Knowledge & News

The ARP 2600 is one of the most iconic analog synthesizers in the history of electronic music. Introduced in 1971 by ARP (Alan R. Pearlman) Instruments, Inc., the 2600 was designed to bridge the ga...

Last week, we lost Brian Wilson, the brilliant and enigmatic force behind The Beach Boys and one of the most innovative songwriters in American music history. Born on June 20, 1942, in Hawthorne, C...

Drop D tuning is one of the most popular alternate tunings in the world of guitar playing. Simple yet powerful, this tuning expands the possibilities of the instrument while maintaining familiarity...

Since its release in 1978, the Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal has become one of the most enduring and influential effects in guitar history. Known for its bright, cutting distortion and simple, durable...

To many of us gray beards, the legend of Steve Lukather goes without saying, but to younger Millennials and Zoomers who may just know Toto from the song Africa, they have no idea that the man behin...

Stevie Wonder turned 75 this month, and we figured on the month of his Diamond Anniversary of life, we could join the chorus of heaping accolades on one of the greatest American musicians ever. 

Very few sounds have stood the test of time like the fuzz of the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and all of its versions. From Boomers to Zoomers, generations have stank faced to this pedal. 

The Roland D-50 joined the DX-7 as the second in the holy (or unholy) trinity of 80's digital synths in 1987, but unlike the DX-7, had some warmth to it. The D-50 was all over the late 80's and ear...

It's the guitar's turn to celebrate an iconic sound. This week we look at the Rockman, the simple, analog guitar processor that helped define the sound of the 1980's. 

The Yamaha DX7 was the worlds first affordable(ish) digital synth, and as a result is found all over the 1980's in nearly all genres. It was very difficult to program, so most artists just used the...

Occasionally an instrument or sound comes along that becomes so ubiquitous that it helps define a genre and moment in time. This week we'll explore the Roland JP-8000.