Musical Instruments

It wasn’t really until today that I saw something that made me literally stop and backup.    Zildjian is famous for its cymbals and has an artist endorsement list that goes on forever. These cymbals not only look different, but the display also encouraged you to listen to them through headphones.   I just had to see what this was all about.

As technology advances it often makes the things we want to do easier, quicker, and more efficient. It can also make things significantly more confusing. As we continue to add peripheral devices in our music making lives, you may notice as I did, that similar looking cords and cables are not always created for the same tasks. TS vs. TRS or Balanced vs. Unbalanced are just two of the differences we encounter when we look to buy or upgrade our music related cables. In this blog I will do my best to try and explain, as I understand, some of these differences so that getting the connections you need is less of a chore than it need be and you can get it right the first time.

I had a chance to test out the Spire Studio to record, edit, mix, and share my music compositions quicker and easier than ever before.

Bass guitar maintenance is essential to make sure you're doing a great job holding down the bottom end. From cleaning strings to changing batteries, there are a good many things to consider. Here are some bass guitar maintenance tips you'll want to consider to help keep your instrument in top shape.

When it comes to guitar effects pedals, or “stomp boxes” as they are often referred, the Boss brand pedals are certainly among the most ubiquitous on a guitarist’s pedal board. The BOSS OD-1X—BOSS’ newest Overdrive offering—The BOSS BD-2w Blues driver, and the BOSS TE-2 Tera Echo are among the newest effect pedal offering from the revered company. The 3 pedals on review here all have their own little nuances and tones to offer and it ultimately will depend on what you are looking for in your pedal that will determine which you will want to purchase and add to your pedal board.

IK Multimedia makes a number of well-respected products for the pro-audio market, but has struck a chord, in a big way, by creating simple devices and apps for the iOS platform.    Their “i” line of hardware products allow musicians and music lovers to create, record and produce music on their iOS device in a way that is not intimidating, but also gives access to deep features.   They’ve come out with two new iOS products this year: the iRig Mic HD and the iRing.

The Casiotone CT-S1 is a streamlined 61-note keyboard that is geared towards beginners.

In this blog, part 3 of a series looking at the wide variety of guitar effects pedals, the focus shifts to “pedals that modulate”. This grouping of pedals includes the chorus, flange, phase, vibrato, and tremolo pedals and I will discuss the differences between these as well as suggest some of the ways that you can use them in your effects chain to help you get the sounds you are looking for.

I remember when I first picked up a guitar, plucked a few strings, and knew right then and there that this was for me. Simple as that. I also remember the first time I walked into a music store and was absolutely overcome with anxiety because I didn’t really know what was what and felt that awkward and totally out of place feeling you get when you enter a foreign world. Guitars, like almost everything else in fact, have...

Offering a musical instrument as a gift can be one of the most rewarding experiences. A piano is the perfect place to start! I'll take a look at a few options for you to give that special someone their first piano this holiday season!