The 10 most-read stories of 2025 on DIY Music Guide

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10. Artist Friendly Platforms: All-in-One Options

There are several all-in-one platforms that claim to offer services that help artists, but not all are created equal. If you’re looking for a membership-based platform to distribute your creative work, this article goes over some pros and cons.

9. Quirks and Considerations in Ableton

Ableton Live is great for home music making, because it takes care of many annoying technical elements of recording for you. But, there are some quirks to this program when it comes to the use of stereo and mono tracks. In this article, I go over these quirks and their solutions.

8. Quality Budget Gear Ep. 06: Analog Outboard

Do you really need to invest in analog gear for your studio? In this article, I go over the pros and cons of an analog-style music recording workflow, and how to decide exactly when it makes sense to make these kinds of expensive purchases. Hint: it’s different for each individual situation and studio.

7. The Cassette Tape Recorder Setup

Recording to cassette tape can add a lot of character to the recording process, and is a lot of fun! This article explores different cassette tape recording gear options for home use, and discusses some important limitations to consider when working with this type of gear.

6. What to Listen for in Music by Aaron Copland

This entry to the ongoing book list goes over a seminal and inspiring work by one of the most influential classical composers of the 20th century. Click through for a fascinating look at the creative process, described by a pro in a very approachable manner.

5. Do Bass Traps Need to Be Floor to Ceiling

Make sure you’ve designed and installed properly all acoustic treatment inside of your mixing space! In this article, I answer this common question, and explain where some of the confusion on this topic comes from.

4. Bass Traps and Air Gaps

One common mistake when designing and installing bass traps is attempting to place a thinner acoustic panel across a room corner, and thinking that will work in the same way as a bass trap does. In this article, I talk about why that won’t work, and provide some alternative yet budget-friendly solutions.

3. The Music Production Workflow

There’s about a million things to juggle inside of any music production; writing, rehearsals, composition, engineering, promotion, and more. Don’t get lost in the details too much! This article takes a bird’s-eye view of the entire music creation workflow, and provides some simple tips to consider during each stage of the production process.

2. Using guitar pedals for vocals

Can you use your guitar effects pedals with your vocals? Absolutely yes, and it just takes one piece of inexpensive gear to make this work! This article provides all of the details, along with a handy hookup diagram.

1. Use your vocal mic with your guitar effects pedals

A second article detailing the hookup process to use a microphone with your guitar effects, explained in a slightly different way. One of the most popular questions to see here, and it’s an easy and quick process to get you all set up!

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