As Content Manager, Maya writes about gear for zZounds — especially recording and live sound gear. She started plunking on a piano in 1992, and began audio engineering work in 2000. Over the years, she’s fronted bands, trained commercial voiceover actors, assisted on hundreds of recording sessions, and once co-wrote an alt-rock musical. Currently, Maya’s music gig is singing lullabies to her two young children.
The Wireless MIDI Keyboard Rig
Playing keyboards is my jam, but schlepping a lot of gear around is definitely not. My main gigging board is a Roland AX-Synth Shoulder Synthesizer — or a keytar, as it’s affectionately known. Besides the keytar’s distinctive look, the appeal of this board is its eminent portability. But there comes a time when you need […]
Keyboardist Bonnie McIntosh: Roland Artist (and Role Model)
Where in the world is Bonnie McIntosh? As the live keyboardist for such pop phenoms as Selena Gomez, Madilyn Bailey, and Malia Civetz, the talented Ms. McIntosh spends a lot of time globetrotting (just peep her Instagram for photo evidence.) When she’s not on the road playing tour dates and TV gigs, you’ll find this […]
Photo Gallery: Moogfest 2018
The zZounds crew is in Durham, NC for Moogfest 2018 — the annual music, art, and technology festival honoring the legacy of synthesizer pioneer Dr. Bob Moog. There’s so much to see and hear at this four-day festival — with electrifying live performances, hands-on workshops, the Modular Marketplace, and much more, it’s a synth geek’s […]
Audio Gear Brand Names: What Do Those Initials Stand For?
What does AKG stand for? What does JBL stand for? If you’re familiar with pro audio and recording gear brands, you’ll recognize many names that just go by their initials. But what do those initials and acronyms stand for? Read on for the stories behind those letters you’ve seen a million times on your audio […]
Inside Manley Laboratories
Manley Laboratories is the name behind such venerable tube-based studio gear as the Massive Passive EQ, VOXBOX channel strip, Manley Reference Cardioid microphone, and much more. Check out our photo gallery, and take a look inside the Manley Labs factory in Chino, California!
Paul Childers: Playing by his own rules
“Guitar-slinging superhero.” That’s how the venerable Nashville venue Acme Feed & Seed describes singer-songwriter Paul Childers – although you wouldn’t guess it from listening to Childers’ self-released 2017 debut, Naked Poetry. Stacked with soulful R&B influences and horn-fueled arrangements, the album serves its hot guitar licks — like the solo on “My Love of The […]
Best-Bang-for-the-Buck Audio Interfaces for Beginners
Ready to set up a home studio and start recording your music? A digital audio interface is a good place to begin building your rig. If you’ve already got a computer, one of these boxes will let you connect instruments and microphones via a USB port, and start capturing audio and MIDI into recording software […]
How to Phase-Align Your Studio Monitor Subwoofer
Congratulations — you’ve just added a studio monitor subwoofer to your home recording rig! But where should you place your new sub? And what does the “Phase” switch do? This guide will help you find the right spot for your studio subwoofer, and phase-align it to your main stereo studio monitors. Why Sub Placement Matters […]
How to Trade In Your Old 600 MHz Wireless Microphone Systems
If you use wireless microphones or wireless personal monitor systems in the United States, you should be aware of the 600 MHz wireless spectrum auction. In spring 2017, the FCC reallocated the 600 MHz frequency band (614 – 698 MHz) for wireless broadband use. This reallocation means that operating wireless microphones or personal monitor systems […]
