Part two, in which we meet the fifth Beatle, George Martin, and also brush with Trevor Horn's Fairlight.

Casio CZ-1

Since the release of their diminutive yet ground-breaking CZ-101 synth, Casio have been steadily improving the facilities of their Phase Distortion keyboards with each subsequent CZ product. The culmination of those efforts is now manifest in their best-ever synthesizer, the CZ-1, a truly professional performance instrument. Chris Jenkins says 'welcome'.

Lighting Effects on Stage — Update

Phil 'Princess DIY' Walsh sheds a little light on stage effects

Hughes & Kettner Tubeman Preamp

This dedicated guitar preamp benefits from hybrid tube circuitry, an integral speaker simulator and the ability to impersonate four quite different styles of amplifier.

Audio Technica AT4050

High-quality studio mic

Loudspeakers

This month, we tell you (very softly) exactly what the loudspeaker jargon really means.

Pressing Records

Paul Gilby visits SRT Records & Tapes to unearth the 'inside views' of its managing director David Richardson, whose profound words shatter some of the illusions and myths that surround the record manufacturing industry.

with MEH and the roadies of rock's greatest band.

Tech 21 SansAmp Rackmount Tube Amp Emulator

Tech 21 have taken their popular SansAmp foot pedal guitar preamp and repackaged it in studio, rack-mount format. Paul White takes a look at what else it has to offer.

Wild man Bill Collins looks at the Simmons SDX system and gives us a few drum patterns to try out

The Micro Guitar

Tony Mills uncovers some software for—guitarists! Whatever will they think or next?

More from the world of pine cladding and deep-pile carpet

Chris Maillard finds out how to squeeze proper Rock onto eight tracks

Wilmslow Audio SPL1 Near-Field Monitor Kit

DIY-type nightmare, mates. Will it fall apart the first time you put a vase full of daffs on it? No way — this item is positively kit-tabulous!

Paul Wiffen takes an exclusive look a Ensoniq's latest offering in the field of sampling

News Special

Read all the hot news from the biggest ever show of new instruments and gear

Every Current Model Reviewed

All you need to know about choosing a cassette multitrack, plus concise reviews of every current model on the market.

All the new stuff, including a special feature on the soon-come Stepp digital guitar.

Ampcheck

Now, a combo for people with two ears and ten fingers. Like Jim Betteridge, in fact. Shame about the leg, though, Jim

Digitech RP1 Guitar Multi-Effects

Our man from the valleys discovers how RP1 owners do it on the floor...

Sounds, samples, & software upgrades for the modern studio

Disks, gadgets, samples and bits for the computing musician