Managing a big session or a busy mix is tough. You have to keep a lot of different factors in mind to make it a success. Even just...

The tools and techniques musicians use have a huge impact on the sonic style of their music. Those technologies play important roles at...

It’s impossible to tell how much live music will change in 2021, but it’s safe to bet things will continue to look much different than...

Every song has a story. Poetic images and gripping lyrics grab listeners’ heartstrings—it’s why music is so powerful. Think of a song you...

Innovation is impossible to generate on command. Even when a new development seems obvious in hindsight, connecting the dots for the...

Remember how blown away the industry was by the success of Lorde’s “Royals”? Back in 2012, no one thought such a modestly produced record...

Music is a language, especially if you work with others to create it. The notes, dynamics, chords and rhythmic choices you make in your...

Until the inception of the DAW, music-making was always a very hands-on experience. As Francesca Lombardo recounts, even the early days...

Sampling revolutionized music production. It’s a powerful technique that helped create modern music’s most vital genres. But today,...

Vocals are the focal point of a song. They’re the human element that gives a song its emotional weight. Lead singers get plenty of...

Think of your favorite song. What’s the most memorable part? The section you’re thinking of probably has a catchy hook, a powerful chord...

Every musical project is the result of a group of collaborators working together. Even when the artist is the star of the show, there’s...

Even if you wanted to, there’s no way to keep your influences out of the music you create. The music you love ends up shaping what you...

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re creating new music. Distractions come easily when we have so many software instruments, sample...

The road to success as professional musician can take some unexpected turns. Finding your way into the right gigs and developing the...

A great song can seem like it’s own little musical world. When everything falls into place, a tightly produced track feels as if it must...

Toplining is a popular songwriting technique. It’s common practice especially in the world of pop, hip hop and electronic dance music....

Psychoacoustics sounds like an abstract scientific concept, but it comes into play whenever you listen to music. Listening to a track...

There’s something special about the sound of a cassette, they produce this amazing warmth and warble as they pass the electromagnetic...

Modular synth is taking over the world. This once uncommon synthesis type has become the main arena for sonic experimentation in...