Guitar Amp Wattage: Needs vs Wants
What guitarist doesn’t dream of being up on stage, shredding out hot licks from a monolithic wall of blaring amp stacks? It’s the quintessential, “famous rock star” look. Rarely though do you stop and really think about what that would sound like, and the fact that most of those bands are standing in front of […]
Beat Techniques: Trap Production
Welcome to Beat Connection, a series dedicated to promoting modern and vintage dance styles the only way we know how…by providing you a musical starting point to help you create that beat. In the main bulk of our posts, we’ve been taking you on a journey to what I’d dub “foundational beats.” These foundational beats […]
10 Music Gear Brand Names You Should Know How to Say
If you’re into making music, you’re probably into talking gear, too. But what’s the proper way to pronounce all those audio gear and musical instrument brand names that you’ve seen so many times? Here at zZounds, we’ve heard them all. Here are 10 commonly mispronounced brand names, and our guide to how to say them […]
1956 Harmony H2 Lap Steel
I bought this vintage Harmony lap steel at a time when I was really diving deep into alternative country music. The guitar is 100% original and according to the potentiometer date codes, they were made on the 13th week of 1956 by Cetralab. Lap steel guitars originated from Hawaii, which is probably why they are […]
Top Tones: EHX Oceans 11 Reverb
Packed with eleven reverb modes, an internal tails switch and powerful hidden parameters, the Electro-Harmonix Oceans 11 is a “Swiss army knife” of reverb. We’re putting this pedal through its paces by showcasing its spaciest, shimmering sounds in this Top Tones video. Peep the Fender Player Jaguar we’re using as well — its unique pickup […]
Demo of Roland SYSTEM-500 510 Synth Module
Looking to get outside the world of synth presets and clean, digital sounds? Modular analog synths are a great way to do that, which is one reason they’ve been making such a comeback in recent years. Once relegated to only the most technically minded enthusiasts, modular synths are now available from multiple manufacturers in the […]
Beat Connection Collection: Beat Foundations
In Beat Connection, we explore modern and vintage dance styles the only way we know how…by providing you a musical starting point to help you create that beat. In this collection, we’re highlighting Beat Connection posts that detail the fundamental foundations of beatmaking, elemental topics like rhythm, pitch and structure. Check them out below and […]
Talking Shop: Dream Gear
If money were no object, what is one piece of gear you’d buy? This is the question we asked for the first installment of Talking Shop, the series in which we ask zZounds staffers questions about gear and all things music. Check out our team’s answers below, and feel free to comment on what your […]
Making a Program on the MPC Live
A true hip hop fan cannot deny the impact that the Akai MPC has had on music. If you’re a fan of J Dilla or MF Doom, then you’re a fan of the MPC and some of its most talented users. In this post, we’re checking out one of the newer MPC models, the MPC […]
