An extended review of new products including many of those unveiled at February's Frankfurt Music Fair.

Mark Jenkins reviews this handy set of power-packed sampled percussion pads.

Richard Elen talks to Dave Tuffnell, the man behind a unique electronic music information service - ESSP.

The first of an occasional series in which David Mellor takes a look at the organisations that help musicians and composers earn an honest crust in this hard world. This month: the Performing Right Society.

More readers' queries are answered by the expert teaching staff of London's Gateway School Of Recording & Music Technology.

The DX7 has become both one of the best-selling synthesizers of all time and a truly 'classic' instrument. So how do you improve on that? Jay Chapman reviews Yamaha's recently launched and long awaited successor to the DX7.

It is easy to be fooled by their diminutive stature, but these tiny monitors pack one helluva sonic punch. Paul Gilby was on the receiving end.

In the second instalment of our 'How It Works' series, engineer/musician David Mellor focuses on the operational principles of digital audio systems.

Since the break-up of his group Japan in November 1982, David Sylvian has been slowly widening the base of his music to encompass both ethnic and avant-garde sounds. Mark Prendergast gathers the facts on the change of style.

Akai's forthcoming MPX-820 MIDI mixer may not compare with a top-class SSL desk but its fully programmable controls and onboard memories offer the budget-conscious user some of the benefits of a 'total recall' system. Paul D. Lehrman investigates.

If you're bored with your sampler's factory disks or simply can't find a decent snare drum to sample, then Syndromic Music's 'Star Samples' may well prove the ideal solution. Mark Jenkins assesses their range of sampled sound cassettes.

A subjective and selective round-up of drum machines, old and new, by Mark Jenkins.

Korg's very latest keyboard is non other than a touch-sensitive, sub-£1000, 8-voice FM synthesizer! Mark Jenkins managed to catch a sneak preview.

Apart from his claim to fame as the co-producer of Mike Oldfield's hugely successful 'Tubular Bells' album, engineer/producer Tom Newman has most recently been making his mark in the New Age music field with two beautifully recorded albums. Mark Prendergast reports.

The best way of finding out what a new instrument can do is to look carefully at its MIDI Implementation Chart. Jay Chapman acts as your MIDI interpreter and takes you on a guided tour.

Ralph Denyer takes the lid off this top London studio complex to discover how it and the people that work their tick.