Ex-Police drummer and self-styled 'tech-head' Stewart Copeland discusses the merits of owning four Fairlight CMIs, why he's in a group called Animal Logic, and how to write an opera. Logical questions: Nicholas Rowland.

Yello made the sort of music everyone had heard of but few people heard - until Shirley Bassey helped them into the pop charts. These obscure Swiss art rockers reveal all to Nicholas Rowland.

Studiomaster powered mixer

Just add speakers and go

sequencer for the PC

For many people, the definitive sequencing software for the PC has yet to be written. Could this be it?

Percussion Voice Expander

Nick Rowland takes sticks to Simmons pads - and finds a whole load of tuned percussion sounds appearing at the other end. Will drummers start putting xylophonists out of work?

Rhythm Composer

Beat crazy. As yet another drum machine arrives on the market, Nicholas Rowland wonders if it's time to get away from the present format.

Nicholas Rowland guides us through the tricky process of choosing the best sequencer for our money

Yamaha RY20

Beatbox rejuvenated

Multi-effects Processor

ART's ever-expanding range of signal processors is intended to cater for musicians of all styles and financial means. Nicholas Rowland test drives a new effects unit whose price belies its power.

Take the Fostex X15, restyle it, add new features, raise the price by the cost of a dirty weekend in Blackpool and you've got their new X30 multitracker. Nicholas Rowland finds out if they're on the right track.

Nicholas Rowland checks out some amazing sound sources for your sampler

House from home. Nicholas Rowland talks to a British house band who have developed their music from television advertising jingles to chart success.

Portable Keyboard

Budget polysynth or home organ accessory? Casio attempt to find another gap in the market with Spectrum Distortion synthesis. Nicholas Rowland finds it's not too far from old-fashioned analogue.

MIDI Keyboard Controller

'Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye' - as Val Doonican once said. Now you can with Roland's portable MIDI keyboard controller, designed for those with a severe case of guitar envy. Nicholas Rowland discusses the angle of the dangle

A drum machine that sounds more like a drum kit than anything Ludwig ever made? True or not, Alesis' beat box is going to find its way into a lot of recording studios. Nicholas Rowland returns to his roots.

An English playwrite talks to Nicholas Rowland about the lure of electronic sampling techniques; the sounds of the theatre come of age.

Sound Environment Processor

And still they come... more FX units than you can shake a MIDI lead at. Nicholas Rowland zooms in on the latest and tries to spot the difference.

BUYING & USING: cheap drums

a buyer's guide to secondhand drum kits

Talking Heads keyboard player Jerry Harrison talks to Nicholas Rowland about a forthcoming Heads LP and a solo project he calls The Casual Gods.

Cult masters of industrial funk talk hi-tech sounds, performance CDs and popular commerciality to Nicholas Rowland; the code of the '80s.

Mixing Desk

Q: Just what is a Minister Without Portfolio? A: A leading member of the Government who hasn't got Soundcraft's nifty new portable mixer, that's what. Nicholas Rowland raises questions in The House

Take an eight-track tape deck and a 128-track MIDI sequencer and you've got the basis of 2nd Sense studio. Nicholas Rowland visits a studio taking full advantage of what modern technology has to offer.

Electronic Drums

Pick up sticks; the latest electronic kit from Roland doesn't come with its own voices but Nicholas Rowland discovers its MIDI converter may have other uses in the studio.