Beefing Up Your Drum Mix
Great recordings are defined by their drum sound. Think about your favorite album — can you picture that snare timbre in your head? Arctic Monkeys’ AM is a perfect example of a drum sound that truly defined an album. Tchad Blake took a high-energy group of performers and matched the mix to their personalities. I’ll admit […]
What to Consider When Buying a New Drum Kit
Trying to navigate the vast scope of drum companies, kit sizes and materials, it can get confusing and hard to make a choice for your first kit. Finding the perfect shell kit to base your entire drum sound on is incredibly important and there are many variables to keep in mind. From considering your drumming […]
iZotope RX 7: A First Look
First released in 2007, iZotope’s RX software has become an increasingly popular option for audio repair work in music and post-production. One big reason for RX’s popularity is the regularity of major updates, which tend to include improvements as well as useful new capabilities. RX 7 is no exception to this rule. Packed with analyzing, […]
EHX Announces Mod Rex Polyrhythmic Modulator Pedal
Mike Matthews and his crew of tone-tweakers are up to their old tricks again. Just today they dropped the latest Electro-Harmonix pedal, Mod Rex, out of the blue. This isn’t the first time a new EHX pedal has appeared out of the ether, but this one is a real doozy! The Electro-Harmonix MOD REX is […]
Legends of Tone: Heart
In our next installment of Legends of Tone, we’re showcasing a band that certainly deserves this special title based upon their influence on hard rock. That band is none other than Heart, a genre-defying group that reshaped what the general landscape of rock was or could be. They are considered the very first female-fronted hard […]
Behind the Design: Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan (the company) has been producing top-tier pickups since 1976, but Seymour Duncan (the man) got his start in the late ’60s wiring pickups for the likes of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, and working with Seth Lover (the inventor of the humbucker) as a mentor. Seymour Duncan guitar and bass pickups […]
Yamaha Teases New Synth Announcement
If you’re a synthophile, there’s been a lot to be excited about lately. Just this past weekend, Knobcon’s seventh annual event took place, and the zZounds Blog was there — check out the photos! Roland is set to debut new synth and drum products Thursday per its “Music Connects” site. And now, hot on its heels, […]
Knobcon 2018 Recap and Gallery
One wouldn’t expect the great city of Schaumburg, Illinois (home of an IKEA and in the vicinity of some of the Midwest’s best Japanese food) to be the destination city for legions of synthesizer fans and makers. Yet, here, in its seventh iteration, Knobcon (founded by massive synth head Mr. Suit & Tie Guy) is […]
Talking Shop: Essential Gear
Take a moment to think about the most important piece of gear in your rig or studio. Maybe it’s your most powerful, most capable, or most expensive piece of gear. But what happens when the strap comes off your vintage guitar and all its sweet, inherent mojo falls from your shoulder to make contact with […]
