Cymbal Cleaner Shootout
Cleaning and polishing your cymbals not only preserves their look and shine, but also extends their life and tone! We all know that nearly every cymbal maker and tons of third-party companies make polish, but what works the best for you and could a D.I.Y. solution work just as well? Probably not. But that’s okay! […]
Fixing an Old Upright Piano with RX 7
Sample libraries have come a long way and I can’t deny it, but there’s something beautifully organic about capturing live acoustic instruments. It’s similar to the pictures you take on an old disposable camera. That being said, nobody likes seeing a zit in their photo. I’m going to show you how I find the happy […]
Beat Roots: Understanding Generative Music
On this edition of Beat Connection we dive into the macro idea of this thing called generative music. Some of you may not know it, but in some fashion you’re experiencing (or have quietly experienced) the rise of it. From apps like Endel, to things like YouTube algorithms generating playlists for you, we’re living in […]
New Synths Debut at Superbooth 2019
If the recent announcement of the Moog Matriarch wasn’t enough, the opening day of Superbooth in Berlin has seen a slew of synth announcements from major brands like Korg, Novation, Elektron and IK Multimedia. We’re bringing you the rundown on some of the biggest releases, so read below to get caught up. And best of […]
Restoring A Guitar
What does it take to restore an old guitar? A little know-how, some elbow grease, and the right set of tools and equipment can help bring a dusty guitar back to gigging shape. We enlisted one of our resident bloggers and guitar experts, David, to take on the task of restoring an Italia Mondial Classic […]
Recording Guitar Tracks with IK Multimedia AXE I/O
IK Multimedia’s new AXE I/O interface (endorsed by Joe Satriani!) is aimed at the recording guitarist, with the goal of making it easier and faster to get a great tone — especially on direct injection, or DI, recording. To that end, the AXE gives you a few key options for tone shaping: 1. A Passive/Active […]
Gibson’s New Lineup Revealed
In case you haven’t heard, Gibson has an all-new roster of guitars and basses that just dropped today. And no, you haven’t time-warped into 2020. This new series takes over where the 2019 lineup left off, and introduces the new Gibson to the world. Gone are the model year naming conventions — this streamlined, but […]
Talking Shop: The Best Show You’ve Ever Seen
It’s a fact: if you’ve been to two or more shows, you can talk about the best show you’ve ever seen (so far). Whether it was a band you’ve idolized since childhood, or an unknown act that blew you away, or even a perfect crowd, these shows can be a transformative experience. We asked zZounds […]
Photo Gallery: Moogfest 2019
zZounds is back at it, training our eyes at Moog’s annual meeting of minds, music, and technology dubbed “Moogfest.” Located in the lovely confines of downtown Durham, NC, Moogfest is a synth and music lover’s festival complete with intriguing workshops, a huge synth marketplace, experiential art installations and brilliant music performances. Debuting this year is […]
