Understanding and using traditional music notation is often a frustrating and difficult task for many people, particularly for the electronics hobbyist who adeptly constructs a musical project, only to find that his or her eagerness to be creative on a newly-built instrument is thwarted by an inability to write down melodies, rhythms, harmonies or understand the musical concepts involved in its performance.

Because E&MM aims to educate the potential electromusician, we are broadening our editorial in one sense and narrowing it in another. Broadening by expanding our 'workshops' to include areas not yet covered (such as learning to read music), and narrowing by restricting our pages to technical and musical material of direct interest to the electro-musician.

In addition, we continue our policy to up-date the professional musician, electronics or studio engineer.

Articles on hi-fi, video, studio, guitar, synthesiser, computer, organ and percussion are all in this month's issue, along with musical projects that offer something different at various levels of construction.

We've had quite a few 'think tanks' with experienced musicians in order to find the new directions that music is taking, whether it's classical or rock. Of course, categories in music these days are of little consequence and what is more important is the need to study the techniques of making music. Certainly, many of the people I meet are classically trained and have been able to usefully apply their musical knowledge to electronic music. Yet, there is another side to the story, with the growing number of young people who enjoy computing and making electronics projects, and so are better equipped with the technical knowledge necessary for the production of electronic music.

Although musical and technical aspects both demand elements of creativity, maybe the traditional emphasis towards the importance of musical talent will be counter-balanced by the young Space Invaders expert who could be the composer and performer of tomorrow's music!