Music

It’s ironic that as we move further into the future, even the most incredible breakthroughs in technology have us yearning for the sounds of the past. In fact, most digital effects and processors are still essentially emulating their analog predecessors. To that end, the vintage guitar pedal is one which holds a special place in the hearts of guitarists around the world.It’s not hard to understand why, as the music created in the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s shaped pop culture forever; in fact, the sounds from those bygone era are still coveted and emulated today. Fortunately, there are many vintage guitar pedals available to guitarists looking to capture those iconic sounds. All the information you need to make an informed purchase is provided below in our list of the best vintage guitar pedals in 2022 and the buyer’s guide below.

Many guitarists enjoy collecting multiple effects pedals for all of their recording and live performance needs, but there’s something to be said about a tool offering multiple effects in one unit. The multi-effects processor is a device which saves guitarists the time and finances necessary for tracking down and purchasing multiple pedals to add to their rig; it also takes up less space on what can often become a crowded pedal board. Logistics aside, they just sound amazing. With so many multi-effects processors available for you to choose from, we’ve outlined some important considerations to keep in mind in our list of the best guitar multi-effects processor in 2022 and our buyer’s guide below.

A bass guitar amp is a crucial part of any bassist’s rig. While a quick glance might mislead newbies into thinking this critical piece of gear is similar to models used by electric guitarists, bass amp rigs are an entirely different animal. Because the frequencies that a bass guitar provides are much heavier on the low-end of the sound spectrum, bass amplifiers are properly configured to process those sounds and give a final result that can shake the room but also provides clarity and distinction when playing – and adjusting the EQ – of the instrument. There are many things to consider before purchasing a bass guitar amp, and we’ve outlined them for you in list of the best bass guitar amps in 2022 and our buyer’s guide below.

The acoustic electric guitar combines the best of both worlds for guitar players. On their own, they provide guitarists with a full-on acoustic experience just like any other acoustic guitar does. They can also can be plugged in to an amplifier/speaker during performances or into an audio interface when you’re ready to record. Like any instrument purchase, picking out an acoustic electric guitar is more than just a matter of finding what looks good. We’ve outlined some essentials to consider in our buyer’s guide and you can check our list for the best acoustic electric guitars in 2022 which you can find below.

Well into the 20th century, the electric guitar has been a symbol of all that is cool, rebellious, innovative, and creative. Nearly every genre of popular Western music employs the electric guitar while utilized by some of the most popular and significant musical icons in existence. While many musical greats have used it to carve out their legacy and shape the evolution of music, it’s still an instrument used in garage rehearsals by countless artists who may change music in the years which lie ahead. If you’re looking to buy an electric guitar, you have a wide range of options to choose from. We’ve outlined some important things to keep in mind in our electric guitar buyer’s guide below. Check out our list of the best electric guitars in 2022.

While effects pedals may be more commonly associated with guitars, there are also numerous effects specifically designed to enhance and transform the sound of the bass guitar. These effects pedals can play a big part in the tone and style of bassists in a variety of musical genres; truth be told, most of popular music’s most prominent bass players owe part of their signature sounds to their effects. Navigating the sheer amount of bass pedals on the market can be a daunting task, but fear not, we’ve laid out some important guidelines for you to follow in our buyer’s guide provided below. 

Most bassists find themselves taking part in an on-going quest to find the best tone they can get out of their instrument. And while there’s a variety of factors playing a part in shaping the sound of a bass guitar, there’s nothing more crucial than choosing the right bass strings. Because certain players and styles of music call for different attributes, there are many options to choose from when shopping for bass strings, and sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming. We’ve outlined considerations you should take into account when purchasing new bass strings in our buyer’s guide listed below.

Bass pickups may be the unsung heroes in the world of bassists. While other factors, such as the type of bass guitar, strings, and amplifiers, obviously all make a significant impact on the sound and tone of the instrument, the type of pickups used to play a much more subtle yet no less important role in the end result. By capturing and processing the vibration of the bass guitar strings and routing that signal so it can be processed, amplified, and heard by the human ear, these small devices are an undeniably crucial component of the signal flow. There are quite a few options available on the market and we've selected the best bass pickups in 2022 for bassists. We’ve also outlined some important factors to keep in mind in our buyer’s guide below.

The ringing sound of a guitar chord channeled through a guitar drive pedal doesn’t just sound cool, it’s also the foundation for dozens of genres and styles of music. The implementation of drive pedals ultimately changed the sound of music forever. While the origin of the over-driven guitar tone first occurred accidentally when amplifier tubes were turned up too loud, the effect has since been implemented into the rigs of guitarists worldwide seeking to have notes sustain longer, showcase more character, and sometimes take on an effect that’s unable to be contained. If you’re a guitarist, you simply need a drive pedal, we’ve gathered the best guitar drive pedals in 2022 and outlined what you need to look for in our buyer’s guide below.

There are many guitar effects pedals which are instantly recognizable and identifiable to the average listener’s ears. However, truth of the matter is modulation effects have prominently contributed to the sounds of some of the most beloved guitar riffs of all-time. They may be used sparingly for a subtle effect or employed to fully engulf a signal to provide a completely wet, phase-soaked, flanging, or tremolo-heavy sound. These pedals can enhance a guitarist’s recordings or live performances and inspire the way they write and play music. There are many considerations you should take when purchasing a guitar modulation pedal, so we gathered the best guitar modulation pedals in 2022 and we’ve outlined them in our buyer’s guide below.

The term "keyboard" covers many specialized key-based instruments, including traditional pianos, synthesizers, and MIDI controllers. The style may determine what purpose the keyboard serves best - whether it's practice, recording, or live performances. The keyboards we've featured on the list below include portable, MIDI, and synth keyboards, as well as keyboard workstations. Basically, there are plenty of digital keyboard options for every musician’s need. We've also put together a buying guide to help you understand what features are important in a contemporary keyboard. Check it out now to help pick out the right keyboard for you!

An audio mixer (also known as a mixing console, mixing board or soundboard) is a device that uses electronic signals to modify and combine sounds together. This is done by routing electronic signals through different components, resulting in changes in volume, spatial positioning, timbre and tone. Mixing boards are found in just about every place that sound has to be produced from professional music studios to radio stations to television studios. A mixing board is a great asset in attaining higher levels of control over the sound of your audio signal. When dealing with multiple audio signals, there is no better way to consolidate and control than with an audio mixer. For an in-depth look at mixing boards, please check out list of the best mixers in 2022 and our buyer’s guide below.

What good is a guitarist without strings? Though it may seem obvious, great strings really make a world of a difference for guitar players, and not just because they’re literally needed in order to produce sound. Playing with the right kind of strings can transform tone as well as seriously influence style and performance. There are tons of options for guitarists to choose so we gathered the best guitar strings in 2022 and outlined the basic information everyone should start off with in our buyer’s guide below.

If you’ve ever admired a guitar player’s tone and overall sound, there’s a good chance a significant part is thanks to their guitar pickups. Small as they may be, these tiny transducers capture and process the vibration of a guitar’s strings and have helped shape the signature sounds of some of the most legendary guitarists of all-time. To put it bluntly, a great guitar player is nothing without good pickups. There are several different factors to consider when selecting pickups but we’ve gathered the best guitar pickups in 2022 and outlined everything you need to know in our buyer’s guide provided below.

Whether it’s being used on stage or in the studio, the right delay/reverb pedal can be an essential tool for guitarists in every genre of music. With the right settings dialed in, a guitar part can sound huge, have a shimmering cave-like delay, or be steeped in a complex polyrhythmic echo. The effect can subtly color the tone of a performance, or it can be used as a driving force behind a songs composition and sound. There are many different options on the market to choose from, so we gathered the best guitar delay / reverb pedals in 2022 and be sure to check out our buyer’s guide listed below for additional guidance.

Snare drums, bass drums, and toms all have heads designed specifically for great sound so it's important to choose heads matching your kits individual elements. Before purchasing a head, the diameter of the actual shell needs to be accurately measured and may require removing the rim or old drumhead. Once you’ve determined the head type and size, there are many options to choose from among various brands and specific models. Our list of the best drumheads in 2022 and our buyer’s guide below will help you navigate through the sea of choices and ultimately help you select the drumheads best suited for your needs. 

Nothing is more important to a drummer than their cymbal's sound. The right cymbals will stay with you for your entire career and will always sound great. However, choosing the right cymbals can be a challenging process because every cymbal sounds different. To help you choose the right cymbals for your drumming needs, check out our list for the best cymbals in 2022 and the buyer’s guide below.

Over the past 10 years USB Microphones have become increasingly popular and their future looks promising, especially with the rise of podcasts and home recordings. Since they have to plug straight from the microphone into the computer, there are a couple elements that must exist inside these mics. A USB microphone is not only a mic, but also a preamp and an analogue-to-digital converter, two units necessary to get your signal into your digital audio workstation (DAW). Everything else in a signal chain (equalizer, compressor, etc) is to improve the sound.These lists of the best usb microphones in 2022 focus on the current leaders in USB microphones overall as well as those in the budget category.

Cymbal stands are the most abundant piece of hardware present in any drummer's setup. The following lists provide a selection of the best cymbal stands in 2022 for straight and boom varieties as well as the best hi-hat stands on the market. For additional information to help you in your search, check out our cymbal stand buyers guide provided below.

Drums are crucial in any music, and therefore drum sticks are an integral tool you have to have on hand. Because drums make up the rhythms and beats of a song, you need the right drum sticks to get the job done. There are loads of types of drum sticks from all sorts of brands, which can make the search for the right set a challenging task. For more help selecting the best drum sticks for your style of play, check out our list for the best drumsticks in 2022 and the buyer's guide below. We've listed products and tips for every type of musician so you're bound to find the best sticks for your next gig or practice.

Whether you are operating your own home studio or are a guitarist who has taken studio/live recording into your own hands, having the right microphone to record the guitar is a crucial component to getting a great sound. This tool must be able to handle the loud sounds that amplifiers need to make in order to provide a natural tone, but most also be dynamic enough to capture the full range of sound that the instrument produces. Whichever aforementioned category you find yourself in, budgets can definitely be a concern, especially when there are so many other costs in operating a studio or having a fully functional and superb guitar rig. Luckily, there are several great guitar microphones that exist today that won’t break the bank. We've selected the best budget guitar microphone out there, with each item listed here having a cardioid-based pickup pattern to provide a direct sound while eliminating unwanted background noise. Each has been manufactured with durability and ruggedness in mind, making any of these mics a great option for both live and contained recording environments. Lastly, these best guitar microphones in 2022 easily connect to the rest of your system with commonly-found XLR cables.

The wireless microphone revolutionized performance. Allowing speakers and vocalists to go untethered opened up the possibility for range and movement on stage, and even introduced a new level of interactivity between audience and those in the spotlight as it broke down the barrier that was previously limited by the length of a microphone cable. Wireless microphones operate via audio transmitters that send signal sans cable, utilizing radio waves sent from the microphone itself to a receiver. Technology has continued to improve and wireless microphones have gotten better and better, in terms of both their audio quality as well as build and design. These are the best wireless microphones in 2022, with each one listed offering a working range of at least 98 feet, each comes equipped with both a microphone and a receiver, and they all can operate off of 1-2 AA batteries.

As the world “do-it-yourself” home studio production grows, so does the list of high quality condenser microphones. There are so many available you can easily end up spending hours researching which ones are best for a given situation. We've compiled two lists of the best condenser microphones on the market with one list covering condenser mics for people on a budget and the other for individuals with a little more to spend. The high quality microphones mics on this list respond well in most recording studio situations thanks to a high level of flexibility. Besides flexibility, these best condenser microphones in 2022 possess warmth, marvelous sensitivity and some models are specially outfitted to record common instruments you'll find in a studio environment.

In the world of audio engineering, dynamic mics are plentiful. Trendy, versatile, and quite easy to use, dynamic microphones are a great tool for those looking to upgrade their microphone collection. Whether you are a professional singer wanting to boost your live sound quality, a video streamer browsing for an affordable microphone option, or a karaoke enthusiast, dynamic microphones are a great choice. There are many types of dynamic microphones available on the market. To help you navigate through these many features, we have compiled a list of dynamic microphones to help you out. Read on to find out which is best for you!

Musicians and audio-heads shopping on a budget already have plenty of pieces of gear and equipment to concern themselves with before getting to the all-important PA system. Broadly speaking, the system that is going to be responsible for amplifying your sound so that it’s properly audible to the rest of the room (whatever size that may be) is not something that you want a second-rate version of, and therein lies the dilemma for those looking for the best deals on said product. But fret not, budget-conscientious buyers out there, there are actually some great quality, low-priced PA systems available today. These are the best PA systems in 2022, with our picks being relatively lightweight, each weighing than 30 pounds. These picks also accept multiple input types so you can plug a microphone, instrument cable, and more into them for easy use. lastly, these PA systems each deliver a minimum of 20 watts, giving each the ability to easily provide full sound for smaller rooms and venues.

There’s many ways to approach micing up your drum kit with many different mics available to choose to from. When recording drums there’s a few things you need to consider, especially what kind of drum sound you’re going for.  Answering this question is imperative to choosing the right path towards the right drum mic. Do you want an open, airy-sounding Jazz kit, a tight and aggressive Rock kit or a big and smooth RNB kit?  These lists compile the best drum mics in 2022 out there thanks to their versatility, durability, affordability based upon audio engineering standards and of course their ability to produce a sound you’ll be happy with.Take a few minutes to read through all the specifics for these drum mics as they’re all different, each with their own unique perks. Every new mic you haven’t heard before is another potential path towards tones you couldn't achieve in the past.  Drum mics are one of the many ways audio engineers are able to get creative so take some time and explore these best drum mic lists.