Common Mistakes
Everything published on Viyolens under Common Mistakes — reviews, buying advice and how-tos written for players and producers in the UK.
Common Yamaha Piano Keys Mistakes to Avoid
Most keyboard problems come down to a handful of avoidable habits. Here's what to watch for with Yamaha piano keys, and the simple fix for each.
Common Fretless Bass Mistakes to Avoid
Most fretless bass frustration comes from habits, not the instrument itself. Here's what actually trips people up, and how to fix it.
Common Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Mistakes to Avoid
The recurring habits that cause most Scarlett 2i2 frustration, and the quick fix for each, from someone who's seen them all.
Common Samba Music Instruments Mistakes to Avoid
Most disappointment with samba percussion isn't about the gear itself — it's a handful of habits that are genuinely easy to avoid once you know them.
Common Left Handed Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
The left-handed guitar market is smaller, which means mistakes cost more. Avoid reversed right-handed guitars, verify the nut is cut correctly, choose by hand size and scale, book a professional setup...
Common Squier Electric Bass Mistakes to Avoid
The seven mistakes that trip up buyers and owners most often, and the simple fixes for each one, no expensive gear required.
Common Tuner Bass Pedal Mistakes to Avoid
Common Concertina Mistakes to Avoid
Learning concertina means making mistakes—but some are easier to avoid than others. Discover the pitfalls that catch beginners and how to sidestep them on your path to mastery.
Common Marshall Speaker Mistakes to Avoid
The recurring, entirely avoidable mistakes readers make when buying and living with a Marshall speaker — and how to sidestep each one.
Common Gibson Acoustic Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
The mistakes I see again and again from behind the counter: buying the name not the body shape, skipping structural checks, and ignoring humidity.
Common Cable Tester Mistakes to Avoid
Common Cassette Player Mistakes to Avoid
Buying unserviced machines, using the wrong tape type and skipping head cleaning are the errors that cause most cassette playback problems. Here is what to watch for.
Common Ableton Live Mistakes to Avoid
A few habits trip up almost everyone new to Ableton Live. Here's the honest list, and the easy fix for each one.
Common 12 String Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
Doubled strings magnify mistakes. Here are the eight pitfalls that derail most players and how to avoid them.
Common Violin Tuner Mistakes to Avoid
Careful players still make tuning mistakes—but they are all avoidable. Learn the pitfalls that trip up violinists, and discover how to master reliable, confident tuning.
Common Cabinet Records Mistakes to Avoid
A friend's near-disastrous house-clearance find taught me most of these the hard way, so you don't have to learn them yourself.
Common Midi Keyboard Mistakes to Avoid
A MIDI keyboard is relatively simple — but the mistakes are predictable. Katherine explains what goes wrong and how to avoid it.
Common Zoom Recorder Mistakes to Avoid
None of these mean you bought the wrong recorder. Here are the small habits I see most often, and how to fix each one in seconds.
Common Evh Bass Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
There isn't a standard EVH bass guitar to buy — and that one fact is behind almost every mistake people make chasing one.
Common Roland Keyboard Mistakes to Avoid
Most Roland keyboard regrets trace back to one avoidable mistake. Here are the eight I see most often, and how to sidestep every one of them.
Common Floyd Rose Mistakes to Avoid
It's almost never the hardware's fault. The same handful of avoidable mistakes cause most of the tuning grief people blame on a Floyd Rose.
Common Musical Instruments Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems with musical instruments come down to avoidable habits established early on. Recognise these common mistakes now, and you will save yourself a great deal of frustration later.
Common Microphone Stand Mistakes to Avoid
The honest list of mistakes most people make with a microphone stand at least once, and the simple habits that fix them.
Common Brass Mistakes to Avoid
The small handful of recurring errors that trip up brass instrument players, grouped by playing, maintenance and long-term practice.
Common Mistakes is filed under
All topics
12 String Guitar
Choose a 12 string guitar for bright, ringing texture, rich chords and standout acoustic colour in studio or live settin...
3 topics
Epiphone
Accessible guitars with classic styling, covering electrics, acoustics and semi-hollows for players at every level.
28 topics
Fender Telecaster
The fender telecaster delivers bright, punchy electric guitar tone with dependable playability for stage and studio use.
11 topics
Kids Guitar
Scaled-down guitars for younger players, with comfortable sizes that make learning easier and more enjoyable.
Left Handed Guitar
Mirror-image instruments designed for left-handed players across acoustic, electric, bass and specialist styles.
Les Paul
Iconic solid-body electrics known for sustain, thick tone and a classic rock and blues feel.
14 topics
PRS Guitars
A respected range of premium guitars known for craftsmanship, versatility and dependable performance across styles.
3 topics
Yamaha Revstar
The Yamaha Revstar is a distinctive modern electric guitar with strong style, comfort and versatile tone.
