Gear Reviews
Why NOW is the Perfect Time to Get Insurance For Your Band
If the pandemic taught us anything as musicians and music-lovers, it’s how much we took for granted seeing live music (and performing live on-stage for those of us who do so). And during the past few years, if you were spending more time in the studio than on the...
REVIEW: Donner Starry Pad MIDI Drum Pad Controller
We hate to keep comparing things, but since our go-to pad controller in the studio is the PreSonus Atom, it would be dishonest to say we didn’t draw comparisons when testing out the Donner Starry Pad. For reference, this comes in about $50 cheaper than the PreSonus...
REVIEW: Donner DMK-25 PRO MIDI Controller
The Donner DMK-25 PRO MIDI Controller comes in an attractive blacked-out finish, and a two-octave keyboard that’ll get any budding producer started, whether it’s adding bass lines, melodies, drum samples or chord changes to their tracks. It’s all USB powered, so you...
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
WATCH: Dirty Streets Pull off “One Mic Challenge” with the Audix PDX 720 Microphone
When we first heard about the new Audix PDX720 dynamic studio mic, we knew we had to put not only its sound quality, but also its versatility to the test. That's why we came up with the "one mic challenge," and posed it to a killer Memphis band we know and love, Dirty...
Focusrite introduces the new Scarlett Solo, 2i2 and 4i4
The Original. Remastered. Building on the global success of the Scarlett range - the world’s best-selling audio interfaces - Focusrite proudly announces the launch of Scarlett 4th Gen. The new range features the Solo, 2i2, 4i4, Solo Studio, and 2i2 Studio, offering...
ANTARES AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES RELEASES AUTO-TUNE PRO X 10.3.1 UPDATE
Auto–Tune Pro X now supports ARA2 for Cubase/Nuendo Antares Audio Technologies, creators of Auto-Tune® and the industry standard for vocal production software, announce an update of its flagship edition of Auto-Tune, Auto-Tune Pro X 10.3.1. This new version brings...
Industry News
5 Easy (and Lucrative) Holiday Merch Ideas for Musicians
The calendar has turned, the seasons have changed, and the holidays are quickly approaching. While you are preparing for your holiday shows and trying to find that Jager-soaked Santa hat for the private party you booked, your band needs to be preparing for retail...
Ignore The Big Knobs: All You Need to Know About Compressors
Here’s the thing about compressors: they’re not always used for what you think they’re for! And, how you think about using them fully determines the results you’ll get from them. Most people are taught, or assume, that compressors are for controlling the level of a...
Record Killer Lead Vocals in Any Home Studio: Tips From The Pros
Editor’s note: In the recent Vocal Chain Issue, we shared some tips on recording vocals in a home studio. Here is another take, and some additional perspective on the process. Not every approach will work for every artist, so we’ve taken the opportunity to present a...