As a humble home studio hopeful who has never pointed a mic in earnest at anything outdoors before, James Walters goes in search of the basic equipment.

Martin Russ returns with a light-hearted look at a serious subject - sample looping - and passes on a few handy tips for those of you that are having difficulty with your sampling machines.

We get the artists' views

How To Get The Most From Your Sampler

How To Get The Most From Your Sampler

How To Get The Most From Your Sampler

How To Get The Most From Your Sampler

There's an awful lot of hi-hi-history involved, y'know

Are software-based visual editing displays for samplers a help or hindrance? And what's significant about 30dB? Consultant Martin Russ reveals all...

The Pros And Cons

Seasoned programmer Paul Wiffen reveals the truth about separate voice outputs on samplers. Are they really desirable or are they just a nuisance? And what happens to the polyphony when you use them? We tell you what no others dared!!

Filtering, Enveloping And Keyboard Sensing.

In the penultimate part of his series, designed to help you get the best from your sampling machines, keyboard programmer Paul Wiffen returns to his analogue roots to modify some samples.

Cheap And Cheerful Sample Creation On The Atari ST

The Snare

In the third and final part of our series on synthesising and sampling the sounds of acoustic instruments Howard Massey hits it off with the snare drum.

The Clarinet

The second instalment of our series on programming and sampling the sounds of acoustic instruments. This month Howard Massey turns his attention to Acker Bilk's favourite: the clarinet.

Sampler test

Three big names, but which one’s the best?

Editing, Looping & Splicing.

Keyboard programmer Paul Wiffen moves on to the process of manipulating the sample in this series designed to help make the best use of your sampling machine.

Ever wished you could get some of those rich old analogue sounds working comfortably with your MIDI system? Greg Truckell samples the sounds of the past.

In the second part in our series on successful sample looping Chris Meyer concentrates on the mysteries and subtleties of crossfade looping.

Contrary to popular belief, glitching isn't a social embarrassment it's simply the sign of a bad loop; Chris Meyer and Bill Aspromonte suggest ways of improving your sampling techniques.

The final part of this series on creating good sample loops. This month it's yesterday's synthesisers that submit their sounds to the digital manipulation of Chris Meyer.

Or Everything You Need To Know About Buying A Sampler, But Didn't Know Who To Ask. Julian Colbeck is your guide.

After a two-month absence, Jim Grant returns to the fold with some notes on CMI waveforms, lightpens and interpolation.

Jim Grant gives an outline of how the Fairlight CMI copes with performance effects.

Part three, and Jim Grant outlines the basics of sound sampling.

Expander modules may be the modular synths of our age, but are they as good? Steve Howell explores the Akai VX90 and provides some guidance on how it can be used with Akai's range of sampling machines.