Essential Guides

Continuing our look at the concurrent development of the synth and the capabilities of instrument modelling, we focus now on recreations of the physical characteristics of analogue circuitry…

As we near the end of our synthesis masterclass, we turn our attention to how the evolution of the synthesizer has developed in tandem with computing technology, leading to the world of virtual synths that we all live in today…

Want to turn that (possibly very) expensive hobby of yours into a career? Want to make money from the flashing hardware and great software that you use? There are some obvious and not so obvious paths – and we cover them all here…

In the first of a new series, we compare several of the most widely used budget small-diaphragm condensers at Bristol’s Invada Studios to find out which stands tall as the best all-purpose microphone for guitar and vocal recording.

Though we can discuss the musical technicalities of songwriting in great detail, we’d be hard pressed to deliver the same level of insight that the following collection of people can offer. From academics such as Linton Bennett and Emma Hooper to acclaimed artist Catherine Davies and pro songwriters like Bernard Butler and Jez Ashurst, we present fresh perspectives on the world of modern songwriting from a range of experienced professionals.

In the pages of MusicTech we tend to focus mainly on the technology, gear and the intricacies of music production. What we spend relatively less time talking about is the fundamental core of everything we do, regardless of genre; and that’s the compositional process itself. In a linked series of features, we explore approaches to making songs and tracks with practical guidance and experienced industry insight, as well as taking a look at the modern world of professional songwriting and the ever-growing interest in songwriting training.

Branching out of the world of synthesis, the incorporation of drum machines alongside sequencers and synths has served as a fundamental staple of many performers’ live setups, as well as a studio fixture even in the digital age. We look back at the history and evolution of the humble drum machine, and learn how it became such a fixture.

Over the last 40 years, wavetable synthesis has become a staple of the music-production world, with the ability to seamlessly soar between waveforms an indispensable ingredient of sound design and electronic music-making. Here, we take a look back at the origins and mechanics of wavetable synthesis, as well as vector synthesis, to get a contextual understanding of this crucial element of the synth world.

Spent a fortune on gear? Got it all set up correctly? Now you need to look after it. You can have the best equipment in the world installed and working, but it won’t be for long if you don’t maintain it. Here are 10 tips for keeping that gear – and you, for that matter – working and working well

You have a melody, a bassline, a synth lead, or a guitar riff. It’s either spinning around in your head or looping around in your DAW. What to do with it? How to turn it into a song? Follow these nuggets of song-creation wisdom to find out…