Gear & Tech Tips

Strymon Swee Lee Ask Me Anything Iridium Compadre DSP Pedal Amp Simulator
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Pondering Pedals: 10 Questions with Strymon Engineering

The good people at Strymon have been very busy in 2020. After releasing their critically-acclaimed Iridium amp & cab simulator, they've wasted no time resting on their laurels with the unveiling of the new Compadre boost & compressor pedal. The new pedal has definitely piqued our interest and who better… Read more

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Studio Monitor Advice from a Top Mix Engineer

One of the silver linings during this difficult period is the fact everyone's finding new and creative ways to stay productive at home. Producing music at home. for example, is really having a moment right now. Music production requires specific equipment and has its own set of rules. One of… Read more

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Epiphone’s “Inspired by Gibson Collection”: More Than Just a New Headstock

There’s a new headstock in town, and it’s not just this new shape we’re excited about. Announced at Winter NAMM 2020, Epiphone followed Gibson's lineup restructuring and streamlined their instruments into the “Inspired by Gibson” Collection. Not only do the guitars now look more reminiscent of their Gibson counterparts, Epiphone… Read more

Calvin Phua Stopgap showing BOSS effect pedals
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Top 5 BOSS Effect Pedals with Calvin Phua of Stopgap

Many guitarists proudly proclaim their love for pedals and effects, but few will ever match up to Calvin Phua. Calvin Phua cranking knobs at Stopgap's 'Totems' album launch. Best known for his work with beloved Singaporean indie rock outfit Stopgap, this guitarist carved out a reputation for himself over the… Read more

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Anis Kalisa’s Top 10 Guitar Gear for Rocking Out

Are you someone who swears by a particular style of guitar? KL-based guitarist and sessionist, Anis Kalisa certainly does. For her, it's Les Pauls all the way. For our first Malaysian artist feature, the Soul Statue guitarist shares her life-long love for the iconic Gibson design with us, her journey… Read more

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10 Essentials for Ambient Pop with Jazreel of Causeway Youth

In the world of ambient guitar music, reverbs are cavernous, lush modulation thrives, and delay controls are cranked up — but not without reason. The loosely-defined "ambient music" label itself is not genre-bound and is most identifiable by its focus on creating atmospheric layers. Some popularly associated styles of music… Read more

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Top 12: Desiree Tay’s Must-Have Percussion Gear

The cajón, a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, under the hands of skilful drummers has proven to have more tonal options than its six sides seem to suggest. But that hasn’t stopped creative musicians from adding more and more hand-percussion and accessories to their cajon set up to take… Read more

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Pedal Challenge: Hasyir Ibrahim’s picks under $500, $1K & $2K

Whether you’re new to pedalboard building or a long time pedal aficionado, the fact remains the same — trying to decide on your next pedal acquisition can quickly become overwhelming. The options never end and every permutation of your signal chain opens up new tonal possibilities. A good way to… Read more

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Billy Chua of Disco Hue’s Top 10 Must-Have Drum Equipment

Billy Chua is the hard-hitting, groove machine behind the ever-rising local synth-pop band Disco Hue. He has racked up a wealth of experience drumming on tour and as a session musician, and was a co-founder of The Drummer Co, a community of drummers in Singapore. Like every drummer and musician… Read more

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Greatest Hits 2018: Keyboards and DJ Gear

We continue our greatest hits for 2018 with keyboards and DJ gear. Acoustic pianos are great but they can cost a small fortune and they’re not designed to be portable. Digital pianos and keyboards usually cost a lot less and some are compact and lightweight, making them the popular choice… Read more

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Fender Japan: 6 Models to drool over

Japanese guitar makers first showed their guitar building prowess in the 50s and 60s with guitars that were high quality and inexpensive compared to their American counterparts. The guitars were either brilliantly made replicas of well-known brands or unique and oddball creations from brands like Teisco. Their reputation for building… Read more

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School’s Out! 10 Musical Instruments to Kickstart your Music Journey

Put aside the books, the school holidays are here! If you’ve always wanted to learn a new instrument or pick up a new hobby, there’s no better time to start. Aside from being away from the stresses of exams and school, many studies have shown that playing a musical instrument… Read more