...while Dan Goldstein, sore-foot from Germany, has the details on the new European and Japanese gear that'll soon be flooding the UK's music stores. Prepare for some surprises.

KAT dk10 Percussion Controller

YESTERYEAR'S GEAR: Olympic drums

in memory of olympic drums

7/4

There is life outside of 4/4. We dissect those funny times like five and seven and quarter past four on a Thursday.

Highlights from America's West Coast instrument expo. Hot scoops.

MIDI is more than a means of sending note data to a couple of synths and changing settings on a reverb unit. Ernie Tello looks into the real-time applications of MIDI.

percussion points

The record company A&R man is your enemy, right? After all, it's only him that stands between you and a record deal. But technology has changed his job and your relationship with him.

crap spotter

If Led Zeppelin were active today, they'd be forgiven for recording 'The Songs All Remain The Same'. Tim Goodyer looks at technology and the singer.

Nerves

Do you suffer from the musicianly variety? Calm yourself down, turn to page 11, and feel lots better. OK now?

We all like to daydream from time to time, so try this: envisage a world in which high technology had become the province of the drummer rather than the keyboard player. Tim Goodyer's imagination runs riot.

Six stars outline their home demo set-ups

sketching song ideas at home. how certain successful stars record their demos - John Entwistle, Nik Kershaw, Annabel Lamb, Adrian Belew, Blancmange

Electronic Percussion System

The company that pioneered the electronic drum kit bring us the next generation of electronic percussion. Nicholas Rowland investigates Zone Intelligence and tracker balls.

Snares

Digital sampling keyboard

Much rumour and speculation has surrounded the launch of what Ian Gilby reckons to be the best mid-priced sampling keyboard on the market. So what makes Emax special? Read the UK's first in-depth review and find out.

Simmons

An extended review of new products including many of those unveiled at February's Frankfurt Music Fair.

kits, rim shots, playing surfaces

Gig Tactics

famous names relate horror stories

Britain's biggest, busiest and noisiest music fair is over for another year. So what did we get for our money and our aching feet? Report by Simon Trask.

Drums

The latest gear