synths for new players
Create huge cinematic sounds, driving basslines, ethereal pads, and expressive leads with synths from Roland, Yamaha, Korg, Sequential, Moog, and more…
Audient iD44 MkII
The range-topping interface gets a new paint job, even quieter mic pres and a glut of on-trend features
sE Electronics DynaCaster
We try this premium dynamic mic, with built-in Dynamite preamp and extensive tone-shaping tools
Digital piano vs acoustic piano: what’s the difference?
Both beginners and proficient pianists aspire to play on ‘proper’ acoustic pianos, but can its modern digital counterpart prove even better than the real thing? Let’s find out…
Austrian Audio Hi-X15
How does Austrian Audio’s budget offering compare with its award-winning premium models?
Best music notation and composition software: Composing, transcribing and educator tools for every level
Get those ideas flowing fast with notation software from Avid, PreSonus, Neuratron, MakeMusic, Apple, Steinberg and more…
Synth Gems 1
Dr Mike has unearthed a veritable treasure trove of vintage synths for this landmark book
