Scales, chords and intervals are all related concepts in music theory. As you learn them, you’ll often hear different words used to explain how they work. One of the most common is the term scale degrees. But what are scale degrees exactly? And how are they different from intervals? In this article I’ll explain what scale degrees are and why they’re important to know. Let’s get started.

Most home studios contain an arsenal of carefully chosen gear. From synths and groove boxes to guitars and drums, the tools in your studio need to be connected properly to work. But for some types of gear, making the right connection means you’ll need an extra piece of equipment—a DI box.

The piano has a special place among traditional musical instruments. It’s considered a standard tool for learning, writing and performing music. With such a widely-used instrument, there’s a general consensus on the ideal piano sound. But is that all there is to the piano? In fact, there’s much more to this classic sound than you might think. Thanks to innovative builders and DAW plugins, there are more creative approaches to the piano than ever before.