About

jk_swopes_shotMy name is JK Swopes, but many know  me as “saintjoe”, I’m a creative technology fanatic…plain and simple!  I make music, design sounds, teach, train, test, and consult. I’m an  Ableton Certified Trainer, and lover of all things tech and music creation.  I’ve created training and tutorial content for CreativeLive, Lynda.com, Linkedin Learning, and Point Blank in addition to my own tutorial courses, sites, and resources.

I started producing music for myself as well as other gospel hip hop and urban artists back 2001, but have been playing with and in love with music and creative tech for waaaaaay longer.

Sounds And Gear is all about sharing my love and fascination of music gear and creative technology through news, hands on reviews, demos, and tutorials.

Just to be clear…. I post on stuff that I personally like or find to be useful.  These are MY opinions. I don’t spent my time covering stuff I don’t like or wouldn’t use.

Need help learning a specific tool? 

  • Push Tutorials: if you’re looking for help in understanding and using Ableton Push, come on over
  • Maschine Tutorials: the original tutorial site for Native Instruments Maschine users.

Looking for tutorials on multiple topics?

Then be sure to stop by SoundsAndGear Insider! With courses & tutorials on everything from Push, MPC, and MIDI controllers,  to production workflow, software, marketing, web site management, and more, you’re sure to find something helpful here. Not to mention the free sounds, presets, products, and discounts you get as a bonus!

Affiliate Link Disclosure: Some articles may contain affiliate links. This means if you click through my link I will get a small percentage of the sale for referring you. I am only an affiliate of companies I personally recommend and products that I personally enjoy. This has no impact on the price you pay or my view of the product, but it does help support the site operation and video content creation!

Some companies I am an affiliate of include: LinkedIn Learning, zZounds, Amazon, IK Multimedia, Dope VST, Native Instruments, Sample Logic, Sweetwater, Plugin Boutique/Loopmasters, Pro Audio Files, Audio Plugin Deals, VST Buzz, and CreativeLive.