Music & Technology

Have you ever heard a brand new song on the radio and realized that it sounds familiar? Chances are the producers sampled a drum break or a bass line from a classic song, reworking it into a completely new piece.

By Jane McGrath

Playing music isn't expensive when you make your own PVC pipe instrument. Learn about how to make a PVC pipe instrument in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Have you noticed in recent years that a lot of pop stars sometimes sound like singing robots? You've probably heard of the pitch-correcting software called Auto-Tune -- and its effect on modern music.

By Tristin Hopper

Have you ever listened to a song and wondered how the artist was able to make so many different sounds come together onto one recording? Since the 1950s, multitrack recording has made recording music easier -- and a lot more interesting.

By Jane McGrath

The very term conjures up images of red balloons, burning beds and Eileen and Mickey spinning right round like a record. How do artists become one hit wonders?

By Charles W. Bryant

Known as the King of Pop and beloved by millions, Michael Jackson died at his home in California on June 25, 2009. Though his heart failure was ruled a homicide, questions still linger after his death.

By Maria Trimarchi

For a week in 1964, the Beatles had 12 songs on Billboard's Hot 100. See our list of the Beatles' top singles.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Some musicians love a place so much they name their band after it. See our list of 10 bands named after places. Can you guess what bands made the list?

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Chordal fills help make ordinary guitar chords sound unique and fascinating. Learn how to play chordal fills in this section.

By Ben Bowlin

Learning guitar licks can help you on your way to becoming the rock star you've always dreamed about. Learn about playing guitar licks.

By Ben Bowlin

Learning these 4 guitar licks will have you well on your way to becoming a rock star. Learn about playing 4 guitar licks.

By Rachel Frank

Chord transitions are explained in this article from HowStuffWorks. Learn about chord transitions.

By Ben Bowlin

12-bar blues is taught on the guitar in this collection of videos. Find out how to play the 12-bar blues.

By Chris Obenschain

Basic chords are presented to help you learn how to play the guitar. Learn about playing the guitar with this basic guitar chords.

By Rachel Frank

Booking agents secure work for many different types of artists. Read this article to learn more about booking agents.

By Dave Roos

DJs use music mixing software to help them produce hot beats. Read this article to learn about music mixing software.

By Dave Roos

The process of remastering CDs and DVDs has become increasingly popular as we move further into the digital age. Read this article to learn all about the remastering process.

By Dave Roos

There's a reason why your favorite band's album sounds so good. Recording engineers are the backbone of album recording sessions. But what exactly happens behind the scenes?

By Dave Roos

Going to see your favorite band's concert tour can be a rush. But there's a lot more that goes into putting on a concert tour than you can imagine. What happens behind the scenes?

By Diane Dannenfeldt

Being a roadie for a major rock band might sound cool, but there's a lot of hard work involved. What does it take to become a roadie?

By Tim Crosby

Pro Tools software and hardware makes it easy to mix music on your computer. Learn all about Pro Tools in this article.

By Dave Roos

Pro Tools plug-ins can make using Pro Tools software that much easier. Check out this article to learn about some of the top Pro Tools plug-ins.

By Dave Roos

You wouldn't be able to buy your favorite cd if it weren't for music distributors. Check out this article to learn more about the role of music distributors in the music industry.

By Diane Dannenfeldt

Before TV, the Web and other modern distractions, families tuned in to radios for the latest serial dramas, comedies and soap operas. How did these formats take off? And who is the Shadow?

By Winifred Fordham Metz

Starting a great recording begins with the proper miking techniques for your instruments. Learn the best miking techniques for your recording in this article.

By Dave Roos