Once you've got your sequencer up and running you're gonna need some extra sound sources. Paul Wiffen guides us through the MIDI Expander jungle

Vintage technology strikes back

...Including The A-Z of Analogue

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Go Shopping

Going Soft

How To Write Lyrics

Richard Walmsley takes a look at the under-estimated art of lyric writing

Simple complex, very dire straits

Yet again Deevoy confuses success and excess

Usable Packages

The sun rises on computer music, or so says Tony Mills

Disturbing tales of everyday studio folk

Frankfurt 86

The Frankfurt show seen from a diagonal position

filter bank

The filters that launched a thousand analogue synth lines.

Digital Horn

Where Roland and Yamaha tried to create the state-of-the-art wind controller, Casio have gone for accessibility. Andy Blake blows the latest development in the latest line of MIDI controllers.

A 2-page Paracetamol for your technical headaches.

The Fall and Rise of Technology in Music

Steering this magazine through the '80s made Dan Goldstein a prominent character in the music industry. Putting aside 90 Minutes he gives a personal view of the last decade in music, technology and Music Technology.

Daniel Miller, head of Mute records, has taken the label to a very successful conclusion with some massive UK hits. He tells of the joys and despair of the British record industry, and his work with electronic music.

This month, owners of the Ensoniq ESQ1, Roland Alpha Juno 1, Casio CZ101 and Yamaha DX7 offer their sounds for public consumption and personal distinction. Have you submitted a patch yet?

Readers' replies to the second half of our survey, analysed by David Ellis.

A Soft Touch

Jay Chapman discovers why this 16 track MIDI sequencer package for the BBC B micro, described as the musical equivalent of the humble word processor, is receiving so much acclaim from studio users.

A novel 'backing band in a box' comes under Paul White's critical gaze.