Until that day when we all have Portastudios soldered into our skulls at birth, there will continue to be a sizeable gulf between perception and performance.

This issue of One Two Testing is dedicated to those devices which fill the gap. We look at new effects pedals and the cruel tricks they play on your signal, how amplifiers preserve or pervert your intentions and what you should do with the latest four track cassette decks to save your ideas on tape.

Not forgetting the trusty skin basher we study rivals in the acoustic and electronic drum fields as well as taking an alternative approach to percussion. It's remarkable what you can do with a Ford Anglia brake drum.

Some of the best known rhythm machines get turned on and tapped out and we have interviews with stalwart members of three inventive and influential bands - Charlie Burchill of Simple Minds, John Keeble of Spandau Ballet and Mark King of Level 42.