Thomann's Cool Online Guides
Here's a list of our current Online Guides. Each one extends over several pages and explains a specific product area in simple terms with the aid of pictures and diagrams, covering their history, use, and different types. Some documents cover complete setups, and others specific techniques of use. If you’re unsure of how to go about choosing the right product for you, or you just want to know more about any of these topics, read on!
Please select a category:
- All categories (170)
- Wind Instruments (14)
- Cases, Racks, Bags (1)
- DJ Equipment (7)
- Drums & Percussion (15)
- Guitars & Basses (33)
- Cables + Plugs (3)
- Lighting + Stage (4)
- Microphones (17)
- Sheet, Books, DVDs (24)
- PA Equipment (9)
- Effects + Signal Proc. (3)
- Studio Equipment (11)
- Software (8)
- Keys (11)
- Traditional (6)
- Accessories (4)
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The first hurdle though, is to decide on which instrument to learn?
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Computers can be very complicated. We’re here to offer some advice!
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In the digital age, the loudspeaker is the last and unchangeable outpost of analogue technology.
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The range of available guitars and amps has never been greater than it is today, and a huge variety of sounds are easily accessible.
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Whether you’re a fan, a promoter or a performer, the refined craft of live sound is vitally important.
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Choosing a digital piano actually involves many of the same considerations as choosing a real piano.
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At the simplest level, a controller keyboard, also commonly known as a "master" keyboard.
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Our aim is to explain the basic process of recording the electric guitar!
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The central place of the piano in modern music cannot be overstated.
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Electric guitars are ten a penny and nowadays there are at least as many models and makers to choose from.
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LED PARs, LED Bars and Moving Heads - what should I bear in mind?
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In this guide we’ll outline the basic principles of studio monitors, and take a closer look at their most common features.
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Cable... flex... lead... wire... what do all these terms mean?
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In this guide we’ll concentrate on the functionality of hardware mixers. They are an essential part of any live sound systems and studio setups.
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There is a wide range of audio interfaces available, and in the end, choosing the right one comes down to your personal preference.
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Recording choir music is always a challenge, even though it might not seem to be at first.
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Electronic drum sets are an instrument to reckon with.
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The following pages give an overview of the various types of guitar amp available.
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This guide will help you find a suitable drum kit and accessories for beginners.
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There are a wealth of synthesisers available today, ranging from hardware keyboards to virtual software instruments.
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This article will look at how to integrate a computer into different studio environments, and will highlight the issues of functionality and connectivity.
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We investigate some of the many accessories available for both guitar and bass.
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The steel-strung acoustic guitar has a range of sounds that are unmistakeable and not easily replicated with any other type of guitar.
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The PAR can is usually the basis of an entertainment lighting system!
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Amp modellers are guitar DSP effects units that emulate the sound of a range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets.
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They pick up any sound! In this guide, we have tracked down the most popular condenser microphones for you.
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There are many vocal microphones that are suitable for stage use, from the cheapest dynamic to the most expensive condenser.
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Professional standard lighting systems are no longer found solely in large venues.
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Here is a overview of the bass and all its component parts, from vintage to modern instruments.
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If you take good care of your equipment, your pack it up carefully - and this means getting a proper case!
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Radio Mics are designed to give the musician the freedom to move about the stage unhindered.
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Headphones are basics for any studio or DJ. But not all headphones are created equal.
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Miking up and recording a drum kit is a fairly complicated procedure, and this can apply equally to choosing the right mics for the job.
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The term ‘modulation’ in its broadest sense covers a range of sonic effects, from the subtlest chorus to ear-bending ring modulation.
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Portable keyboards now offer a wealth of features to suit both the first time musician and professional songwriter alike.
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Without strings, guitars and basses produce no sound, yet most players know very little about them.
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Dynamic microphones are the basic tools of live sound and play an important role in every recording studio.
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The multi-FX concept has been around in various forms since the mid 80s - It is therefore no surprise that there is a huge range of hardware available.
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In-Ear monitoring - reasonable prices since a few years only - a real bliss for any live musician. Why? Find out here..
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Hardware is the stuff you play on and it does not make a noise – ideal scenario that is.
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The multitracker is a great tool for musicians of all levels. It really can be a ‘studio in a box’ replacing many of the components of a traditional studio.
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Until recently, the classical guitar represented the most popular route into guitar playing.
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Unfortunately, choosing a simple dynamic mic is just the beginning.
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DJing has rather murky origins, and there are many people who claim to have been the first to mix two records together.
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Read on and learn all you should know about small diaphragm mics
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Microphone preamps, are analogue devices that will remain important even as most other equipment is superseded by digital alternatives.
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Though there are other options, the stack remains a rock icon, and is still the most flexible form of guitar amplification.
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The choice of cymbals is just as important as the choice of drums within a kit. Let’s take a closer look.
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More people than ever are now convinced of the advantages of plug-ins. Why?
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You could sum up the whole idea of a PA power amplifier in a single word - sound. The power amp is a crucial part of a musician’s live sound.
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These days, software instruments seem to most like the natural thing to use as a sound source in a computer-based studio.
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The single most important element in any style of dance music is the ‘groove’, a chemistry of rhythm for your song that can make or break its overall feel.
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Effects processors designed for use with bass guitars are now more popular than ever.
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Learning to play an Viola is a long, but rewarding journey, and this guide has been designed to help at the start.
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Our guide assist you in discovering which is the right kind of flute for you.
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A classic Ibanez Tubescreamer or Colorsound Tonebender can fetch many times its original price from guitarists in search of the ultimate killer tone and sustain.
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Percussion instruments are the backbone of many traditional styles of music and are a wonderful way to add colour, texture and motion to contemporary music.
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The trumpet is one of the most versatile instruments, standing its ground in every music genre imaginable.
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Sampling technology is no longer restricted to large studios!
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Before buying an acoustic amp, it’s important to consider exactly what you want it to do.
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Often underestimated and thought of only as a holiday instrument, the ukulele is experiencing a revival - and by no means only on Hawaii
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The acoustic guitar is one of the most frequently recorded instruments in the studio, but it is often recorded poorly.
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Software Sequencing as a term is deeply inadequate to describe the power of the programs now available to the computer-based musician.
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Drumheads have been manufactured from plastic since 1956, mostly polyester.
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This guide aims to help complete beginners and existing double bass students (and their parents).
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This tutorial covers audio compressors and how they are used.
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In our online guide, we want to look at the modern drum set from every angle.
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EQ is perhaps the least noticed of all types of audio processing, but also the most important.
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Turntables have evolved over the years from traditional record players into the professional record decks seen in every club today.
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There is nothing mysterious about the basic principles of the electric guitar pickup.
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Learning to play an instrument is a long, but immensely rewarding journey, and this guide has been designed to help at the start of that journey.
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While we could go into more and more detail about DI boxes and their inner workings, at some stage it’s best to get some hands-on experience!
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Many Drummer’s have not yet found their optimal stick - the selection is large.
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A wide variety of percussion instruments forms the modern orchestra’s rhythm section.
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Delays offer a simple and convenient method of creating a sense of space around your sound.
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Let’s take a close look at this beautiful-sounding instrument.
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Reverb is an essential ingredient in almost all pop and rock music.
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Modern electronic tuners are generally accurate, reliable and fairly inexpensive.
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Welcome to our Online Advisor for Harmonicas.
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When choosing a mixer, the most important thing to consider is what style of mixing you will be doing.
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Despite its infamous classroom or beginner’s image, the recorder is in fact just as difficult to play well as most other instruments.
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This article will look at how a DSP accelerator can be a useful part of your computer-based studio, and also at their limitations.
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The trombone is a popular instrument in the brass family, and features in much classical, jazz and popular music.
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The workstation keyboards has come of age and found niches in many different areas.
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In this Online Advisor, created in conjunction with planetguitar.net, we explore the key features of the instruments that have redefined power chords.
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With a tuba, the sky's the limit - sounding good, looking good, and always tuned to fun!
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There are many types of reporting, interviewing and other broadcasts. Each bring their own audio challenges, and each have their own solutions.
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Not all mouthpieces are created equal. Some things you should definitely know!
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The variety and choice of mouthpieces is huge and can be confusing, too. We will do our best to help you find your way!
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There is a wide selection of units to choose from in both single and double player format and a large range of prices.
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The sound of the snare drum defines and unites almost all forms of popular music.
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Percussion for drum sets is like the toy shop for drummers.
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One instrument with many names - the tenor horn and its counterpart, the baritone.
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The monitor controller is an elegant solution to a relatively new problem, and is invaluable in the project and commercial studio alike.
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All you ever wanted to know about the small helpers called headphone preamps ... can be found here
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There are many kinds of mute available, all of which alter both the volume and timbre of the instrument played.
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Enjoy your bassoon, the wonderful sound it makes, and the beautiful music written for it.
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This article will look at what MIDI is, how it’s used to connect different devices, and some of the more popular MIDI interfaces.
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In this guide, we’re going to look at one of the most important decisions a parent can make for their child
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It would be fair to say that the development of the wah-wah pedal has been somewhat experimental over the years.
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Your guitar needs care and attention, and by that we mean more than simply cleaning and polishing it. Read this tutorial to find out more.
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DJ systems are the interface between the vinyls and the sound you can hear. Here, you will also find whatever else a DJ needs.
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Ribbon microphones sound full, rich, and smooth. Seasoned engineers love their unique sound.
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Guitar players in particular should know something about potentiometers
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We delve into the digital technology bridging the gap between guitars and synths in several exciting areas.
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E-bass pickups influence the sound of your bass decisively.
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Explore the oboe, the wonderful sound it makes, and the beautiful music written for it.
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Yo cannot nowadays conceive of an unplugged rock, pop, and especially folk-rock session without this box as a replacement for the bass and snare drums. Consulting this guide will help you make the right choice.
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Congas, common to most cultures worldwide. A somewhat challenging instrument sometimes but always so versatile
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It’s time for more guitarists to take advantage of the freedom of movement provided and strut their stuff!
Arturia DrumBrute Impact
Analog drum computer; 10 sounds: Kick, Snare 1, Snare 2, Tom Hi, Tom Low, Cowbell, Cymbal, Closed Hat, Open Hat and FM; 64 patterns with up to 64 steps each; accentuation and switchable color tone coloring per instrument and step;...
to the product
Daslight Light Rider Wifi DMX Interface
Daslight Light Rider Wifi DMX Interface, Tablet-based DMX control, intuitive operating concept allows quick access to all functions and simplifies use, free App "Light Rider" for iOS, Android and Amazon Fire Tablet, perfect for DJs thanks to beat synchronization via...
to the product 
Boss WL-50 Wireless System
Plug-and-Play Radio System In pedal format for use in pedalboards, Automatic determination of the optimal wireless connection, Without complicated setup, Newly developed BOSS technology for premium sound without interference, Low latency (2.3 ms) and a range of up to...
to the product 
Sennheiser Memory Mic
Sennheiser HSP Essential Omni-Beige EW, professional condenser headset microphone, omni-directional, 20 - 20.000 Hz, headband size adjustable, microphone boom can be switched from left to right, 2,5 mV/Pa ± 3,5 dB, 148 dB SPL max., 1000 Ohms, EW connector, cable...
to the product 
Rode VideoMic Me-L
Directional Microphone for iPhone and iPad Suitable for all iOS devices with Lightning connector for direct plugging, 1/2" Condenser capsule, Directivity: Cardioid, Built-in preamp with D / A converter (24-bit / 48 kHz), Transmission range: 20 - 20,000 Hz,...
to the product 
Vertex Ultraphonix OD
Effect Pedal for Electric Guitar Overdrive, Reproduces the sound of an overdriven Dumble Overdrive Special amplifier, Controllers: Volume - Filter - Gain, LED: Effect On, Foot switch: Effect bypass, True bypass, Connections: Input (6.3 mm jack) - output (6.3...
to the product 
Harley Benton Baritone CLG-414BCE NT
Steel-String Guitar Baritone, Grand Auditorium Cutaway Electric Style, Selected solid spruce top, Walnut body, Mahogany neck, Scalloped X-Bracing, Ovangkol fretboard, 685.70 mm Scale length, Nut Width: 45mm, 20 Frets, Dot inlay, Ovangkol bridge, Black bindings, Chrome diecast machine heads,...
to the product 
Gator iMac 27" Tote Bag
Nylon bag for 27" Apple iMac Good hold and protection with adjustable foam blocks and hard-panel reinforcement in the front cover, Foldable sun and dust protection, Double zipper, Cable bag inside, Outer accessory pocket for keyboard, mouse, SD cards...
to the product 
Arturia KeyLab MkII 61 Black
Arturia KeyLab MkII 61 Black; USB Midi-Keyboard with 61 Keys; velocity and Aftertouch; 16 RGB-backlit performance pads; 9 fader, 9 rotary knobs, LCD-Display; Category Function; Pitch- and Modulation-Wheel; Chord and Transpose Function; Transport Buttons; Connections: 5 Expression Control Inputs; 4x...
to the product 
Korg D1
Digital Piano 88 Keys weighted RH3 keyboard (Real Weighted Hammer Action 3), 5 Sensitivity curves, Stereo PCM sound generation, 120 Voice polyphony, 30 Sounds, 30 Demo songs, Key-Off simulation, Damper resonance, 3 Effects, Metronome, 2x Line out 6.3 mm...
to the product 
the t.bone freeU Twin HT 863
2-Channel UHF wireless system with handheld transmitter Dynamic capsule, Directional characteristic: supercardioid, Frequency range: 50 - 16,000 Hz, 10 Pre-programmed frequency groups with 10 available channels each, Auto squelch, Frequency scan in the receiver, Adjustable AF output, Transmission power:...
to the product 
Dübreq Stylophone Gen-X1
Synthesizer in Mini Format With built-in speaker, stylus keyboard and separate sound strip, LFO square and triangle wave, Low pass filter cutoff/resonance, Envelope attack/decay, Delay time/feedback, X-key pulse width modulation, Battery operation (4x AA), Connections: AUX 3.5 mm mini...
to the product 
We're looking forward to hearing from you and aim to solve any problems as soon as we can.