Greatest synth sounds: New Order - Blue Monday
All hail the biggest-selling 12-inch of all time
Advice
Advice for music careers, and lessons for music gear and techniques
Latest advice articles
The ultimate beginner's guide to Ableton Live 11 Lite: Scenes and moving over to Arrangement view
Learn how to structure your tracks in Ableton Live 11 Lite's Arrangement view
How to make a randomised envelope mod patch with Roland's TB-303 plugin
In this tutorial, we explore the Roland 303 plugin’s on-board modulating envelope, to add punch and resonant squeals
Music theory basics: How to use key changes in your songs without resorting to cliché
If the only modulation you’re familiar with is in your soft synths, read on…
The ultimate beginner's guide to Ableton Live 11 Lite: creating MIDI clips
Our guide to getting to know Ableton Live 11 Lite continues - grab your free copy in January's issue of Computer Music Magazine
What is analogue warmth? Find out, and discover how to get that ‘vintage’ sound
Learn about saturation, tape processing and more
Music theory basics: how to make your chords sound better by adding extra notes
Extending your chords beyond simple triads can make them sound far more interesting
Back to the '80s: how to capture an '80s sound in your home studio
Recreate the sound of the decade that brought us synth-pop, new wave and glam metal
Songwriting basics: how to create smoother chord progressions using voice leading
Try applying this music theory technique to your synth pad parts
9 tips to help you get more out of the Korg opsix
This ‘altered FM’ instrument has a lot of complex processes going on under-the-hood. Discover its most useful features with our crash course
How The Weeknd created an authentic '80s sound in Blinding Lights
We unveil some of the influences behind the mega-hit and explore how you might recreate its '80s-inspired sound
Songwriting basics: chord, melody and music theory tricks for DAW users
Take your songwriting skills to the next level
Major and minor triad chord charts: root positions and inversions on a piano or MIDI keyboard
Your handy visual guide
How to play chord inversions on a piano or MIDI keyboard
The same chord can be played in different ways...
Learn to play major and minor piano chords
Once you've got a grip on scales, it's time to start stacking notes on top of each other
6 ways to create '80s-style tape recording effects
Noise, wow, flutter and vintage warmth - it's all part of that '80s sound
12 things you need to know about MIDI
We dig deep into MIDI, the technology that enables your synths, drum machines and software to communicate
