DIY & Hacking

/ 39 Articles

6 DIY Alternative Instrument Makers You Need to Know About

Looking to be inspired? Then you're in the right place. Here are makers of alternative instruments who you need to know about. Whether you use their instruments or not, they are worth checking out.

Turn Your Spare MIDI Controller Into a Virtual Hardware Instrument in Logic Pro X

Many of us have a secondary MIDI controller lying around. In this enlightening tutorial, Darren Burgos shows how to use it for one sound only, in true hardware instrument synth-style, in Logic Pro X.

5 Common Computer Problems Music Producers Can Solve Without Calling The Tech Guy

A computer that behaves badly when you're trying to make music can be a real pain. Here are five things you can solve without calling in the PC doctors (or the Mac doctors!)...

Staying Creative: 8 Things I Learned From Ableton's Loop Conference 2015

Timo Preece, Ableton certified trainer and writer for Ask.Audio, experienced the recent Loop event at Ableton HQ in Berlin. Aimed at the creative musician, this event left quite an in impression!

Create Your Own MIDI-Generated Realtime Visuals with openFrameworks

Do you want to create a simple desktop app that generates realtime animations using MIDI data? Then you're in the right place and Liam Lacey is here to show how using openFrameworks.

7 Tips to Choosing Used Music Hardware That Are Gems, Not Junk

Buying brand new gear is lovely, but uncovering a gem from used, vintage music hardware can be even more satisfying. Here's 7 tips to help you evaluate good gear from lemons saving you money & time!

10 More Useful Items to Have in Your Gig Bag

How well prepared do you feel for your next gig? Sure, you've practiced, memorised the lyrics, got the stems and hardware all synced... but there's other things to consider as G.W. Childs explains.

How to Build a Wireless Visual Metronome that Synchronizes with your DAW

Learn how to build your own wireless, visual metronome that flashes along (multi-coloured) to your music in a DAW with MIDI out. Liam Lacey uses Processing, Spark Core and a bit of DIY magic.

Turning a Vintage Toy Piano into a MIDI Controller Using Arduino

Could you turn a wooden toy piano into a MIDI controller? Could you do it in 24 hours? Liam Lacey did it at MIDI Hack 2015 in Berlin and won a prize too. Now you can make your own as Liam shares all.