This month sees the launch of The Music Technology Magazine, E&MM's American counterpart, and the departure of stalwart advertising manager Tony Halliday.

News from the front about new Emulators, schools for the inquisitive, and a preview of this year's British Music Fair - all in Newsdesk.

Your own views on more matters technical and musical.

Got a problem? Let E&MM's agony aunts proffer a little carefully considered advice.

Don Goldstein talks to American composer Harold Budd about his past collaborations with such luminaries as Brian Eno and Michael Nyman and, more recently, the Cocteau Twins.

A MIDI routing device from keyboard manufacturers 360 Systems. Our American correspondent Rick Davies puts it through its paces.

A Matrix 6 in a rack-mounting box. Simon Trask investigates the multi-timbral delights of Oberheim's latest offspring.

Simon Trask gets a sneak preview of this German organ manufacturer's first venture into the pro-synth market.

Music software for the Sinclair Spectrum is alive and well. Simon Trask reports on a ten-track sequencer package from Swedish company 10 Systems.

Geoff Twigg takes a look at the latest guitar synth technology. Now you can have a Synclavier system behind the strings of your old acoustic.

A British company have a comprehensive sampling package for Commodore's Amiga. Does it set a standard against which subsequent Amiga software will be judged? Chris Jenkins finds out.

Matthew Vosburgh takes a conducted tour around software for the Apple Macintosh with the author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Tim Goodyer pays Genesis' legendary keyboardsman a visit to hear all about life in one of rock's most longstanding and influential bands and their 16th LP.

Simmons successor to the SDS800 combines the best of analogue and sampling technology. Nigel Lord approves.

The first of a two-part review of Tantek's rack-mounting signal processors. Ian Waugh looks at a modular system that comes ready-built or in kit form for construction enthusiasts.

Two industry standards settle their timing differences and agree to work together. Chris Meyer checks it out and discusses proposals for the MSMPTE.

Iva Davies and Bob Kretschmer take a walkabout from the land of the Fairlight to talk to Tim Goodyer about a new LP, new technology, real singers and the ballet.

Akai's super-sampler carries on where their S612 left off. Paul Wiffen finds its ease of use belies its sophistication.

Sampling keyboards and modules are the subject of this month's Checklist| Don't spend a dime until you've cast an eye over this definitive buyer's guide.