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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.

live looping

Ready to try live looping? Where do you start?

March 12, 2021March 12, 2021 Michael Gallant

With the right gear, timing, and technique, a solo performer can summon multi-layered sounds that are worlds beyond the limits of a single instrument or voice. Here’s what you need to get started. Read the post.

improve lighting

Easy fixes to improve the lighting in your videos

April 21, 2020June 2, 2021 Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan

In these uncertain days, you can spread joy by releasing videos, produced in your home. Here’s one way to improve the lighting for your home-made videos. Read the post.

Nord electric keyboard

Finding the right digital piano

June 25, 2019June 26, 2019 Michael Gallant

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.

acoustic piano

Acoustic piano on stage and in the studio

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 Michael Gallant

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.

fret buzz

Seven causes — and remedies — of guitar fret buzz

August 16, 2018April 20, 2021 Gavin Whitner

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

Analog synthesizers expand your musical horizons

February 7, 2018April 30, 2019 Michael Gallant

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.

ADSR

The Amplifier ADSR Envelope: How to manipulate analog synth parameters

January 12, 2018January 12, 2018 Michael Gallant

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.

The Minimoog is a staple when it comes to analog synth sounds.

Creating and modifying sounds on analog synths

January 5, 2018November 26, 2018 Michael Gallant

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.

vocoder

Meet the Vocoder: Make your synth speak and sing

November 8, 2017December 2, 2019 Michael Gallant

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

Meet the Talk Box: Shape sounds and open new creative doors

September 21, 2017September 22, 2017 Michael Gallant

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.

An image illustrating how to tune a guitar

Why you can’t tune a guitar – and how to fix it

August 2, 2017December 28, 2021 Scott McCormick

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 Alternative Keyboard Instruments

Four Unusual Keyboard Instruments That Can Inspire New Music

May 5, 2017May 5, 2017 Michael Gallant

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.

latency

Managing latency with your keyboard to lock in your parts

April 26, 2017May 5, 2017 Michael Gallant

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.

Music Production Apps

Going mobile: A look at music making apps

February 20, 2017March 21, 2017 Michael Gallant

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 Musical Instruments

Virtual synths and musical instruments on your mobile device

February 10, 2017March 21, 2017 Michael Gallant

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.

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