Two guitarists in one band: sometimes it’s a happy accident, sometimes it’s part of the plan. Regardless of how it came to be, to work together well, both guitarists will have to make conscious decisions all the time. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for two guitarists to work side-by-side.

Ever made it to a drum fill only to find out that your hands and wrists have tightened up and refuse to move any faster? Whether you’re new to drumming or more experienced, you probably know what I’m talking about. In this blog, I’m going to show you how you can make it through fast-paced parts without slowing down, getting sloppy or having to simplify your parts.

You’ve no doubt seen one clamped on the neck of a guitar before: a capo. Also known as a capodastro, this handy little tool typically features a metal, plastic or rubber-coated bar that, as soon as the device is clamped on, holds down all six strings at the preferred fret to change the pitch, essentially changing the key the guitar is in. Never used a capo before? Then read on to learn all about it.

While the guitar industry is fairly conservative when it comes to innovation, some recent developments are worth checking out. So, if you’ve never heard of multiscale guitars before (aka models fitted with so-called fanned frets), simply read on and be amazed.

Suffering from Gear Acquisition Syndrome? Here’s the cure: instead of buying a new guitar, upgrade your current guitar! In this article, we lay out five ways you can upgrade your stringed sidekick and refresh its sound, look and feel. Ready for a make-over?

As soon as the first electric guitars and guitar amplifiers popped up in the 1950s, distorted sound went from being a nuisance to being an enrichment. What’s more, without distortion, styles like rock, punk and metal probably never would’ve existed, and in styles like EDM and hip-hop, using the effect has practically turned into an art form in its own right. That said, distortion isn’t always desirable. Read on for the hows and whys.

When it comes to mixing music, mix automation refers to track settings that can be automated, like volume, pan, send and mute. By automating these settings via DAW software, their values be varied throughout the song. Take a volume fader assigned to a guitar track for example – by automating it, you can set it to automatically boost the volume by a few decibels when the solo starts.

One moment you’re happily pounding out beats, the next you’re looking at a hole in your drumhead. While this is something that will eventually happen to every drummer, it’s usually a bit of a scare for beginners. In this article, we’ll take a look at some quick-fixes that can get you up and drumming again in no time.

Mic bleed is the bane of many-a recording engineer’s existence and can easily throw a spanner in the works for mixing engineers and producers. After all, hearing the hi-hats on a snare take or having guitars inadvertently mixed in with the vocals are issues that require a lot of time to fix. Want to know how to avoid, remove or even use mic bleed to your advantage? Then read on!

In the world of studio controllers, synthesizers and drum machines, the terms ‘x0x’ and ‘MPC’ are all over the place and refer to different interfaces for creating note sequences. In the revolutionary case of MPC, there’s one brand that started it all: AKAI. Read on to find out how it all began and ultimately resulted in the brand-new MPC X SE Special Edition.

The piano is one of the most popular musical instruments in the world. In this article, we discuss its history, inventor(s), most important parts, tuning and playing techniques, as well as the differences between acoustic and digital pianos.

Performing out in the open can be challenging when it’s windy. Not only can wind literally carry the sound of the band in the wrong direction and make it harder to hear, but a light gust can easily send your sheet music flying. Luckily, there are a few simple solutions to tackle the latter, no matter what kind of music stand you use.