Vanessa Wheeler (VAVÁ) on Building an Indie Career, Brazilian Music, and Complicating the Guitar
LA-based musician Vanessa Wheeler, who goes by the performing name VAVÁ, has hustled over the past few years to grab the ears of listeners and build a following. Her soulful sound stirs together pop, R&B, and rock influences, with a pinch of the Brazilian music she grew up with to shake up the rhythms. If […]
zZounds Live: An Audio Landscape Journey With Walrus Audio’s Slotva and M1 Modulation Pedal
Walrus Audio is pushing the envelope for modulation and reverb! See the latest from these pedal innovators in our livestream, starting with Slotva — a multi-textured reverb pedal ideal for studio or stage. Then there’s the high-fidelity Mako Series M1 modulation pedal that lets you confidently craft the perfect modulation for your leads, rhythm, or […]
Is the Lauten Audio LA-220 the Most Affordable Workhorse FET Condenser?
This is not hyperbole: every recording engineer prizes their large-diaphragm condensers. Why, you ask? When you’ve found “the one,” you use it on almost everything. In comes Lauten Audio. Whether it’s a cream-of-the-crop professional model, or an extremely affordable budget mic, Lauten specializes in high-quality microphones. The Lauten Audio LA-220 occupies the “Goldilocks zone” between […]
zZounds Live: Rabea Massaad Shows Off the Victory V4 Kraken
Catch up with our livestream with some very special visitors from Victory Amps featuring Rabea Massaad. In this livestream, Rabea takes us through what the Victory V4 Kraken is capable of. This compact two-channel monster from Victory delivers bone-crushing high-gain tones, but it’s no one-trick pony — it also offers lovely edge-of-breakup sounds with the […]
Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard: All the Iconic Features at a Sliver of the Price
The Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard is an exciting addition to the Epiphone line since “bursts” are known as the holy grail of electric guitars. Where the Gibson Custom Shop ’59 Les Pauls can cost up to $8,000, the Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard comes in at $849. At a sliver of the price, you […]
It’s Your First Verse: Make It Pop!
Each part of a song has an important function. Whether it’s the chorus, the bridge, etc., each section serves a structural and artful purpose. However, the first verse has a unique job: setting the foundation of your song. In this post, we will discuss using a variety of lyrical devices to create an effective first verse to […]
Episode 208 – Leah Blevins
Kentucky native Leah Blevins zooms in to discuss her debut record, “First Time Feeling!” About The Guest Leah Blevins is a country singer-songwriter from Sandy Hook, KY. Her debut album, “First Time Feeling,” was released in 2021. Still interested? Visit the artist’s official website or follow them on Facebook to learn more! Jan 31, 2022Chris […]
Stacking Overdrives to Gain New Tones
As guitarists, there are few things we love more than a good overdrive pedal. If you’ve been playing for years, there is a good chance you have several lying around. While you may have chosen a few of your favorites to stay on the pedalboard, you may want to try stacking overdrives together. Stacking overdrives […]
Tomo Fujita Shares Guitar Wisdom, Talks Ibanez Collab
Don’t compare! Don’t worry! Don’t expect too fast! Be kind to yourself! Apart from the licks, funky rhythms, and musical theory students learn from Tomo Fujita, these four tenets, recited in most of his videos and emblazoned on his custom picks, are what tend to stick in the mind. On both his free YouTube videos […]
