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10 stories

What AI Can (and Can’t) Do for Your Music

PerformerVoicesWhat AI Can (and Can’t) Do for Your Music Let’s address the elephant in the studio: artificial intelligence is dominating music industry headlines, and as an independent artist, you are rightfully protective of your craft. You’ve spent countless hours writing, a

Using boom sound effects in a professional way for music release trailers

PerformerVoicesUsing boom sound effects in a professional way for music release trailers A release trailer often gives listeners their first impression of a new song. Whether it appears on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or a streaming platform, those few seconds need to feel polished enough to hold attention. M

WATCH: AARON KELLIM SHOOTS OUT TELEFUNKEN TUBE MICS IN STUDIO

PerformerVoicesWATCH: AARON KELLIM SHOOTS OUT TELEFUNKEN TUBE MICS IN STUDIO Outfitting a home studio and want that rich, warm, nuanced sound of a classic tube mic from the legendary studios we all know and love? Well, Telefunken has got you covered with their Alchemy lineup and you won’t have to

Best Music Distribution Services for Indie Artists

PerformerVoicesBest Music Distribution Services for Indie Artists The landscape of music distribution in 2026 is crowded, and every digital aggregator claims to be the definitive solution. Choosing the right service means looking past marketing jargon and digging into the fine print. W

WATCH: The Next Phase For DJ Control Video Series

PerformerVoicesWATCH: The Next Phase For DJ Control Video Series In the immortal words of Powerman 5000: this is what it’s like when worlds collide! What if you could take an old-school vinyl junkie and bring them into the modern era with a powerful, easy-to-use WIRELESS controller th

REVIEW: Hear More, Play Better with Ultimate Ears Universal Fit IEMs

PerformerVoicesREVIEW: Hear More, Play Better with Ultimate Ears Universal Fit IEMs Hitting the road this summer and not sure how to get started with an in-ear monitor solution? In addition to their renowned custom-molded in-ear monitors, Ultimate Ears is now offering a new lineup of killer, more afford

Download Our *UPDATED* FREE Insurance Guide for Musicians

PerformerVoicesDownload Our UPDATED FREE Insurance Guide for Musicians Looking to go out on tour this summer and fall? Don’t hit the road without the right coverage and knowledge. Performer Magazine and K&K Insurance present a newly UPDATED FREE GUIDE to help you navigate the world of ent

VOTE NOW for your “Sennheiser e 835 Virtual Tour Across America” Favorite Artist

PerformerVoicesVOTE NOW for your “Sennheiser e 835 Virtual Tour Across America” Favorite Artist Along with our partners at Sennheiser , we recently hooked up 10 dynamic artists from across the U.S. with brand-new Sennheiser e 835 microphones and HD 200 PRO headphones . Each act then filmed an EXCLUSIVE live perform

Best Free Beatmaker Tools to Start Producing Today

PerformerVoicesBest Free Beatmaker Tools to Start Producing Today Aspiring producers and veteran musicians no longer need to invest thousands of dollars in heavy studio hardware or complex software licenses just to lay down a groove. Instead, the modern production landscape offers incr

WATCH: Amanda Ayala tests out Ultimate Ears Universal Fit IEM’s

PerformerVoicesWATCH: Amanda Ayala tests out Ultimate Ears Universal Fit IEM’s Hitting the road this summer and not sure how to get started with an in-ear monitor solution? In addition to their renowned custom-molded in-ear monitors, Ultimate Ears is now offering a new lineup of killer, more afford

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· Trade shows and launch events, this week's stories from each corner of the industry, and what its press is covering.

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How records get made in 2026 from the industry's own reports

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About

XLR is a magazine, a radar and a diary about music gear and the making of music — for the people who make records and put on shows, wherever they do it.

The name is the three-pin connector that every signal in the business passes through: the microphone on stage and in the booth, the line to the desk, the DMX cable that runs the lights. Studio, stage and lighting rig share it, and so does this magazine. Every few hours XLR collects what the makers shipped, what the reviewers heard, what the studios and the touring crews are doing, which producers and collectives are surfacing and what they are saying — synths and modular, plugins and DAWs, guitars and drums, microphones, monitors, PA and lights, the rooms and the people — from a few hundred sources in English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese and more, then plots what is moving. The editor writes a letter every few days. Nothing is sold here; when a link leads to a shop, that is the maker's shop, not ours.