The Best Small Diaphragm Mics for Studio Recording

Need to record instruments at home? We've selected some of the best small diaphragm mics to capture piano, acoustic guitar, and more!

Foundations in Bass for a Mono Powerhouse – Sounds and Presets

Studio Electronics SE-3X gets some love in the form of Strong Foundations, plus more TEO-5 sounds from Scott McAuley.

The Best Bus Compressors: Give It That Glue

Hardware processing on your master bus can transform your sound completely, we look at some of the best bus compressors.

5 of the Best Synths for Beginners: Buying Your First Synth

Ready to buy your first synth but don’t know what to get? We're looking at some of the best synths for beginners.

Techno Legends Use This Gear: Jeff Mills and His Roland TR-909

This drum machine has accompanied Jeff Mills for decades, shaping the techno sound like no other device.

The Best EQs for Recording: Add Flavour While Tracking

Tracking vocals and instruments at home can be a challenge. We check out some of the best EQs for recording in your home studio.

Candy Castle and Other Oddities – Synth Journal

Finding the weird stuff that slips past our regular news gathering antics, it's this week's Synth Journal with Candy Castle leading the way!

Presets for Messenger, Pigments and More: Sounds and Presets

The Moog Messenger begins to receive love from the third-party preset community, plus free sounds for Arturia's Pigments 6 and PolyBrute 12, and a huge bundle for Modal's Cobalt5S.

What are Headphone Amplifiers and Why do we need them?

Headphone amplifiers have a cult-like status in hi-fi headphones communities. We find out how to get better results when using headphones!

SM7B Alternatives: The Best Broadcast Dynamic Mics

We've got the best budget SM7b alternatives! And the most expensive ones! And even more useful microphones then the podcasting legend.

Grunge Guitar: The Sound of a Generation

We all love the 1990s Seattle heroes: Cobain, Cornell, and company. But what defines the sound of grunge guitar?

The Best Budget Effects Pedals for Electronic Music Production

Guitar pedals on synths? Yes friends, we're checking out some of the best budget effects pedals for your electronic music production setup.

James Dyson. No, Not THAT James Dyson – Sounds and Presets

He's a faceless, voiceless, quiet sound design genius who beavers away, crafting factory presets and third-party sound banks for pocket money. This James Dyson is doing great work.

Slash’s Gear: The Best Guitarists of All Time

Slash's gear: a top hat, sunglasses, and a Les Paul. That's it? Let's take a look at the equipment used by some of the best guitarists of all time.

Underrated Plugins: Hidden Gems

So many plugins are released each week, it's hard to keep track. We've created a list of underrated plugins released over the last 20 years.

How to Integrate External Synthesizers Into Ableton Live 12!

It's actually not difficult to integrate external synthesizers into Ableton Live. This allows you to use synths and effects as "plugins" in the DAW.

How to Sample Vinyl: The Dark Arts in a Modern Context

From the days of tape loops to digital samplers and beyond, sampling remains a cornerstone of modern music. We look at how to sample vinyl!

Soliste: Are Sampled Strings Dead? – Sounds and Presets

The dominance of sampling has seen physical models of acoustic instruments struggle to compete, but does Expressive E's Soliste signal a turning tide?

The Linn LM-1 Legacy Refuses to Die! – Synth Journal

In this week's Synth Journal, we look at the continuing legacy of Roger Linn's drum machines and check out Satie on an ARP 2500 clone!

Neumann U47 Alternatives: That Classic Tube Sound

These Neumann U47 Alternatives will get you in the ballpark of one of the most sought-after mics of all time for that pristine tube sound.

Number 5… is Alive! Tools for Take & Teo: Sounds and Presets

The pentamerous Sequential and Oberheim synths of recent years, Take & Teo, get some tasty treats, as do some of Arturia's 'Mini' synths.

Buyer Beware: The Most Expensive Synths of All Time

The most sought-after vintage synths fetch astronomical prices on the used market. We check out some of the most expensive synths and affordable alternatives.

The Best Studio Monitors to Improve Your Mixes

So you're upgrading your studio to take your mixing more seriously? Here are some of the best studio monitors in the mid-range category.

Best Creative Dynamics Plugins: Tools that Push the Envelope

Inject some new creativity into your mixes with these 6 must-have plugins that let you get creative with dynamics and EQ.