How we use synths - and why the Prophet VS might force us to change our attitudes.

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You have the questions, we have the answers - to all matters technical.

The world's best-known electronic music band have reached a crossroads, with a line-up change, a lengthy concert tour and an uncertain recording future. Annabel Scott talks to them.

Simon Trask takes a look at the Mirage's rack-mounting counterpart, and finds it even better value than the keyboard version.

Digidesign's sound-editing software for the Emulator II has now been adapted for the Prophet 2000: Brian Devereux gives it the thumbs-up.

What the ghetto blaster is to hi-fi, the CZ230S is to synthesisers. Annabel Scott takes a spin in Casio's streetwise preset synth.

Paul Wiffen peers inside the latest SP12 to find a host of clever modifications: they help keep the E-mu machine at the top of the beat-box tree.

With the help of new software technology, Yamaha's new multi-FX unit does the job of a half-dozen outboard machines. Paul White gives a rundown of what it can do, and how well it does it.

Roland find another home for some 707/727 drum voices, and come up with a digital successor to the Drumatix. Trevor Gilchrist waxes lyrical on the best budget drum machine yet.

Korg's Digital Voice Processor is the first digital vocoder, but offers a number of other facilities as well. Tim Goodyer finds out what it has to say for itself.

If you're a computer manufacturer and you've got excess stocks to sell, you switch the emphasis to music. That's what Commodore have done, as Chris Jenkins reports.

Tim Goodyer talks to pin-up keyboardsman Steve George about life at the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic...

...while Annabel Scott listens to words of wisdom from a Transatlantic keyboardist of a very different kind - Saga's Jim Gilmour.

Roland's first serious venture into software takes the form of composing packages for Commodore, Apple and IBM computers. Annabel Scott checks them out.

Upcoming systems music composer chats to Simon Trask about modern technology, Renaissance music and Belgian pop.

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.

All the musical ideas, playing prowess and flash hardware in the world won't make your band sound good - unless you get the most out of rehearsals. Trevor Gilchrist offers some clues.

Oberheim's first master keyboard has a load of clever facilities, but a price-tag high enough to give it some stiff competition. Simon Trask files his report.

If you can hit it or make it sound as if you have, you'll find it listed in E&MM's exclusive rundown of what's available in the world of drum machines and electronic kits.

Readers' patches for DX7, CZ101 and Bit One synths, and the Yamaha CX5M micro. Keep 'em coming...