Bricks ’n’ Beats: Best LEGO Instruments

Inspired by the new Olivia Rodrigo LEGO sets, we check out some of the best brick instruments we’ve come across over the years. Some of them even work!

Why the Minimoog Is the Most Important Synth of all Time

Weekend video tips for all you Moog fans out there: Alex Ball has made a mini-documentary about the iconic Minimoog, and Synthpro restores the rare Minitmoog.

FL Studio Alternatives: DAW Options for Beatmakers

We explore a range of FL Studio alternatives for electronic beat production, with DAWs that favour creative workflow over clinical editing precision.

Free Emulation of the Ultra-Rare CRB Uranus & More: Synth Journal

In this week’s Synth Journal, we check out a free emulation of the ultra-rare CRB Uranus, an update for the 4ms MetaModule, and a new editor for the Prophet-6.

Essential Plugins for Hip-Hop: Tools for Rap Vocals and Beat Production

We explore some essential plugins for Hip-Hop production for cleaning up rap vocal recordings, sampling, and elevating the sound of your beats.

New Sounds for the Access Virus A, Pigments 7 and Hydrasynth – Sounds and Presets

The venerable Access Virus A gets some love from Nick Klimenko, and there are new patches for Pigments 7, Hydrasynth and the Nord Lead 2/2X.

The Best Channel Strips for your Recording Setup

We've selected some of the best channel strips for your home recording setup, and we'll discuss how to find one that suits your workflow.

The Myth in the Box: Inside the Klon Centaur Phenomenon

Chasing the mythical Klon Centaur: I look at the history, the "gloop", and how this transparent overdrive changed guitar tone forever.

Filament Aims to Make Orchestration Easy and Fun – Synth Journal

filament is a dream come true for musicians who score orchestras using plugins, but its power and capabilities can be used for much more.

The Most Popular Studio Gear: The Home Recording Hitlist

We're discussing some of the most popular studio gear used by musicians and home studio enthusiasts for recording any style of music.

Gentle Ripples, Crashing Waves and Harsh Scapes – Sounds and Presets

Ripples is a new bank for Pigments from Tom Wolfe, plus sounds for the KORG modwave, Polyend Synth, Omnisphere 3 and even the good old Yamaha SY85!

FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: Dynamic EQ Plugins

When looking for Fabfilter Pro-Q alternatives, there are many things to considers: price, sound, workflow, and additional features

Cupid & Psyche 85: Scritti Politti’s Triumphant Classic, Synth by Synth

Cupid & Psyche 85 is a masterpiece of composition, arrangement & production. But what synths did Green, Gamson & Maher use?

Lexicon Reverb Alternatives: Digital Space Machines

We investigate Lexicon reverb alternatives to find different ways of getting that classic vintage digital reverb sound that dominated the 1980s.

Boutique Recording Brands Changing Modern Studios

We explore some of the boutique recording brands that continue to innovate in different ways with designs for recording, mixing, and mastering.

The MOSS Sessions Revisits the Legendary KORG Z1 – Sounds and Presets

New sounds for the KORG Z1, plus a tribute to Vladimir Kuzmin and 880, yes 880, free classic presets for Cherry Audio's Ensoniq ESQ-1.

The Best Stereo EQs for Mixdown and Mastering

Hardware EQs are powerful tools for shaping your master bus during mixdown and mastering. We check out some of the best stereo EQs.

Professional Producers vs Hobbyists: What Separates Them?

We investigate Professional Producers vs Hobbyists to find out what sets them apart. Is it stacks of expensive gear, or simply a relentless work ethic?

David Gilmour’s Gear: The Greatest Guitarists of All Time

The best guitarists of all time without the Pink Floyd mastermind? Unthinkable. We dig into David Gilmour's gear: guitars, amps, and more.

Guitar Amp Mics for Studio Recording

Adding an amp cabinet to your recording chain introduces resonance and harmonics to the sound. We explore guitar amp mics for capturing this source.

Join the Q! The ESQ-1 Gets a Huge Patch Boost – Sounds and Presets

Cherry Audio's latest release, the Ensoniq ESQ-1, has brought back heaps of nostalgia. Soniq Odysseys gives you 100 more presets!

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!

Kawai K1: Classic Gear – The Budget D-50 That Was Surprisingly Popular

In the late ‘80s, D-50-style sample synthesis was too expensive for most. Enter the Kawai K1. Is this 8-bit oddity still relevant today?

Essential Plugins for Rock: Tools to Add Grit, Character, and Punch

We look at some essential plugins for Rock music production for adding flavour to drums, shaping guitar tones, and building more powerful mixes.