This article originally appeared on the CreativeLive blog.
Reddit, aka "the front page of the internet," has a subreddit for pretty much every niche you can imagine (and if it doesn't, you're free to start one yourself). There are hundreds of subreddits for music, and while many of them are digital ghost towns, the following will scratch that itch if you're a musician looking for communities that aren't just memes and kitten gifs.
This is the biggest subreddit for those of us who just want to talk about being music makers and everything that comes along with it. Discuss any and every aspect of the life of musician, whether you're a weekend warrior or trying to make a career out of it. The users are (usually) supportive, there are plenty of questions and people happy to answer them, and regardless of the music you're into, you'll feel like you belong.
Professionally run, strictly modded, and willing to take on almost any engineering topic, this is not just for the guys who spend all day behind the board. Any musicians who are recording their own music, even as simple as rough demos, can benefit from topics like how to best record acoustic music or document live shows.
[5 Crucial Rules for Recording a Demo]
Pretty much just like the one above, but for electronic dance music. This may not be for everyone, but it's a lively subreddit, and anyone willing to dig through it can find something useful, even if not very EDM-inclined.
If you like certain songs but have no idea why, this subreddit will greatly expand your understanding (or completely baffle you). With expert talk on chords, progressions, and notation, you may not always comprehend what they're talking about, but it may change the way you hear your favorite music.
This isn't the most robust discussion subreddit, but there's plenty of eye candy and general gear geekery. It also has a consistent base of users who know their fair share about pedals. So if you're troubleshooting an issue and would like avoid a trip to get it repaired, it's the place to post your problem and get a decent range of advice.
For those afternoons when you want to expand your six-string skills, users consistently post videos spanning all genres that will be able to work your fingers into shape or help you get that tone you've always been wanted.
[8 Easy Tweaks to Make Your Practice Time Way More Productive]
This isn't just for music, but it is one of the greatest resources on the internet when faced with the excruciating feeling of not remembering that one thing that's right on the tip of your tongue. Songs, musicians, soundtracks, or anything else you almost remember can be described here, and an army of Reddit detectives will be on the case.
Shane Mehling is a freelance writer and editor who plays in noise rock bands.