Tools For Musicians

You can’t expect to produce pristine, perfect sounding vocal tracks without setting up your effects chain. But what effects do you need to make your vocal tracks sound their very best? And how do you even choose from the many VST plugins that are out there? In this guide, we look at the best vocal…

There are plenty of classic synths, be it the Yamaha DX7, Korg M1, or Sequential Prophet-5. But the Roland JUNO-106 analog polysynth (and its various iterations) still stands as one of the most popular, thanks to its programmability and great sound. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, then, that there are plenty of…

Blood curdling, skull crushing, floor thumping, wall of sound guitar tones. It’s what every self-respecting metal guitarist wants. To achieve these tones, there are certain tricks of the trade that need to be mastered. But having the right tools never hurt anyone. And it is possible to do it all with digital gear alone. So,…

Creating more separation and isolation in your mix allows every track to “breathe” and “sit” better. To achieve these ends, though, you need to be taking advantage of the right tools. A noise gate may not hold the allure of a compression, for example, but it tends to play an important role in the mixing…

From normalizing dynamics and adding dirt and grit to vocal tracks, to making guitars cut and “gluing” drums together, compressors serve a variety of key functions in the mixing and mastering phase. Ask any producer, and they will probably tell you that they can’t live without compression. That makes compressors highly desirable, especially plugins that…

Music is made up of rhythm, melody, and harmony. And while rhythm isn’t the domain of any one instrument specifically, it’s fair to say that drums and percussion are what immediately come to mind for most. Drums help you feel the song. They hold down the rhythmic foundation. They play a vital role in keeping…

Video game music has evolved a great deal with technology, to the point where major releases often play host to full orchestral scores or a string of top 40 hits. But it wasn’t always that way. In the early days, video game music had its own primitive esthetic, mainly due to software and hardware limitations….

Mastering is like the cherry on top of the mix cake. From compressing and limiting to EQ and stereo widening, sometimes the last-minute touchups mean everything for a track. To be able to master effectively, though, you need the right tools. Just as a carpenter wouldn’t drive to work without his toolbox, a mastering engineer…

Polishing a mix is a process. And while the general steps are known, the specific change from mix, to mix, based on the genre, the preferences of the artist or producer, and the tools available. One tool that every mixer and producer should have at the ready, though, is a de-esser. It may not be…

The organ features a timeless sound. From religious works in the church, all the way to modern day pop and EDM, the organ can be an amazing supporting and lead instrument in virtually any genre of music. Though you may not use it in every song, you don’t want to be caught without a competent…

Making a new hip-hop beat often consists of digging endlessly for fire samples. And while that is a valid approach, these days, there are dozens of powerful tools that can help you make more compelling rhythms, come up with melodies and hooks, and create a lush musical bed for your dope rhymes faster. In this…

Have you ever thought of making and recording music online? Are you curious to know if there’s a way you can collaborate with your friends, band members, other musicians, or even producers remotely? Whether you’ve just heard of Soundtrap, you’re still new to it, or you’ve been using it for a while, this guide is…