Plugins & Gear

The plugins, DAWs and gear worth your money, tested and compared.

36 articles

Home Studio Checklist for Beginners on a BudgetThree questions, one buying order, and a kit that starts at $012 min read28 Home Studio Design Ideas for Small Rooms and BedroomsLayout, sound, light and storage for a room you'll actually use18 min readBlack Friday Plugin Deals 2026 for Music ProducersReal prices and end dates, plus what a beginner can skip12 min readThe 15 Best Budget Microphones Under $200 in 2026Good mics that won't empty your wallet20 min readThe 18 Best Free Trap VSTs, and Which One to Use for Each JobFree plugins that hold up next to the paid ones22 min readBest Studio Desk for a Home Studio (2026): 15 Picks by BudgetWhere your speakers, keyboard and rack gear should actually sit21 min readHow to Install Logic Pro Presets (Every Type, Step by Step)Where every preset type goes, and how to load it15 min readThe 9 Best Vocoder Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid)Robot voices and talking synths, free and paid14 min readPro Tools vs Logic Pro: Price, Platform and Who Each SuitsWhich one suits your computer, budget and goals12 min readThe 12 Best Compressor Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid)Compressors that control peaks and add punch15 min readThe 19 Best Free Mixing Plugins in 2026 (FL Studio Guide)Everything you need to mix, without paying a cent18 min readThe 11 Best EQ Plugins in 2026 (Free, Paid and Analog)Free and paid EQs, from surgical to warm16 min readThe 11 Best Free Mastering Plugins in 2026 (FL Studio Guide)Free tools that get your track loud and clean18 min readThe 15 Best Reverb Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid)Plugins that put your sounds in a real space18 min readThe 16 Best Waves Plugins for Vocals in 2026 (By Job)The Waves tools pros keep on their vocals16 min readThe Best Synth for Beginners: 14 Hardware Synths for 2026Easy hardware that gets you making sounds fast22 min readThe 20 Best MIDI Controllers of 2026 for Every BudgetControllers worth the money, from cheap to pro24 min readThe 11 Best Saturation Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid)Plugins that add warmth, grit and character18 min readThe 12 Best Free Vocal Plugins in 2026 (Checked for FL Studio)Free plugins for a clean, polished vocal20 min readThe 16 Best Synth Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid)Synths that cover every sound you'll need16 min readBest Budget Audio Interface for Beginners: 23 Picks for 2026Which inputs you need, and what to spend31 min readThe 31 Best Headphones for Mixing and Recording in 2026Headphones you can trust for mixing and tracking26 min readBest Microphone for Singing in 2026: 19 Vocal Mics for Every BudgetMicrophones that make singers sound their best24 min readLogic Pro for Windows: The Honest Answer + 5 Best PC OptionsWhy it won't run on a PC, and what to use instead13 min readBest Drum VST Plugins in 2026: Free, Paid and by GenreKits and drum machines that sound great out of the box18 min readThe 7 Best Free Autotune Plugins in 2026 (Checked for FL Studio)Free pitch correction, from natural to robotic17 min readFree Pitch Shifter VST: The 9 Best PluginsFree plugins for pitch effects, from subtle to wild23 min readBest Laptop for Music Production (2026): 13 Picks by BudgetWhat your music software actually needs, and 12 laptops that have it20 min readThe 21 Best Studio Monitors for Every Room and BudgetSpeakers that tell you the truth about your mix26 min readThe 12 Best Music Production Apps in 2026 (iPhone, iPad, Android)Make music anywhere with just your phone or tablet18 min readThe 18 Best Amp Simulator Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid)Realistic guitar tone without a real amp26 min readThe 12 Best Guitar VST Plugins in 2026 (Plus 4 Free Ones)Real-sounding guitar parts, even if you don't play guitar18 min readMust-Have Plugins for Music Production in 2026 (By Job)The tools worth installing first, and why20 min readBest DAW for Live Performance: 7 Picks Checked for 2026What to look for in a DAW you play live with17 min readThe 7 Best Free Flanger VST Plugins in 2026Free plugins for that swooshing, jet-plane sweep17 min read16 Best Free Kontakt Libraries (Player and Full Kontakt)Free sample libraries that sound expensive15 min read