To anyone new to the world of music production MIDI can be a confusing thing to get your head around. Particularly for anyone who, like me, already knew how to play the piano or another instrument. But once you learn to understand MIDI you begin to unlock an extremely powerful (and arguably essential) tool in…
If you are relatively new to synthesis, you might notice that many synthesizers have similar controls and designs, and assume that they all have the same characteristics. Do all synths sound the same? What actually determines the sound a synth makes? To understand this we need to look a little bit at how synthesizers work…
Learning to play bass guitar can be painful on your fingertips. Pressing down the strings is a new strain your fingers aren’t used to. Usually, the bass isn’t played with a pick, so both hands go through a certain amount of adjusting to the new stress you’re introducing your fingers to. The best finger protection…
Decided to pick up the guitar for the first time in a while? Noticed that your strings look a little off after sitting in the attic for a few months? We get it, money is tight, especially these days, and replacing your rusty guitar strings just doesn’t seem worth the expense. Besides, you’re thinking maybe…
If you take the same approach to mic a bass amp as other guitar amps then the chances are you won’t get the best results. Bass is, in many ways, quite a unique instrument. When it comes to recording, it is rare that you will need to capture such low frequencies in detail…
The AKG p220 and Rode nt1a are two large diaphragm condenser microphones. They are both made by very reputable companies and come in at a similar price point and with similar features. For all these reasons they often get compared alongside one another and people rightly have a tough decision to make over which one…
If you look for guitar pedals, you will see that probably the most common type of pedal is distortion. Almost every pedalboard has a distortion pedal of some type. Listen to pretty much any guitar album, and some form of distortion has been used. So, why is a distortion pedal necessary? What is the point…
There are so many different cable types out there and they all have different functions. Some look wildly different from one another but some look remarkably similar and this can lead to a lot of confusion. Do you NEED a certain cable type, or is one simply an upgrade from the other? Or worse, is…
It used to be the case that HDD was the only digital storage option available for music production, but in recent years, the SSD has become far more popular, and relatively affordable for home computers, meaning laptop musicians can take advantage of their features. What is better for music production? How much of a difference…
The Shure SM58 is arguably the most iconic microphone ever made. A common site at any live music venue, these durable, quality microphones have been leading the way since the 60s making it the best selling microphone of all time. Because so many people own one, or are able to buy one cheaply, people will…