Production & Pro Audio Gear Guides

Top 10 Studio Headphones for Music Production, Mixing & Mastering

We tested & picked the best studio headphones for music production, recording, mixing, mastering & more. See the list and learn what the top closed and open-back studio headphones are!

Last updated October 2019

Top MIDI Keyboard Controllers - Updated 2019

A solid MIDI keyboard can unleash your creativity and improve your workflow dramatically. We recommend the best MIDI keyboards for various budgets in all key sizes, from portable 25-key keyboards to 88 keys.

Last updated September 2019

Top Studio Monitor Speakers for Music Production

Music producers from around the web say these are the Best Studio Monitors for Home Studios. Read on to see if you monitors made the cut.

Last updated September 2019

The Top Audio Interfaces - Beginner to High-End (Updated 2019)

Choosing the best audio interface can be a daunting task. In this guide we’ll talk a bit about what you should look for in an audio interface, and make several recommendations for your home or mobile studio.

Last updated October 2019

Top 5 Synthesizers - Updated 2019

Choosing a first synth can be a daunting task for anyone first starting to dabble in hardware synthesizers. In recent years, the market for low-cost synths has grown tremendously, making the number of choices almost too many to count. Some options are better than others though - let's talk about those...

Last updated August 2019

5 Best Synth VSTs

Choosing what VST synth to use is not easy. It’s a personal choice, and there are hundreds to try out. We’re here to help. In this guide, we’re talking all about VST synths - what they are, what to look for, and we’ll review some of the best VST synths out there.

Last updated September 2019

5 Best Vocoders: Speech Synthesizers

Among effects that you can use to add in unique elements to your songs is a vocoder. Though often confused with a talk box, a vocoder is a device where you sing into a mic and have the ability to translate the tone of your voice to an instrument, most commonly a keyboard. We break down and review the best vocoders out there in this gear guide article and talk about what to think about when selecting one.

Last updated August 2019

Top Drum Machines

The best drum machine for you will depend on what type of beats you make, your budget, and how you plan on using it. In this article, we discuss the history of drum machines and how to choose a hardware drum machine for you. Take your drum sound design and beat-making skills to the next level with the right hardware drum machine.

Last updated July 2019

5 Best Wireless Microphones: Superior Wireless Systems

Something that many musicians don’t really think of is wire management during a live performance. Why? Because it’s boring. It’s like thinking about a gas bill. Actually, it’s more like thinking about someone else’s gas bill. With that being said, like many of the boring parts about being a musician wire management can actually be pretty important. Having a messy stage that looks like it’s covered in black spaghetti looks pretty unprofessional, as does face planting into the groupie in the front row after stumbling over your mic cord. The latter is also a good way to lose groupies, which would be a shame considering that’s why 90% of us got into music in the first place. While wire management involves the majority of your gear, an easy to clean up your stage is to invest in a wireless microphone system. The only question is, how do you go about figuring out how to select the best wireless microphone system for your needs?

Last updated July 2019

5 Best XLR Cables: Guide to Pro Audio Cables

Microphone cables are an incredibly important addition to any musician’s rig. As a performer, your sound is made up of a million different variables. Any one thing going wrong will have an impact on your tone, and assuming that you want to sound as good as possible (which who doesn’t?) you’re going to want to make sure that you purchase equipment that doesn’t limit you. A bad microphone cable can let you down mid-show, introduce electronic interference into the P.A., and result in a lessened signal that’s devoid of rich frequencies. We’ll give you all the information that you’re going to need to make an informed purchase, and down at the end of the article we’re even going to give you a few great recommendations to aid you in your search.

Last updated July 2019

5 Best Mic Preamps: Signal Stimulus

If you’ve had trouble selecting the best mic preamp for your needs, you’ve come to the right place. This article is going to help inform you on mic preamps, as well as reviewing some high performing proven options that you can't go wrong with.

Last updated July 2019

5 Best MIDI Cables: Top Convenient Connectivity Choices

Buying the right MIDI cable seems like a simple purchase - and in many ways it is - but there is still some confusion to be had with dozens of models available on the market today. We’re here to clear up some MIDI confusion and make recommendations for the best MIDI cables for your hard earned money...

Last updated June 2019

5 Best Patch Cables: Guide to Guitar Patch Cables

There are a lot of parts of being a musician that you never really consider when you’re first starting out, because odds are that you’re likely to be the first musician in your immediate family. Things like cables, matching ohms between a head and a speaker cabinet, and finding the best patch cable(s) for your needs aren’t really explained to you until you run into a situation where you need to figure these things out for yourself. Luckily for you our articles are aimed at exactly that. If you’ve ever run into issues trying to figure out how to select the best patch cables for your needs you’ve come to the right place.

Last updated July 2019

5 Best DAWs: The Complete Guide to Choosing Your DAW

Selecting your DAW is very important - it's the start of a long-term relationship, and you'll be spending a lot of time together as you create and record music. Check out our guide to the best DAWs to ensure this relationship has the best chance of success...

Last updated October 2019

Top 5 Piano VSTs

Armed with a computer and a MIDI keyboard, piano plugins let you own the sounds of legendary pianos from Steinway, Bösendorfer, Fazioli and more at a tiny fraction of the cost. Unfortunately there are so many piano VSTs out there, choosing the best one can be very confusing...

Last updated July 2019

5 Best Condenser Microphones: Finding Your Sound

Knowing what you’re purchasing a microphone for is essential before heading into the deep sea of options you’ll find.

Last updated July 2019

How To Make Electronic Music: The Complete Guide

So, you want to try your hand at producing electronic music. Well, we’re very glad you found your way to this guide. The world of electronic music production can be a little confusing and even a bit intimidating, especially when you have little clue as to how to get started...

Last updated August 2019

Top 5 Free VST Plugins

While some might be able to afford top of the line plugins, the rest of us, who are on a budget, need to be careful where we put our money. Thankfully, there is a ton of free software available for our music production needs. From a range of great synths to a go-to compressor, as long as you have the software to host it, there is sure to be something for you.

Last updated July 2019

Essential Books for Composing, Producing, Mixing, & Mastering Electronic Dance Music

I often see professional producers and DJs asked questions like "What's you mixing process like?", "How do you get your drums sounding so crisp?", and "How do you know what sounds to pick for a track?". More often than not, their answer is...

Last updated October 2019

Moog Minimoog Voyager Analog Synthesizer

The standard Voyager's sound sources consist of three oscillators, an external signal input system and a noise generator, a five-channel mixer which passes the sound onto the filter stage and a trio of MIDI ports.

Last updated December 2018

Mixing Tips

Does your track feel quiet compared to the pros? Is your mix muddy and lacking clarity? Think proper mastering will solve all problems? Think again. Check out this checklist of tips & tricks to get your mixes sounding clear, loud, and punchy.

Last updated June 2019