Katie Anderson
Katie learned the ropes mixing bands in Southampton's pubs and clubs, a port city used to a steady churn of touring acts. Years behind the desk gave her a practical, no-nonsense understanding of how live sound actually works. She writes about PA, live sound and stage gear.
Drum Microphone: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A buyer's guide to the drum microphone: kick drum, snare, tom and overhead positions, recommended models at each position and complete drum kit packages reviewed.
Studio Racks: A Complete Guide
A studio rack organises audio equipment in a standardised 19-inch mounting system — this guide explains the format, the terminology and how to approach building one.
Common Electric Drum Set Mistakes to Avoid
Same handful of mistakes, over and over. Here's what buyers and owners of an electric drum set most often get wrong, and the easy fix for each one.
Mic to Xlr for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A relaxed, no-jargon start for anyone new to this: what you actually need, and a gentle walkthrough of your very first connection.
Practice Drum Kit Explained: Features, Types and Tips
A practice drum kit is designed for quiet rehearsal rather than performance. There are several distinct categories, each with different trade-offs between sound, feel and cost.
A Guide to Behringer X32 Mixing Console
A mixing console organises and blends multiple audio sources into a final mix. Discover the fundamentals of mixing consoles and how to use one effectively.
Common Universal Audio Plugins Mistakes to Avoid
Most UAD frustration is habit, not software. Here are the mistakes that come up again and again, and how to fix them.
8 Channel Mixer: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The right choice depends on three things: analogue or digital, how much onboard processing matters, and whether portability is a factor. Here's how to work through each decision.
Neumann Microphone: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying a Neumann microphone means matching the model to the source, the room and the preamp. Here is how to make a confident decision across the full range.
Common Snare Drum Mistakes to Avoid
Most snare drum problems come from the same handful of avoidable errors — tight grip, poor tuning, no metronome and neglecting the resonant head.
Podcast Equipment for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A reassuring guide to your first podcast equipment — what you genuinely need today, and what can wait until you feel a real gap.
The Complete Guide to Earthworks Mics
Earthworks mics represent the engineer's choice for accurate, transparent audio recording. Discover why professionals trust these microphones for critical studio and broadcast work.
Marimba: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A marimba is a big, long-term purchase, so let's work through what genuinely matters before you spend a penny of your budget.
Congas Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Tall drums, one head each, played by hand — but there's real craft and a deep tradition behind that simplicity. Here's how congas actually work.
Childs Electronic Drum Set: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right electronic drum kit for a child is a practical decision that involves budget, noise tolerance and matching the kit to the child's age and size — here is how to do it.
Cajon Drumming for Beginners: A Complete Guide
No music reading, no drum kit, no pressure — here is a gentle, encouraging way to take your first steps in cajon drumming.
The Ultimate Guide to Djembes Drums
A clear, practical rundown of the djembe: where it comes from, how it's built, and the three distinct sounds it's designed to make.
Behringer Audio Interface: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right Behringer interface comes down to input count, MIDI requirements and whether you have checked the driver situation. This guide takes you through each decision point.
Common Frame Drum Mistakes to Avoid
Most frame drum problems trace back to the same small set of habits — a tight grip, too much speed too soon, and not listening deeply to the tradition you are working towards.
Celesta Explained: Features, Types and Tips
That shimmering sound in the Nutcracker has a name and a mechanism. Here's how a celesta actually works.
The Best Drums Notations for the Money
Notation itself is free to learn. What varies in value is the resource you learn it from. Here's the best option for every budget and learning style.
What Katie Anderson covers
Bass Preamp
Bass preamps shape tone, gain and output for live use, recording and pedalboard-based rigs.
2 topics
Drums & Percussion
The full family of drums and percussion — acoustic and electronic kits, hand drums, pitched mallet instruments, and ever...
118 topics
Marshall Earbuds
Portable in-ear listening for commuting, travel and everyday music playback.
Marshall Headphones
Stylish everyday headphones for travel, home listening and music enjoyment.
1 topic
Yamaha Dm3
Compact digital mixing for live sound, venues and rehearsal spaces. A yamaha dm3 offers modern control in a small format...
Yamaha Hs5
Compact and accurate, the Yamaha HS5 is ideal for small studios, mixing, editing and critical nearfield monitoring.
Yamaha Hs7
The Yamaha HS7 offers accurate monitoring, stronger low end and dependable performance for project and home studios.
Yamaha Hs8
Designed for larger spaces, the Yamaha HS8 delivers powerful, accurate monitoring with strong low-end detail.
