The latest reports from the lands of Trade and Product

A History of Wind Synthesizers

Could the wind of change be upon us? MIDI has already given guitarists and drummers the means to control electronic sounds, and the launch of the Akai and Yamaha wind controllers now allows woodwind and brass players to join in. John L. Walters takes a general look at the historical development of wind synthesizers, and the Akai and Yamaha products in particular.

Evolver

HiFi linked with monitor

With the British Music Fair upon us the musical equipment manufacturers are proving there's nothing like the hi-tech end of the music market for innovation - and no-one like MT to pass Comment on it.

CD player 3-way test

Denon, Pioneer, Vestax lock lasers

Paul White drops in on Mark Gander at the JBL factory in North ridge, Los Angeles in the hope of getting a free tour jacket.

Very In-Tour-Eh-Sting??

Dynacord ADD-One Advanced Digital Drum System

As it stands, the ADD-One is a new 8-channel sampled sound expander designed to be triggered from Dynacord's own drum pads. But user-sampling and disk storage promise to extend its range of applications in the near future. Chris Everard reports.

PART 1: New England Digital's Synclavier is the world's most expensive musical instrument, bar the odd 300 year old Stradivarius. But more than that, it can be a recording studio, a post-production system, a music engraver, a scientific research tool... and more. The Synclavier is at the leading edge of musical technology. David Mellor sets out on a voyage of discovery.

Multi-Timbral Expander

Hot foot from the BMF, hard-working Martin Russ brings us his review of this innocent-looking multitimbral LA expander which packs many of the features of Roland's D-50 synthesizer, including onboard digital reverb, but with the added bonus of 28 sampled drum sounds!

Frankfurt Musik Messe 1988

It's that time of year when the music fraternity descend on a frozen Frankfurt. Tim Goodyer and Simon Trask check out new gear, new ideas and tired feet.

Novation Bass Station

Analogue bass synth

An in-depth dissection of electro-pop; how to create it, how to adapt it but not how to dance to it.

Prophet VS

Is Vector Synthesis the answer to every programmer's prayers, or another technological blind alley getting in the way of music? Peter Schlesinger takes a long hard look at the digital Prophet.

Programmable digital drum machine

Following the Drumtraks in vocation and the MAX in appearance comes TOM, Sequential’s latest. Simon Trask finds out if reverse drum samples really do have a use.

Gasp at the very latest instruments to hit the street plus sneak previews of tomorrow's guitars in Tony Bacon's deadline report from the Frankfurt trade fair.

A MIDI Control Program for the Macintosh

Passport were one of the first US companies to offer music software for any computer. Richard Elen wades through the extensive features offered by their first music software release for the Apple Macintosh - a MIDI control program called Master Tracks Pro.

MIDI Saxophone

The latest MIDI wind controller comes from Switzerland and uses a conventional sax body. Michael Andreas checks out the traditionalists' alternative.

interacting with the future

Your passport to future worlds