Everything published across instruments, studio gear, plugins and music software, newest first.
The Best Epiphone Les Pauls for the Money
Not one crowned champion, but the right pick for your budget and style. Here's how the Epiphone Les Paul tiers actually compare on value.
Yamaha Hs5 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Just unboxed a pair of Yamaha HS5 monitors? Here's the logical, step-by-step process for getting them connected, positioned and sounding right.
The Best Soundbars for the Money
Slim TVs sound dreadful, and a soundbar is the tidy fix. Here's how to judge which soundbar is genuinely the best for your money — for films, telly and music alike.
Trip Hop for Newcomers: Where to Start
No history lesson, no subgenre chart — just three albums in the right order and a bit of encouragement to stick with it.
Woodwind Instruments for Beginners: A Complete Guide
That first, slightly hopeless week is where every woodwind player starts. Here's what actually matters when you're just setting out, and what can wait.
Common Tanglewood Guitars Mistakes to Avoid
Most regrets after buying an acoustic trace back to one of these seven avoidable mistakes.
Boogie Subgenres, Explained
One word, four genuinely different genres — here's a clear map of how boogie splits, and why it keeps causing mix-ups.
A Beginner's Guide to Dubstep
What dubstep actually is, how it works, and where to start listening — the plain-English guide for anyone new to the genre.
The History of Ragtime
How a sound built in Black communities conquered sheet music, faded through the jazz age, then came roaring back decades later.
The Best Monitoring Audios for the Money
No fake benchmarks — just an honest look at which category of gear earns its keep at each stage of a home studio.
Steel Band Drums for Beginners: A Complete Guide
It looks like a strange, dented drum from the outside. Give it a fortnight and steel band drums start to feel like the friendliest instrument in the room.
Common Piano Labels for Keys Mistakes to Avoid
The same handful of habits slow beginners down with piano key labels. Here's what to watch for, and how to avoid it entirely.
A Beginner's Guide to Boogie
One pattern, one form, four weeks — here's the reassuring, no-nonsense route into playing boogie for the very first time.
Preamp Amp for Beginners: A Complete Guide
You do not need a rack of gear to try a preamp amp setup. One pedal and the amp you already own is a perfectly complete place to start.
Cort Guitar Company for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Starting out and eyeing a Cort? Here's the plain-spoken version of what actually matters for a first guitar, and what you can safely ignore.
The Ultimate Guide to Fender Guitar
Seventy-odd years on, a handful of Fender shapes still cover almost every style of guitar music going. Here's the full picture.
A Beginner's Guide to Ska Music
Faster than reggae, older than punk's version of it, and horn-led from the start. Here's what this genre actually is and where its revivals came from.
Oboe Instrument: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Everything worth knowing before you buy an oboe, from choosing the right material to the running costs nobody mentions at the till.
The History of Grime
Grime didn't arrive fully formed. Here's how it moved from pirate-radio frequencies in east London to a Mercury Prize, a quiet decade, and a full-blown revival.
Sequential Explained: Features, Types and Tips
From Dave Smith's first sequencers to today's Prophet-6, OB-6 and Fourm — here's what Sequential actually is, and what sets its instruments apart.
The Best Trip Hop Artists to Know
Beyond the three famous names, trip hop has a wider cast worth knowing. Here's who they are, what set them apart, and which record to hear first.
Novation for Beginners: A Complete Guide
No assumed knowledge required: a gentle, encouraging walk through choosing and setting up your first Novation, one step at a time.
The Best Triangle Instruments for the Money
There's no single best pick — only the right one for classroom, orchestral, studio or folk use. Here's where your money genuinely goes furthest.
Essential Drum and Bass Albums Explained
Drum and bass was built for the 12-inch single, which makes the albums that broke that mould genuinely worth understanding on their own terms.
