Some words of undeniable wisdom from producer Chris Porter play you gently out of the mag this month.

Geoff Nicholls traces the style and influence of two drummers who've recently copped it — Buddy Rich and Carlton Barrett

10 CC, LGT, Mainframe, Ian Boddy

CD ROM and Removable Hard Disk

Never Ending Storage

For what was supposed to be a universal interface, MIDI has trouble enough staying in touch with itself, let alone the outside world. Tim Goodyer looks at four auxiliary units that set out to improve matters.

Johnny Demestos

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

D'you find that the basslines you put on your new songs are unadventurous? Here's some inspiration.

ARP Odyssey owner and enthusiast Gordon Reid remembers the only synthesiser that gave the Minimoog a run for its money back in the 70s - the sounds of oscillator cross-modulation and filter sweeps live on.

How To Get The Most From Your Sampler

Sampling The Emulator

Share reality with Culture Club producer Steve Levine, the Attractions' Steve Nieve, and keyboard whizz Dave Stewart.

Key Expander/SMPTE Synchroniser

Integration is the name of the game with Steinberg's Midex - a single unit combining a software key expander and a SMPTE synchroniser for the Atari ST. Nigel Lord even likes the colour.

Software Surplus

Roland, Yamaha, OSCar, Syrinx, Teisco and Moog

Accessit Autopanner

A surprisingly useful little effects unit for less than the price of a good fuzz box... it's got to be a winner.

MicroComposing with Roland

The new MC-202 MicroComposer examined in depth

The price guide to beat all price guides continues with a rundown of available sequencers, software packages and computer music systems.

Having fun with digital delays.

A guide to who they are, where they are, and what they do. Your first step to a handmade guitar.

Striking a blow for mallet players, Tim Ponting investigates an instrument that combines the MIDI sophistication of a modern keyboard with the mallet techniques of xylophones and marimbas.

We share with you the simple guitar chord trick upon which most pop music is based.

Already assured their place in history for inventing the Portastudio, Tascam have also given us a one-inch 24-track machine and now the "Midistudio'. Tim Goodyer visits Japan to find out more about this revolutionary company.