Guest Blogs

Nothing is more boring and unappealing than a song that doesn’t go anywhere, which is why any successful song needs to build tension and make sure that the listener is kept curious about what will happen next. So what can you do to keep a song fresh and surprising? How do you make a song instantly recognizable but a pleasure to listen to? Songwriting teacher, Peter van Vleuten offers some handy tips and tricks.

Guestblogger, Sander is a professional voiceover artist. Every working day, you’ll find him sitting behind his microphone in his booth at home, recording voice overs for everything from web videos to commercials – including Bax Music ads. In fact, Sander has been the ‘voice’ of Bax Music for ten years already. In this blog, he shares his trade secrets when it comes to recording the perfect voiceover.

Finding the right chords for a new tune is never easy. Thankfully, guest-blogger Hens Zimmerman is here to help ease the process with Ableton Live, but first, let’s look at a little music theory.

In this guitar-focussed article, guest-blogger Marc serves up a step-by-step guide on how to swap out the standard strap buttons of your acoustic guitar, electric guitar or bass with strap locks. Rest assured, it’s easier than you think and all it takes is a screwdriver and a little bit of your time. Let’s get started.

Since he once struggled to grasp music theory himself, guest-blogger Lode Habex knows exactly how to help out beginners. In this article, Lode breaks down the circle of fifths and explains why it’s one of the most practical tools that musicians can use to match scales, find notes, create chord progressions, and more.

You’ve just picked up your first guitar and you’re already itching to start learning to play some songs. Whether you want to impress your mates, serenade your soulmate or more importantly, start making some music, our Guestblogger Alexousky is here to guide you through six classic pop tracks that you don’t just know already, but are actually really easy to learn. Have a look through, pick something that works for you, and get to grips with a nice and short, classic little riff or an immediately familiar set of chords that you can get your mates singing along to.

Whether you’re making pure electronic music, indie-rock or pop, the humble synthesizer is near-indivisible from the modern music landscape. Since synths are only getting cheaper, it’s likely that you’re already busy twiddling knobs and pushing faders, but what if you want to actually record the sound of your synth? Here, our Guestblogger Melvin Rijlaarsdam explains what’s involved and how to get the best out of your synth in the studio.

Guest-blogger and multi-instrumentalist Nigel Hubée reveals how he bumped the foot percussion of the acoustic duo he’s one half of (The Tickets) up to the next level with a mix of self-contrived drums, a fresh take on an old-school hi-hat, and modern digital technology. Read on and learn!

Producing properly balanced mixes can be a real struggle. Fortunately, guest-blogger and home studio coach, Ben van Essen is here to explain why the secret to better mixes doesn’t lie in using more plug-ins, but in simply mixing in mono.

You already know the feeling: you stay up into the wee hours of the morning working on what feels like the best thing you’ve ever made then get up the next day to find that your carefully crafted mix actually sounds like a complete shambles. Or you’ve put those finishing touches on the final mix and stuck it on the car on the way home, only to be greeted by a sonic horrorshow that sounds dead and lifeless. Here, Guestblogger Melvin Rijlaarsdam lists the most common mistakes you can make during the mixing process so you can avoid them all and get the best results.

Though it is often referred to as the guitar’s baby cousin, the ukulele has many differences that make it a singular and special instrument. From its unique history and tone to the way it has penetrated popular culture, guest blogger Matthew Quilliam discusses how the ukulele can so easily stand on its own merits…

As an independent artist, promoting your events is essential to getting the word out and ensuring a successful turnout. In today’s digital age, utilising social media is an effective way to reach a wide audience. Facebook, in particular, is a powerful tool that can help independent artists boost event promotion and drive ticket sales. In this comprehensive guide, guest blogger Brookmyer McIntyre explores how you can use Facebook Pixel to promote your events and reach more people.