Music

Though playing through a huge rig can be supremely satisfying, it's not really practical for jamming at home. Boss has birthed a new 10-W combo amp that packs tube-like Katana tones and effects into a battery-powered compact frame.

Lava Music has spent the last few years impressing guitarists with a bunch of carbon fiber acoustic/smart guitars. Now the company has taken a bit of a left turn with a string-free touch-enabled digital oddity called the Genie.

You could argue that the American Ultra II is a blasphemy against the purity of Leo Fender's first masterpiece – or you could evaluate this guitar without the baggage of its heritage. Either way, it's certainly a fascinating and inspiring instrument.

Way back in 2016, Yamaha built an actuator into its new TransAcoustic line of acoustic guitars that produced reverb and chorus through the sound hole. The second generation has just launched, and now includes a built-in looper.

Learning to play piano is a hard slog, and many people – myself included – tend to start well, and then lose momentum before giving up entirely. Roli is hoping to keeping students engaged with a gesture-tracking AI teacher called the Airwave.

A little over 10 years ago, a Phoenix-based startup treated acoustic pickers to a bunch of effects directly through the sound hole courtesy of the smartphone-sized ToneWoodAmp. Now the much-improved second generation device has launched.

Anyone sharing a home with a musician will appreciate advances in technology that make for quieter practice. Roland's latest addition to the V-Drums line is claimed to deliver "the lowest playing noise in the history of electronic drum kits."

When on vacation, you probably don't want to heft around a 10-lb vintage Les Paul. A compact travel guitar could be an attractive alternative, but will you need to compromise on built-in tech? Not with the latest model from Mogabi.

Fender's original Mustang Micro was an impressive little headphone amplifier for silent practice and recording – but the brand-new Plus version is a remarkable upgrade that puts a ludicrous range of tone options at your fingertips.

A portable music production studio previewed at NAMM 2022 is now crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Playtime Engineering's Blipblox myTracks is designed to give young creators all the tools they need to start making music.

John Lennon's 1964 Framus 5/024 Hootenanny famously played on the title track of The Beatles' 1965 album Help! – and believed lost for more than 50 years – is heading to auction next month, where it's expected to break records.

Sales of vinyl records have been on the rise for a few years now, but the plastic used to create them is bad news for the enviro-conscious listener. A UK startup is hoping to change that by pressing for plant-based alternatives.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel like making some AI-generated tunes. Massachusetts-based company Suno has released its third text-to-music tool, and it chops out fully-produced two-minute songs in any style, complete with vocals.

Producing music these days can be something of a flat experience, undertaken using powerful software running on a computer. With the sales launch of the Apple Vision Pro, DAW maker Hit'n'Mix is planning to immerse musicians in their creations.

When Gamechanger Audio launches a new product, you can expect the unexpected. Previous outings have included the high-voltage Plasma Pedal and the Motor Synth. Now the quirky innovators are bringing dynamic modulation of effects using patch cables.