News, reviews and articles about musical gear and accessories.
NEWS – Last night, I had the chance to see John Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band in concert, and while the whole show was incredible, I couldn’t take my eyes (or ears) off their harmonica player, Steve Bell. He was amazing. But before the music even started, Steve did something that completely caught my […]
Harmonica players have their own EDC. Who knew?! Read More
NEWS – Whether you like to crank it up to 11, or you’re more of a mellow guitarist, the soon-to-be-available Positive Grid Spark NEO wireless guitar practice amp looks pretty sweet. This pair of premium headphones is actually an app-driven rig that features a suite of 33 amps and 43 effects that you can choose
You can wear this guitar amp on your head! Read More
NEWS – I tried playing slide guitar – once. I found it incredibly awkward to have one whole finger unable to fret notes due to wearing the slide on my ring finger. So, I never tried again and have since switched to playing the ukulele, but that’s not the point of this post. The point
Slide guitar is easier with this Slide Ring! Read More
REVIEW – Musicians need gadgets too! Regardless of the instrument, there is always niche gear, tips, and ways that musicians have come up with to improve their music in one way or another. Today’s review, the Mighty Bright Orchestra Light, is a handy solution to help you see your sheet music in dark or dim
Mighty Bright Orchestra Stand Light review – A musician’s gadget! Read More
NEWS – Eleven years ago, I purchased a Loog guitar kit. It was one of their original 4-string guitars that you had to assemble yourself. Years later, they started offering pre-built guitars, and we were able to review the Loog Pro Electric Guitar. Their newest offering is the Loog Piano, which will ship in October.
Loog is back with a piano! Read More
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
Synido TempoPAD Z-1 MIDI Controller Beat Maker review – more pads equals more fun Read More
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
Synido TempoPAD P16 Portable Beat Pad review – a great little beat pad controller Read More
REVIEW – Cable can be one of the most annoying things to manage as a musician and when the opportunity came up to check out the Spark Link Wireless Guitar system I wanted to see how it performed. What is it? The Spark Link Wireless Guitar System consists of two small wireless devices the size
Spark LINK wireless guitar system review – Freedom to move! Read More
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
NEWS – Last week I wrote about a violin-like bow for guitar players and that article went nuts and is still getting over 2000 views per day. The success of that post has me on a quest to find even more interesting guitar accessories and today I want to show you the SamJam. It looks
Add a snare drum directly on your guitar Read More
NEWS – Did you get a guitar as a holiday gift this year? If so, you’ll probably want some guitar picks and I think these picks from Bog Street are worth looking at for their unique features. As you can see, the picks have a hole in the center as well as specially engineered contoured
If you got a guitar for Christmas, check out these picks! Read More
REVIEW – Tickling the ivories is a skill that I do not possess. My lovely wife, however, has the ability, therefore, we have a piano. One thing that is crucial for playing is decent lighting, both on the keyboard as well as on the sheet music. The light needs to do its job without blinding
EASINE piano lamp with metronome review – shining the light and bringing the beats Read More
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
Improve your guitar playing skills without even making a sound Read More
REVIEW – Guitarists of all types want an amp at some point. Acoustic players want to be heard above the other instruments or voices they may be playing with. Electric players want to just hear the actual sounds, but also usually want to add some effects to the bare sound, which, until the age of
Positive Grid Spark mini battery-powered amplifier review Read More
REVIEW – Do you still own CDs—like, a lot of CDs? I do. I own between 300-400 compact discs. And even though I now stream most of my music—I’m stubborn and not willing to give up music I physically own. I’m not parting with my CDs. So, if you own a bunch of CDs and
REVIEW – One of the many hobbies I picked up during my pandemic downtime is the bass guitar. I’ve played guitar since I was a kid but was always a bit intimidated by the bass. Having been in the same band for about twenty years now (insert shameless Spotify plug here) I’d frequently pick up
Donner DBA-1 15W Bass Guitar Amplifier review – Big sound in a little package Read More
REVIEW – Victrola joins the ranks of “Worlds Firsts” again by injecting their deep history with vinyl into a 21st century device: the Revolution GO Portable Rechargeable Record Player. Let’s give it a turn! What is it? The Victrola Revolution GO is a portable, rechargeable battery powered record player, capable of playing all manner of
Victrola Revolution GO portable rechargeable Bluetooth record player review Read More
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
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
Acoustik Attak review – Technical guitar picks that add unique qualities to your sound Read More
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
Fender Mustang Micro guitar amp review – Your guitar’s new best friend Read More