Musician

While a drum kit without cymbals can happen, you’re unlikely to actually come across one, and there’s a very good reason: treble. Without the cymbals, the low-pitched, mid and bass-heavy sound of any drum kit will start sounding colourless and bland within eight bars. The cymbals also play an essential role when it comes to communicating timing and transitions with the other band members. Here, we’ll take a brief look at drum kit cymbals so you can get to know what they sound like, what they’re for, and what you can do with them.

Boss pedals are probably the most popular in the game and are a piece of gear we’ve all had on our pedalboards at least at some point in our guitar journey. Their wide range of different effects, all in colorful cases, paired with the professional quality that characterizes the brand has earned them a deserved spot in guitar-head culture. In this article, Ramiro Somosierra from GearAficionado will tell you everything you need to know about the Waza Craft line, Boss’ take on boutique pedals.

Of course, your best guitar sound can only happen with the aid of your favourite amp and a stack of pedals, but let’s face it: it’s not always necessary. Say you just want to practise some riffs or noodle around with some scales in your living room. Why would you need, or even want, to lug in a sofa-sized amplifier? Especially since there are so many super-compact solutions out there to help shrink down your rig and set you up with a neat rehearsal setup. Here, we take a look at seven of them.

Having spent a year bombarded with news about the freshest music-making gear, how can any humble, hard-working musician possibly sort the wheat from the faff? Luckily, our specialists spend every day knee-deep in the newest gear, and have already done all the work for you. So stick the kettle on and get stuck into their Top 10 for 2022.

The banjo is as popular as ever. This timeless string instrument can brim with the energy of fast-paced punk and metal just as easily as it can grind out folk, country and bluegrass classics. Banjo player and former drummer Floris De Vries is happy to introduce us to the instrument and take us on a trip through the history, styles and various flavours of the banjo.

There are so many hardware and software-based effects that you might be wondering which ones are actually useful. To help laypersons in the world of music production and mixing make sense of it all, we’ve started a blog series on audio effects. Today, we’re taking a close look at the delay effect.

In our previous instalment, we took a look at the best-loved distortion effects going: distortion, fuzz and overdrive. But, since you can get way more out of an electric guitar than just chewed-up, dirty sound, here we’ll take a look at the three most popular modulation effects: the chorus, flanger and phaser. Combine one, two, or all of these mod effects with a distortion pedal to really set the sound alight, or just use them on their own; combined with each other or blended with time-based effects to weave dreamy tapestries of sound.

Ask a few drummers how to set up a drum kit, and you’ll immediately notice a trend: none of them have the same answer. Any drummer’s setup is, of course, an incredibly personal thing simply because, as you grow as a musician, you quickly get to know what works for you and what really doesn’t. What all drummer’s will have in common, is the need for an ergonomic setup. In other words: a setup that allows you to get the most out of your kit without sacrificing too much in terms of efficiency, comfort and… well, your health. And that’s exactly why this blog exists: to serve as a short and neat guide to achieving an ergonomic setup.

From the bendir: an East and North African drum that’s been going for centuries and is still played today, to the bodhran: a traditional Irish drum which some music historians posit is a distant cousin of drums like the bendir, frame drums or hand drums in their various different forms are an integral part of vastly different folk music from all over the world.

What if there was a tool that allowed you to get lost in your own guitar-world? You know, that wonderful world where carefully perfected tone can be turned up to eleven without bothering anyone? Enter the BOSS Waza-Air wireless headphones.

Since there are various kinds of violin strings available, you might be wondering which ones are the best for you. In a nutshell, it fully depends on your demands in terms of sound, playability, lifespan and price, so read on and learn more.

Digital sheet music. YouTube lessons. Guitar tab sites. Today, it’s easier than ever to learn to play a new song you’ve just discovered. This is incredibly convenient of course, especially for beginner musicians. But it also has a downside. Having access to all those great resources has made it easier than ever to neglect an important skill: figuring out music by ear. StringKick founder Just Rijna explains how learning music by ear will help you to grow as a musician.