Latest articles

Violin Tuner / 23 Sep 2026 / Hannah Roberts

The Best Violin Tuners for the Money

From a compact clip-on under £15 to a professional strobe tuner, there is a violin tuner for every player. Hannah Roberts picks the best at each price point.

Paiste Cymbals / 23 Sep 2026 / Katie Anderson

Common Paiste Cymbals Mistakes to Avoid

Most cymbal cracks and tonal problems are avoidable — here are the most common mistakes drummers make with Paiste cymbals and how to fix them.

Banjo Ukulele / 23 Sep 2026 / Laura Mitchell

Banjo Ukulele for Beginners: A Complete Guide

Whether you're new to stringed instruments or transferring skills from ukulele, the learning curve here is modest. Here's what to know before you start.

Sabian / 23 Sep 2026 / Katie Anderson

Common Sabian Mistakes to Avoid

Most Sabian problems are habits, not flaws in the cymbal. Here's what trips people up most often, and the fix for each.

Boom Mic / 23 Sep 2026 / Sophie Clarke

The Best Boom Mics for the Money

There's no single best boom mic — only the right one for your tier. Here are sensible picks by use case, from home hobby setups to professional broadcast rigs.

Dance Pop / 23 Sep 2026 / Rachel Hughes

The Best Dance Pop Songs Right Now

Dreadnought Guitar / 22 Sep 2026 / Benjamin Wood

The Best Dreadnought Guitars for the Money

From the Yamaha FG800 to the Eastman E10D and beyond — a practical guide to the best dreadnought guitars at each price tier, with honest assessments of where the value breaks actually are.

Folk Rock / 22 Sep 2026 / Abigail Lewis

A Beginner's Guide to Folk Rock

Folk's storytelling, plugged in and given a rock band's backbeat — here's what folk rock actually is and where it came from.

Nord Keyboard / 22 Sep 2026 / Jennifer Hill

Nord Keyboard for Beginners: A Complete Guide

That many buttons on a distinctive red case can feel daunting on day one — here's a gentle, step-by-step way into your first Nord keyboard.

MuseScore / 22 Sep 2026 / Daniel Cooper

Musescore Explained: Features, Types and Tips

MuseScore covers the full range of common scoring tasks at no cost — this overview explains its core features, export options and the few situations where a paid alternative may be worth considering.

Stage Piano / 22 Sep 2026 / Katie Anderson

Stage Piano for Beginners: A Complete Guide

Getting started with a stage piano for live performance involves understanding the signal path, monitoring options and sound organisation. Here is the complete beginner walkthrough.

Stage Monitor / 22 Sep 2026 / Katie Anderson

Common Stage Monitor Mistakes to Avoid

Stage monitor problems are almost always avoidable. From asking for too much volume to positioning cabs badly, here are the most common errors and what to do instead.

Marimba / 22 Sep 2026 / Danielle King

Marimba for Beginners: A Complete Guide

Standing at a marimba for the first time can feel daunting. It really isn't, and here's the gentle, honest path in.

Line 6 Company / 22 Sep 2026 / Charlotte Bennett

Line 6 Company Explained: Features, Types and Tips

From the AxSys 212 to Helix, here's how one company convinced guitarists that an amp doesn't need to be a heavy wooden box in the corner.

Elektron / 22 Sep 2026 / Katherine Reed

Elektron for Beginners: A Complete Guide

Elektron's reputation for being intimidating isn't unearned — but most of it comes down to a handful of concepts you can learn in one sitting.

Exotica / 21 Sep 2026 / Nicola Evans

The History of Exotica

The real story of how exotica developed, from postwar America's tiki boom through Baxter, Denny and Lyman, told in order.

Nylon String Guitar Strings / 21 Sep 2026 / James Harrison

Nylon String Guitar Strings: A Complete Buyer's Guide

Buying nylon strings only takes a few honest decisions — bridge type, tension, then treble material. Get those right and the brand almost picks itself.

Acoustic and Electric / 21 Sep 2026 / Rebecca Turner

The Best Acoustic and Electrics for the Money

Best value isn't the cheapest guitar on the wall — it's the option that solves your actual problem. Here's where the smart spending really is.

Kids Guitar / 21 Sep 2026 / Benjamin Wood

The Best Kids Guitars for the Money

Forget the search for one 'best' model. Here's what actually changes as you move up through kids guitar tiers, and which young player each one genuinely suits.

Soundproof Panels / 21 Sep 2026 / Sophie Clarke

Common Soundproof Panels Mistakes to Avoid

Soundproof panels are genuinely useful once you dodge a few honest mistakes. Here are the pitfalls that trip up almost everyone building their first home studio.

Tuner Pedal / 21 Sep 2026 / Benjamin Wood

Tuner Pedal: A Complete Buyer's Guide

Choosing a tuner pedal comes down to accuracy level, display readability and bypass type. From the Boss TU-3 to the TC Electronic Polytune 3 to the Peterson Stomp Classic — here is the buying breakdow...

Cajon / 21 Sep 2026 / Benjamin Wood

Cajon for Beginners: A Complete Guide

Learning the cajon starts with the four tones — bass, tone, slap and snap — and clean hand technique before any pattern work. Here is what the early weeks actually look like.