Cymbal Anatomy Part 4: Bell Size
Bells are an over-looked aural enveloper. Whether or not you’re riding them on a funk chorus, or blast-beating them straight into the abyss, this part of the cymbal really impacts your cymbal’s overall sound. Let’s look at how the size of a cymbal’s bell (or whether or not a cymbal has a bell) shapes your tone. Flat […]
Gibson 2019 Guitar Lineup Overview
Standing with one foot solidly in the past, and the other in the future, Gibson sprints out of the gate in 2019 with a killer selection of your favorite models. Prefer a more vintage style? Then pick up something like the classic Les Paul Standard. A timeless instrument, the Standard is everything you ever wanted […]
Perfect Pairings: Seymour Duncan FOOZ and TC-Helicon Talkbox Synth
In this Perfect Pairings video, we’re partnering up a Seymour Duncan FOOZ Analog Fuzz Synthesizer pedal with the TC-Helicon Talkbox Synth to create a colorful assortment of funky sounds. Seymour Duncan FOOZ Push your creativity past your limits with the Seymour Duncan FOOZ Analog Fuzz Synthesizer. This versatile pedal mimics the signal flow of modular […]
zZounds Mark Knopfler Instagram Giveaway
Since the disbanding of his the genre-defying group Dire Straits in 1995, Mark Knopfler has had a prolific solo career accompanied by countless collaborations with the likes of Eric Clapton, Chet Atkins, Elton John and more. In celebration of the release of his new record, “Down The Road Wherever,” we’ve teamed up with his iconic […]
Restoring a Thrift Store Snare Drum
If you’re someone who pinches every penny like me, or just someone who wants to wear other people’s used clothes, the thrift store is a great place to frequent when you’re in the buying mood. But short of an old church organ too big for your sub-compact car, there aren’t ever that many musical instruments […]
Does a Guitar’s Finish Affect its Tone?
The first time I heard anything about Fender applying finish to their guitars was in a lesson with my first guitar teacher. Upon showing him my first Midnight Blue Telecaster, he responded with stories of men in hazmat suits, who might as well have stepped off the set of E.T., bulk-spraying dozens of guitars. Attached […]
Gibson Releases 40th Anniversary The Paul
You may know Les Paul, but this is THE Paul! Gibson recently announced this 40th Anniversary limited edition “The Paul” model, and if you weren’t around in 1978, here’s a little history. Gibson developed The Paul to be a lower-priced option that provided the same Les Paul tone as the Standard, but with a few […]
Studio Solutions Collection: DAW Production Techniques
Audio production has come a long way since the advent of the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Whether you’re just starting to mix and master your own tracks in your DAW at home, or you’re a more experienced producer, check out this collection of zZounds Blog posts and pick up a new technique to try on […]
Savory Softube Plug-ins
We all have our own obsessions. Some musicians drool over the newest boutique guitar pedals. Another musician that works at zZounds may dream about a tweed couch that matches all of his vintage Fender tweed amps. I, on the other hand, obsess over my new favorite plug-ins. I recently purchased a bundle of Softube plug-ins, […]
