Our theme for day 3 of the NAMM show is bang-for-buck, and Stephen's hot picks are the Samson Graphite and Akai MPK49 controller keyboards, Audio-Technica's ATH-M50 headphones, and TASCAM's new iU2 audio interface/mixer for iPad and iPhone.

Day 2 of the hottest gear at NAMM wrapup: Casio XW-P1 and XW-G1, Nektar Panorama Controller for Reason, and Universal Audio Apollo interface.

The editors' picks for standout instruments and gear at NAMM 2012. On the first day we encountered the game-changing Line 6 StageScape system, Ivory 2's new American Steinway virtual piano, a Nord organ with real drawbars, and tiny but mighty anolog synths from Moog and Arturia.

When Apple called and asked me to take a look at the latest iteration of their ultra thin MacBook Air laptop (the one introduced in October 2010), my initial thought was "Um, we're a magazine about serious music production tools.

By Lance Hayes I’m often asked, “What exactly is adaptive music?” With that in mind, this entry is dedicated to a core game music production concept. I’ll do my best to offer up a basic outline and explain, with some

Jon Regen reports on the inspiration and perspiration from the 2011 Jazz Fellowship Awards of the American Pianists Association, April 14 16, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana.Most aspiring pianists spend a majority of their time in virtual "instrument lockdown," assembling the

If you've played or even seen vintage keyboards on a major tour, chances are that the Hammond B-3, Rhodes or Wurly electric pianos, Clavinet, and synths have been gone through with a fine-tooth comb by Ken Rich Sound Services . Both a restorer and a customizer, his jobs range from bringing Hammond organs back to th

The Internet age is about freedom of information, and anyone who’d try to stop an information leak about a new synth must be an evil corporate censor, right? Wrong. I recently had to play the "evil corporate censor" to contain

I recently reached out to my composer brethren and friends asking if they would be willing to talk about their successes as composers. To my delight, everyone I contacted was excited to throw down some knowledge.I suggested that because the

by Jon Regen   Most of the time, a musical debut focuses on the artist behind a particular instrument. But last night in New York City, the attention was as much on the instrument as it was on the storied