Musician

Since he once struggled to grasp music theory himself, guest-blogger Lode Habex knows exactly how to help out beginners. In this article, Lode breaks down the circle of fifths and explains why it’s one of the most practical tools that musicians can use to match scales, find notes, create chord progressions, and more.

If you’re a music-maker as well as fan, then being parted from your instrument for even a day will be unthinkable. Of course, you’re not going to lug your expensive vintage guitar or hefty digital piano all the way to the campsite, so allow the venerable Bax Music experts to make some more appropriate suggestions. Here, we line up ten musical instruments, each of which is 100% festival-proof and easy to cart about.

Any drummer will be all-too-familiar with that feeling of mounting horror as they helplessly watch their bass drum slowly shift further and further away from them during the gig. It’s maybe the most annoying thing that can happen on stage, or even in the studio or practise space, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be solved. Here, we take a look at what you can do to help stop your kick drum from wandering off into the far distance.

Guest-blogger and multi-instrumentalist Nigel Hubée reveals how he bumped the foot percussion of the acoustic duo he’s one half of (The Tickets) up to the next level with a mix of self-contrived drums, a fresh take on an old-school hi-hat, and modern digital technology. Read on and learn!

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.

In this blog, we’ll answer the question: “What are drum triggers?”, hopefully expel the myth that sticking a bunch of triggers on an acoustic drum kit is reserved for metal drummers, and tackle the almost criminal assumption that using triggers is cheating!?

A good sound engineer is absolutely essential for any gigging band. Whether you’re lucky enough to have your own live engineer or you’re working with the venue’s, the person that sits behind all the buttons and faders is essentially the person that’s ultimately responsible for your band’s sound. This means that, as a band member, you’re only partly responsible for the end product, so you’ll want to make sure that everyone on stage and out front is doing their job and getting along.

Plenty of solo guitarists and artists want to back up their live gigs with a beat, but simply tapping your foot in time simply doesn’t cut it. You could set up a cajon and kick pedal, but for most musicians, this might feel a bit unnatural and start hindering the show. To solve this problem, Ortega offers a new and innovative solution in the form of their Stomp Box Series

Maybe you’ve already picked through our Synthesizer Buyer’s Guide and been left wondering what exactly FM synthesis is. If so, you’re in the right place. Basically, FM synthesis is a sound-creating method that, according to a lot of people, isn’t the easiest of methods to work with and is best avoided. But anyone who does avoid it, is really missing out. Despite its tricky reputation, FM synthesis is well worth getting to know, and the more you know it, the more you’re likely to love it.

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.

You can definitely plug a set of headphones into your electric guitar or bass, but not much will happen. Luckily, there are plenty of other compact and less-compact solutions if you want to hone your playing technique while wrapped in the privacy of a set of headphones. Read on to find out how it’s done!

While I write this, I’m browsing Spotify for different drum sounds. Take the new Lamb of God album, You Got Me from The Roots and Get Lucky by Daft Punk. All of them feature incredible drum mixes and all of them have a completely different sound. This alone makes it pretty clear that this blog could never provide a one-size-fits-all manual to mixing drums. What it can do is offer a few tips and techniques to help you lay down a good and solid drum sound that can work as a foundation for your unique mix.