Finding the right digital piano
Need the feel and sound of a great acoustic piano for your live shows? Here are some digital pianos that might fit the bill Read the post.
Musical Equipment & Gear Reviews
A collection of articles from the Disc Makers blog that relate to musical equipment and gear, including reviews, information on insurance, and more.
Acoustic piano on stage and in the studio
While an acoustic piano may be the preference for a studio or live gig, it’s not always the most practical choice. Here are tuning tips and suggestions for alternatives when it comes to providing piano for your next gig. Read the post.
Seven causes — and remedies — of guitar fret buzz
There are several reasons why you might experience fret buzz on your electric or acoustic guitar. Some are easy to identify and fix. Others might require an expert hand. Read the post.
Analog synthesizers expand your musical horizons
From mood-setting ambient tones to raucous synth-pop, analog synthesizers have made a mark on music in various genres – and they’re not just for keyboards! Read More.
The Amplifier ADSR Envelope: How to manipulate analog synth parameters
ADSR stands for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release, and each one of these four parameters (or “stages”) of the envelope affects how loud your analog synth sound will play over time. Read More.
Creating and modifying sounds on analog synths
From throbbing bass lines to sinuous hip-hop leads, from effervescent dance atmospherics to grinding industrial riffs, the sounds of analog synths play a huge role across various musical genres. Read More.
Meet the Vocoder: Make your synth speak and sing
In a musical context, the vocoder often starts with an analog sound and crossbreeds it, in real time, with synthesized textures to create some powerful and versatile musical elements. Read More.
Meet the Talk Box: Shape sounds and open new creative doors
The Talk Box lets you use your mouth to shape sounds, in real time, in crazy and creative ways. Here are tips on how to use the effect to amplify your own creative efforts. Read More.
Why you can’t tune a guitar – and how to fix it
Tuning a guitar should be easy, but it’s not. In fact, the more you explore guitar tuning, the more you realize there is no one way to tune a guitar. Read the post.
Four Unusual Keyboard Instruments That Can Inspire New Music
When you think “keyboard,” you might think of a grand piano or Hammond organ, old-school analog synth or cutting-edge Korg digital workstation. But the possibilities for keyboard instruments go far beyond. Read More.
Managing latency with your keyboard to lock in your parts
When playing keyboards, latency can refer to the delay between hitting a key and hearing the resulting sound. Just a little delay can derail your part. Read More.
Going mobile: A look at music making apps
Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for Dream Theater and founder of Wizdom Music, gives us his picks and favorites in the ever growing world of music making apps for your mobile devices. Read More.
Virtual synths and musical instruments on your mobile device
You can transform your mobile device into a Swiss army knife of synths and virtual musical instruments with these recommendations from Dream Theater keyboardist and musical entrepreneur, Jordan Rudess. Read More.
Six tips for adding Hammond organ to your music
The Hammond organ is the most commonly heard type of organ in popular music. It can be a complicated and challenging instrument, so here are some tips to help you get started. Read More.
Experiment and get new musical sounds from your instrument
A recent show by The Vijay Iyer Trio inspired me as they pushed the limits when it came to creating new musical sounds and organic sonic textures. You can too! Read More.