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Arturia MiniLab 37 universal MIDI controller with 37 slim keys and RGB pads
Hardware

Arturia MiniLab 37 Review: The 37-Key Fix, Two-Handed

The Arturia MiniLab 37 fixes the MiniLab's key-count gripe with 37 slim keys, 16 RGB pads, and a deep software bundle for $199. Full review inside.

Elena MarshJun 16, 20264 min read
Best Audio Interfaces in 2026 — Picks for Every Budget
Hardware

Best Audio Interfaces in 2026: Top Picks for Every Budget

Our honest 2026 guide to the best audio interfaces, from Focusrite Scarlett and SSL 2+ to Universal Audio Apollo, MOTU M2, and Audient. Picks by budget and use.

Elena MarshJun 12, 20268 min read
Best Drum Machines — and Grooveboxes in 2026
Hardware

Best Drum Machines and Grooveboxes in 2026: A Buyer's Guide

Our 2026 guide to the best drum machines and grooveboxes, comparing the Roland TR-8S, Elektron Digitakt II, Akai MPC One+ and more by sound, use, and price.

Elena MarshJun 12, 20268 min read
Best Laptops for Music Production — 2026 Producer's Guide
Hardware

Best Laptops for Music Production in 2026: A Producer's Buying Guide

The definitive 2026 guide to the best laptops for music production — MacBook Air/Pro M5, the M4 value pick, and top Windows machines, matched to your workflow.

Elena MarshJun 12, 202612 min read
Best MIDI Keyboards in 2026 — Picks for Every Studio
Hardware

Best MIDI Keyboards in 2026: Top Picks for Every Studio and Budget

An honest 2026 guide to the best MIDI keyboards, comparing Akai, Arturia, Novation and Native Instruments on keybed feel, pads, DAW control and MPE.

Elena MarshJun 12, 20267 min read
Best Studio Headphones 2026 — Open vs Closed Back
Hardware

Best Studio Headphones in 2026: Open vs Closed Back for Mixing and Tracking

Our 2026 guide to the best studio headphones for mixing and tracking. Compare Sennheiser HD 600/650, Beyerdynamic DT 770/990, AKG K371, and ATH-M50x.

Elena MarshJun 12, 20267 min read
Roland TR-808 drum machine, the source of the 808 sound
Hardware

What Is an 808? The Drum Machine and the Bass Sound, Explained

An 808 is two things: the Roland TR-808 drum machine and the tuned sub-bass kick named after it. The full story, the signature sounds, and how to make 808s.

Priya RamanMay 10, 202615 min read
External hardware effects routed through a DAW
Hardware

How to Route External Hardware Audio Effects in Your DAW (2026)

A practical guide to routing outboard analog effects through Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, and Pro Tools — send/return loops, plug-in delay compensation, and the gain staging that keeps everything clean.

Elena MarshMay 10, 20269 min read
Roland TR-8S drum machine on a producer's desk
Hardware

Roland TR-8 / TR-8S Tips: Getting More Out of Roland's Modern Drum Machine

Practical tips for the Roland TR-8 and TR-8S drum machines — sound design, sample loading, performance techniques, and the hidden features that take your patterns from generic to musical.

Elena MarshMay 10, 20268 min read
Audio interface lineup on a producer's desk in 2026
Hardware

Understanding Audio Interfaces: A Producer's Guide for 2026

Choose the right audio interface in 2026. We cover connection types, specs that actually matter, the best models from $99 to $5,000, and the buyer mistakes to avoid.

Elena MarshMay 10, 20269 min read
Make Noise Plexiphon Eurorack module front panel with Plexus, Size, Diffuse, Color, Couple and Skew controls
Hardware

Make Noise Plexiphon: A Modeless Stereo Space Effect From Tom Erbe

Make Noise and Tom Erbe's Plexiphon is a 16HP Eurorack module that morphs continuously between reverb and multi-tap echo, with no mode switch in sight.

Elena MarshMay 8, 20265 min read
Teenage Engineering EP-136 K.O. Sidekick stereo mixer with FX pad and mod stick
Hardware

Teenage Engineering EP-136 K.O. Sidekick: The Pocket Mixer the EP Family Was Waiting For

Teenage Engineering's EP-136 K.O. Sidekick is a $179 two-channel mixer, USB interface, and performance FX unit that snaps onto the EP-133 and EP-1320.

Elena MarshMay 8, 20266 min read

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