Gear Reviews
Demystifying Analog Synthesis & Signal Flow
In an era where creative or commercial success is possible without the need for physical hardware beyond a computer running the right application, one could be forgiven for believing there is no longer a need for seemingly antiquated analog technology in music...
HOW TO KEEP YOUR VINTAGE SYNTHS SINGING
Tips From the Pros at Syntaur Vintage analog synths are all the rage these days - and for good reason. They sound fat and gorgeous! But the downside is that when a vintage synth goes haywire, or stops working altogether, who will be able to fix it? Many parts for...
The Envelope, Please! An Introduction to Envelope Generators
Envelope Generators, or EGs, create a control signal that rises and falls over time when a note is triggered. In a synthesizer, that signal can control an amplifier to shape loudness changes over time. It’s also common to raise and lower a filter’s cutoff frequency,...
How To
How to Make a Professional EPK for Musicians
So, you’re making your first musician website. Or you’re trying to, and you’ve stumbled on the words EPK along the way. You might be wondering what those three capital letters mean. An EPK is an electronic press kit - it acts as a collection of your promotional...
I’m the Head of a Major Media Company: This is How I Manage My Side-Hustle
I first started working with Trevor Christensen — better known as DJ/producer Said The Sky — in 2014, when I was a college student at the University of North Florida. Back then, I had been working as a social media editor at EDM.com and juggling school, when a friend...
Artists Are Taking Back Control With Data
[Ed. note — this guest article was penned by the world-renowned Techno producer & Viberate co-founder, UMEK] In the never-ending fight for attention, artists turn to data to break through. Here’s a hard fact: around 95% of musical artists cannot make a living from...
Buying Guide
GET 50% OFF ABLETON LIVE 11 SUITE UPGRADE FROM FOCUSRITE
We've got HUGE Savings news from our friends at Focusrite, check it out: Working with their friends at Ableton, Focusrite is excited to give you the opportunity to get your hands on Ableton’s flagship Live 11 Suite at a massive 50% discount*. The exclusive limited...
REVIEW: Jamstik Classic MIDI Guitar
If you want to see just how much fun the Jamstik Classic MIDI guitar is, stop reading this and head over to our Instagram or YouTube channel. We sent one to the awesome Kal The Guitar Hero from the band Color 8 out of Phoenix. Just look at Kal’s face light up as he...
MY FAVORITE SYNTH with Umphrey’s McGee
I play keyboards for progressive improv rock band Umphrey’s McGee. My arsenal includes a Roland V Piano, MiniMoog Voyager, Hammond B3, Sequential Prophet 6, Fender Rhodes and Mellotron M4000d. I’m based in Los Angeles and hail from Chicago. MAKE & MODEL: 2005...
Industry News
BUYER’S GUIDE: The Best Synthesizers Under $1000
1. BEST OVERALL SYNTH UNDER $1000: The Moog Sub Phatty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22M6_2xG-ms WHY WE LOVE THE MOOG SUB PHATTY Well, to be blunt, we think the Moog Sub Phatty is the best damn synth you can buy for under a thousand bucks. How’s that? Hands down,...
WATCH: Improve Your DAW Workflow with Nugen Plug-Ins
We recently hooked up NYC singer-songwriter and former Voice contestant Amanda Ayala with a suite of plug-ins from Nugen Audio to demonstrate how they can help improve your DAW workflow. In this 2-part series we'll take a closer look at: Jotter A/B Assist Aligner Up...
Xvive Introduces a State-of-the-Art Guitar Stand for Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars
Xvive, best known for their wireless systems including the popular U2 Guitar Wireless System, is introducing a new guitar stand that offers guitarists and bassists a new standard of reliability and portability. The G1 Butterfly Guitar Stand was designed in Germany to...