Island Tutorials

Adding great drums to a song on the spot takes inspiration - but as Jack explains, there are some other tricks you can have up your sleeve.

Return tracks are super handy ways to mix effects and apply other plugins in Ableton Live - but how do you use them? Learn here!

A crucial part of guitar recording is picking the right amplifier. Here are our top five things to consider to help you make your choice.

A million-dollar home studio would be nice, but you don't need it to produce great music. Here's your essential shopping list, explained!

There's a guitar for every recording job out there - but which one suits you? We run through some basic guitar features to help you pick.

Ableton Live is a great DAW for electronic music production, but it can be tricky for beginners. Tom is here to help you start making noise!

Preparing tracks for a mixing engineer? Follow our checklist for editing, exporting WAV files, naming tracks and sharing your rough mix and references.

The best musicians have a uniquely identifiable 'sound' and 'feel' in their playing. Here are some tips to help you find yours.

Over 50 years since disbanding, The Beatles have a new song, with a production process also spanning decades. We review how it was made!

Create your artist brand with a practical guide to your sound, story, visuals, stage presence and fan experience, plus a one-page brand brief.

If you're looking to get into music production then your first stop will be choosing a DAW. We're going to help you choose the best option!

Find the audience for your music using listener feedback, analytics and practical experiments. Build a useful fan profile without guessing or stereotypes.

Discover why artist branding matters for independent musicians, from recognition and fan connection to clearer creative decisions and stronger releases.

Here are five things every electric guitar player should know when recording!

Explore how Pink Floyd recorded The Dark Side of the Moon, from Alan Parsons’ drum and guitar techniques to synths, tape effects and lessons for your own music.

Here are some tips and tricks to make sure you're working with the right instruments and getting the right sounds when recording.

Learn what artist branding means for musicians, how sound, story and visuals fit together, and how to recognise your own artist identity.

In the first of our Reverse Engineering series, Tom takes you inside a true classic album.

A simple DIY makeover for your guitar to help it sing on record!

Sometimes you need to think like MacGyver in a drum session to solve problems and get the sounds you need. Get some ideas here!