From the profound to the downright silly, we wind up a year's chit-chat

How much do musicians really earn? The rich ones (ahem) the poor ones (definitely).

Nominated by Steve Levine, Steve Lillywhite, Peter Collins, Hugh Padgham, Swain and Jolley

We know something that you don't...

Readers send in their own favourite synth sounds and how to generate them. Plenty of monosynths this month, including the Moog Prodigy, Transcendent 2000 and Roland SH-101.

Having pioneered the Micro Composer in the '70s, Roland reaffirm the position of the hardware sequencer in 1990 with the MC50. Simon Trask is fatally attracted.

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

interacting with the future

The automation of creation

Digital drum machines may rule the waves in the R&D labs, but one obsolete analogue device is still the record producers' first choice. Tim Goodyer dissects the appeal of Roland's classic TR808.

Steinberg Recycle!

Sample groove editor for Mac

Linn Sequencer

From the creators of the first digital drum machine comes the world's most powerful MIDI controller - the new Linn Sequencer. Mark Jenkins believes it could well cause a lot of us to re-think the way we record.

Dave Ward enthuses over this very useful aid to multitrack control.

Synthesiser

A versatile mono/poly combination keyboard from the Siel stable comes under examination.

can you tell a real drummer?

As the world and his wife gets hot under the collar about affordable 16-bit sampling, we wonder if the increase in sound quality is necessary at all.

who does it where to whom and with what

five stars pick their fave sounds

Vince Clarke, Jon Lord, Steve Levine, Bill Nelson, John Foxx... five heroes of the keyboard nominate their favourite synth tracks and sounds

We get the artists' views

Hi-Tech You Can Take Anywhere

Forget towels, deodorant and trashy paperbacks, what you really want to pack in your suitcase come the Summer is a go-anywhere MIDI studio. Paul Ireson advises on suitable travelling companions.

Computer synth rental

Your sequencer could be having more of an effect on your music than your synths do. Wilf Smarties wonders whether you should be giving your MC50 a co-writing credit...