Musical instruments

If playing guitar makes your fingers sore, check out the LiberLive C1 stringless guitar!

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NEWS – I used to play guitar, then the ukulele, and lately, I haven’t played anything because I have some arthritis in my hands. When I saw the LiberLive C1, it piqued my interest for multiple reasons. First, it folds for easier storage than a traditional guitar. But of course, that’s not the most exciting

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Synido TempoPAD Z-1 MIDI Controller Beat Maker review – more pads equals more fun

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REVIEW – I recently reviewed the Synido MIDI Keyboard Controller Beat Maker Machine and the Synido TempoPAD P16 Portable Beat Pad and have thoroughly enjoyed noodling around and making music with both tools since those reviews. Out of the blue, Synido reached out wondering if I’d like to check out their new Synido TempoPAD Z-1

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Synido TempoPAD P16 Portable Beat Pad review – a great little beat pad controller

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REVIEW – Thanks to various Gadgeteer reviews I’ve been amassing the various pieces I’ll need to make my DJ debut during my midlife crisis. I haven’t picked a DJ name yet, but I’ve definitely enjoyed noodling around with the Synido MIDI Keyboard Controller since I reviewed it a few months ago. When Synido asked if

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Roadie Coach review – Music tutor, recorder, and MIDI controller that attaches to your instrument

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REVIEW – I pretty much taught myself to play piano and guitar when I was just a kid by using music books back before the internet was a thing. Then after becoming an adult, I became obsessed with the ukulele. At one time, I had over a dozen ukes in my collection. Unfortunately, I’ve let

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Synido MIDI Keyboard Controller Beat Maker Machine review – a great compact MIDI keyboard and keypad

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REVIEW – Like many middle-class American kids, I was forced to learn piano growing up. Even though I hated this at first, I eventually came around and also elected to play in the school band, and have loved to learn and play new instruments ever since. I mostly noodle around randomly and make up things

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Blipblox SK2 synthesizer review – electronic music fun for kids and adults alike

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REVIEW – There’s been a running prank war in my extended family for years where we like to give other nieces and nephews loud and obnoxious kids toys (like drum sets, karaoke machines, etc.). At first glance, I thought I would be inflicting a prank upon my own household by volunteering to review the Blipblox

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Vangoa VBU-20 Banjolele review – a whole bunch of fun at a great price!

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REVIEW – You read that right! A banjolele is exactly what it sounds like: the love child of a ukulele and a banjo. The Vangoa VBU-20 Banjolele is designed to be an entry-level instrument that you can learn on without spending a whole bunch of cash. In my opinion, it accomplishes that mission. To the

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Vangoa 23 inch mahogany concert ukulele bundle (VU403) review – bringing a little Hawaii home

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REVIEW – Whenever I hear the ukulele, I’m transported back to my childhood and seeing Tiny Tim playing and singing “Tiptoe Through the Tulips”.  If you’re too young, a quick search will take you to it.  Yes, that can scar someone for life.  But since then, there have been plenty of terrific ukulele performances, including

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Improve your guitar playing skills without even making a sound

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NEWS – Fretting notes and chords on the fingerboard is the most important skill when it comes to playing the guitar. Without that skill, you won’t be able to play your favorite songs. Practicing with an actual guitar is obviously the best way to improve your playing but for those times when it’s not convenient

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Artiphon Orba review – Create music without knowing how to read music

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REVIEW – A couple of months ago, I reviewed the Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1 and now I’m back with another musical instrument from Artiphon. I enjoyed testing the INSTRUMENT 1 but found that it was more than I needed in a music-making device. Lucky for me, Artiphon makes another device that is much smaller and has

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Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1 MIDI controller review – It’s a whole band crammed into a ukulele sized instrument

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REVIEW – When I was very young, I discovered the music books that my mom had used when she took piano lessons as a child. I used those books along with very minimal help to teach myself to play a few songs on the Baldwin piano that we had in our living room. I later

Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1 MIDI controller review – It’s a whole band crammed into a ukulele sized instrument Read More

Acoustik Attak review – Technical guitar picks that add unique qualities to your sound

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REVIEW – Guitar news typically focuses on the artists themselves (and why shouldn’t it) or the core equipment (guitars, amps, strings, pedals). However, there is an unsung component that rarely gets mentioned… the guitar pick. It could be that it’s just taken for granted, relegated to band merchandising or that everyone assumes a pick is

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Fender Mustang Micro guitar amp review – Your guitar’s new best friend

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REVIEW – Learning to play guitar, and getting to a point where others might want to listen, can be a very large gap. Even when you sound really good, the required repetition to nail a lick can take a toll on anyone listening. Headphones have long been a great solution for this, but without good

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Jamstack 2 – Does your amp mount on your guitar? This one does!

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NEWS – If you’re a guitar player then you know that it’s hard to compete with the feel and sound of plugging into and playing through a good amp. Maybe you don’t have room for a 2x cabinet amp, or perhaps just want to minimize your gear. You might want to check out the Jamstack

Jamstack 2 – Does your amp mount on your guitar? This one does! Read More

Fender Fullerton Stratocaster ukulele review

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REVIEW – My 12-year daughter has been teaching herself to play a basic entry-level ukulele that was given to her by a friend.  She has been dedicated to learning and we had been discussing purchasing her lessons and a better quality uke.  So, when the opportunity to try out the Fender Fullerton Stratocaster Ukulele presented itself,

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Fender Play review and a Player Series Firemist Gold Mustang® too!

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REVIEW – What’s something on your bucket list that you can tackle without traveling? What’s that? You said you’d learn to play guitar, bass or ukulele? Well, Fender’s Play app can help you cross that one off in whatever time increments you can devote. Fender was gracious enough to not only give us access to

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