Gear Reviews
A Beginner’s Guide to Wavetable Synthesis
What is Wavetable Synthesis? Wavetable synthesis is an application of digital sound synthesis that uses multiple waveforms stored together in a table to generate sounds. Wavetable synthesis dates back to the very early days of computer music in the 1970s. Max Mathews...
GEAR NEWS: New MusicNomad Fret Leveler – Leveling L-Beam Now Available
This just in from our friends at Music Nomad: Leveling your frets and fingerboard has never been easier with MusicNomad's Fret Leveler L-Beam. With three sizes to choose from, 7" (18cm), 17.6" (45cm), and 24" (61cm), no detail was overlooked from top to bottom in...
Contribute to Performer’s Special Synthesizer Issue!
Do you obsess over oscillators? Do you have more money invested in your Eurorack system than in your retirement plan? Here’s your opportunity to contribute to Performer’s upcoming special issue on synthesizers (due out in May). GET INVOLVED Wanna help? Awesome! We...
How To
How to Maximize Your Digital Mechanical Royalties Through The MLC
As an independent artist, you are probably all too familiar with the issues that have long clouded and complicated the process of getting the digital audio mechanical royalties that you are owed for the use of your songs. It’s also likely that you’ve heard about The...
How to Plan for Future Sync Opportunities with Your Collaborators
A sync is a wonderful thing, often bringing artists unexpected income and exposing their music to a new audience. A winning sync is also a boon for the production team. Successfully pairing music and creative uniquely elevates each component, with the artistry...
Lyric House’s Approach to A&R For Sync
To say that Lyric House has been busy during the last year would be an understatement, and the creative key to our success lies in the synch-focused A&R we do from the ground floor. We take A&R very seriously. After all, our business and livelihood doesn’t...
Buying Guide
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...
MY FAVORITE SYNTH with Ghost Love
Montreal three-piece Ghost Love is led by David Rancourt. The band delivers a soundscape of enigmatic moods and upbeat drum machine grooves influenced heavily by 80s synth-pop . The push and pull between pop and experimental is an overarching theme on Ghost Love’s...
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...
Industry News
REVIEW: Donner HUSH-X Travel Guitar
The new Donner HUSH-X electric guitar is a cool, compact tone machine that makes practicing and recording no matter where you are a total breeze. The review model we received went straight into the hands of Bella Moulden for a full deep dive and demo in a series...
The ACOUSTIC ISSUE is out now!
Performer Magazine is psyched to bring you our special ACOUSTIC ISSUE celebrating all things acoustic from gear to setup to recording and live performance tips. We've been working hard on this one for a while, and it even has a companion mixtape dropping later this...
The Ultimate Guitar Pedal Buyer’s Guide
OK, pedal newb, listen up! Making music should be fun! So don’t let any jaded a-holes talk down to you, and especially don’t let anyone call you ‘newb’ – even us. It’s rude and gatekeeping in music is stupid and childish. Anyway, let’s talk PEDALS! Let’s say you are...