Cue the SNL grumpy old man voice… Why, back in my day, our sheet music was made of paper with real pages that we had to turn with our hands, and we liked it! Today, musicians display their sheet music on tablets and computers because it’s easier to read with a backlit screen and you […]
Musicians can tap their toe to turn to the next page of sheet music Read More
As a musician who is better in my mind than in person, I love gadgets that help make me sound better than I am. Plugging my acoustic-electric guitar in is one way I can do that, and the IK Multimedia iRig Pro DUO is an excellent choice for doing this. The unit is small,
IK Multimedia iRig Pro DUO Mobile Audio/MIDI interface review Read More
It can be hard finding the right gift for the aspiring DJ in your household. Do you get them a drum machine, “two turn tables and a microphone”, what? IK Multimedia has come up with iRig Pads that can take the place of all of that. The iRig Pads is a universal MIDI controller for
Make grooves you can dig with iRig Pads Read More
Have you ever wanted to build a guitar or a ukulele but felt it was completely beyond your capabilities, time and budget? Me too. That’s why I was very curious to try the Wolfelele kit when I saw it because it didn’t require tools I didn’t own, a huge investment in time and best of all,
Wolfelele do it yourself ukulele building kit review Read More
When I play music on my ukulele, I’m usually doing so in front of my computer, which I use to display the sheet music. I have a large collection of songs that are in .PDF and .TXT formats. There’s one problem that I have been trying to solve for a long time, how to flip
AirTurn Duo BT-106 hands-free wireless controller review Read More
IK Multimedia who are well known for their electronic gear for musicians and hobbyists just announced a first. Their new iRig Acoustic is the first mobile microphone interface designed especially for acoustic guitars. If you’re an acoustic musician, you probably use a stand alone mic positioned in front of your instrument when performing or recording.
iRig Acoustic is your guitar’s new best friend Read More
If you’ve ever wanted to learn to play guitar or even if you already know how to play, the Zivix jamstik+ is 6-string MIDI guitar controller that connects via Bluetooth to your iOS device or Mac. It’s an ultra portable instrument that doesn’t require nearly as much storage space as a traditionally sized guitar and since it’s
Zivix jamstik+ review Read More
Kickstarter has a new project called the Oval Digital HandPan. It is a percussive instrument that can connect via USB on Android and iOS or Bluetooth MIDI on iOS to the MIDI-compliant music app of your choice to give you an unlimited palette of sound to choose from. With five sensors per pad, it gives
Oval MIDI digital handpan on Kickstarter Read More
I will be the first to admit that I am not a great musician, but that does not mean I don’t like to dabble a bit. Now to be honest, I am mainly a guitar and bass guy, although since I have purchased my iPad I find myself doing more and more in Garage Band,
Is that a band in your pocket or a Pocket Operator synthesizer Read More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnpsXvSKlCY If you’ve always wanted to play an instrument but don’t have the money to buy a piano, guitar or other instrument or don’t have any spare time to invest in learning the ins and outs of playing it, Tin Pan Rhythm is a new iOS app that makes playing music fun and easy. If you’re like me,
Tin Pan Rhythm app brings your song ideas to life Read More
Many guitar tuners have graced the pages of The Gadgeteer over the years, but the Roadie is possibly the new benchmark and the only one you’ll want in your gig bag. It is a Kickstarter-funded creation that pairs a handheld auto tuner–the Roadie device itself– with a corresponding mobile app. With the app you can
The last guitar tuner you’ll ever need Read More
The Illuminating Piano from McCarthy Music is an integrated system that includes a piano with software and a cloud-friendly piano learning system. The Illuminating Piano has been designed to make learning to play the piano easy and fun for people of all ages. The system includes a MIDI keyboard with 61 full-size keys that are velocity
This piano shows you exactly how to play it Read More
Synthesizers have been around for a long, long time and many efforts have been made to turn them into expressive, virtuoso performing machines. Ribbons, X/Y pads and pitch/mod wheels have long been a staple for keyboardists but they all have one glitch…the expressiveness of the note is separated by two hands and two motions that
The Linnstrument from Roger Linn Design…the holy grail of expressive controllers? Read More
I don’t consider myself a musician even though I can play a few instruments (barely). However I do consider myself a musical hobbyist because I enjoy doodling around with the ukulele and music apps on my iOS and Android tablets. When the people at IK Multimedia contacted me to ask if I might like to
IK Multimedia iRing motion music controller review Read More
I posted this earlier today on my Ukulele Review site: Some people may march to the beat of a different drummer, but as a fan of 4 stringed instruments you might strum to the rhythm of a different ukulele. We’ve reviewed ukuleles made of plastic like the Flea and the BugsGear, and we’ve even shown
Ukulele’s made of plant fiber the next big thing? Read More
I’ve tried to learn to play guitar a couple of times in my life, and I’ve learned a few things. 1) When you’re only five feet tall, holding an acoustic guitar feels like clasping a baby grand piano to your chest. 2) Electric guitars are heavy, and you must have a strap to help you hold
Comfortable, neoprene straps for almost any musical instrument you can think of Read More
Plastic ukuleles can be considered to be both retro and modern. They were really popular back in the 1950’s with plastic ukes from Maccaferri and other brands. Over 60 years later, plastic instruments are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Why would you even want a plastic ukulele? Because it’s an instrument that you won’t have
BugsGear Aqulele plastic ukulele review Read More
The iPad is a very powerful system for music creation, but it lacks any way to get music in or out of it. Numerous companies have tried to create iPad docks for this purpose, docking the iPad to a platform that has the connectivity that music creators demand. So far most of them have fallen
The ultimate iPad studio? Focusrite iTrack Professional Dock for iPad Read More
I’ve played a Moog Etherwave theremin (badly) for several years now. Hooked up to a Korg KP3 effects processor, you can get some really great effects out of it. However, plucking notes out of thin air in a continuous scale is maddeningly hard work. Unlike a guitar or piano, where the notes are clearly delineated,
All play, no touch: The Moog Theremini Read More
Do you remember that toy piano you used to play when you were five years old? It might have looked like the real thing (except for the color), but the sound completely missed the mark. Korg has updated this toy favorite with REAL piano sound in its new product, the tinyPIANO. This 25-note (2 octave) miniature upright
REAL piano sound for your mini Mozart Read More