Stylized photo of a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 audio interface

Do you need an audio interface? Your questions answered!

Maybe you have been recently thinking about starting to use your computer for some music-related activities. You’ve heard about these “audio interface” things that musicians use with their PCs. For what you are planning to do, how do you know if you will need an audio interface? An audio interface is required to record external…

Drawn image of an electric guitar and a Bluetooth speaker

How to connect an electric guitar to a Bluetooth speaker

Bluetooth devices are everywhere these days. I connect my phone to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones pretty much every day. These wireless connections work great and the technology has been proven over a number of years. But what if you are a musician wanting to take advantage of this technology and want to connect your…

Photo of a laptop with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface resting on it

Using audio interfaces with laptops; a beginner’s guide

Almost all home recording these days is done using a computer and an audio interface. If you have a laptop, this theoretically enables you to move your recording location to anywhere you like. Can you use your audio interface with your laptop, and what do you need to consider when buying an audio interface for…

Photo of an audio interface top-down view with a USB cable

How to safely turn off and disconnect audio interfaces

An audio interface is a key part of almost all home music studios. It will usually be connected to a computer, some sort of audio output device like speakers or headphones, and maybe an input device such as a microphone or a guitar. With all this potentially expensive equipment connected, it’s vital that when disconnecting…

Stylized diagram of a laptop running some guitar effects pedal simulations

Running guitar effects on a computer – a beginner’s guide

Many digital multi-effects units are available today. You plug your guitar into the unit’s input, and take the output into a guitar amplifier or PA system. These units are basically very specialized computers. This naturally leads to the question…could I use my laptop as a digital guitar effects processor? To run guitar effects on a…

Photo of a laptop, microphone, headphones and audio interface

Home recording studio essentials – the beginners’ guide

Setting up your first home studio can be incredibly intimidating. With so much equipment available, it can seem an impossible task to determine what you actually need. The good news is that it’s not as complicated as it first appears, and the equipment you initially need for a beginner home studio is actually quite simple….