Greater reliance on hi-tech instruments in the studio means there's more demand for people able to programme them. Paul Gilby spoke first to Karin Clayton about her recently formed agency that supplies programmers for studio sessions, and then to Fairlight programmer Simon Lloyd about his work.

THE STORY OF AN INDEPENDENT RECORD

The story of how one of this country's lesser-known synthesists took the bold step of forming his own record label to independently release his fourth album 'Phoenix'. Paul Gilby documents the process.

Compact discs represent a superb source of high quality sounds for the samplist too lazy to sample their own. What's more, products like this D-55T CD player make the task even easier with their programmable auto-loop function. Paul Gilby explains...

Which Microphone?

Which Microphone? We take eight mics from Shure's successful PE Series and subject them to some rigorous practical tests - with surprising results.

Beyond the razor-blade: HHB's innovative CLUE system provides an answer to the digital editing dilemma. Paul Gilby pieces together the story.

Paul Gilby returns with the series that takes a behind the scenes look at companies and design personnel working in the field of music and recording technology. This month: Marvin Caesar, President of Aphex Systems USA - creators of the legendary Aural Exciter.

Pressing Records

Paul Gilby visits SRT Records & Tapes to unearth the 'inside views' of its managing director David Richardson, whose profound words shatter some of the illusions and myths that surround the record manufacturing industry.

Acoustics

The function of 'sound absorbers' and how to build a sound absorbent wall box.

Noise Reduction Systems

An explanation of the most common noise reduction systems in audio use, including Dolby A, B, C, and dbx.

Continuing our series that looks at hi-tech companies and design personnel working in the field of music and recording technology, Paul Gilby talks sampling with Kim Ryrie, President of Fairlight Instruments of Australia.

What you may have 'missed' at the Los Angeles AES and the London Hands On Shows.

Los Angeles and London were the recent locations for two very different audio get-togethers. Paul Gilby reports on the proceedings and products shown at both the AES and Hands-On shows.

Continuing our series that looks at hi-tech companies and design personnel working in the field of music and recording technology, Paul Gilby talks to Marco Alpert, Director of Marketing & Sales for E-mu Systems of America - the company behind the Emulator and Emax samplers.

Flushed with the chart success of Close (To The Edit), the 'faceless' trio return with more talk of Art, Empire and Industry. Paul Gilby pushed the record button and monitored the noise levels...

Back with a new album 'Jazz From Hell' composed and executed almost entirely on Synclavier, this 60s cult hero explains to Paul Gilby why he has turned his back on lyrics and the reasons for his four-year love affair with the sexy black keyboard with the round Winchester disks!

Another in our series that looks at hi-tech companies and design personnel working in the field of music and recording technology. This month Paul Gilby talks to Jim Cooper, President of J.L Cooper Electronics and the MIDI Manufacturers Association.

Founder of Ultravox and owner of The Garden Studio, John Foxx talks about all aspects of his recording methods and highlights the technological changes that have caused him to rethink the way he composes.

EXCLUSIVE: Paul Gilby examines the very latest American audio invention for removing cotton wool from your ears!

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.

Everything you ever wanted to know about samplers... 48 models compared! Paul Gilby surveys the current sampler market, exposes the 'spec wars', dispels the 16-bit myth and explains in simple terms how sampling really works, before telling you what to look out for when buying secondhand.

Acoustics

This month an explanation of the function of the Helmholtz Resonator.

Akai S612 MIDI Sampler

A reduction in price and the introduction of their Quick Disk make Akai's S612 MIDI Sampler an even more attractive investment. Paul Gilby was suitably impressed.

Digital Delay, Dynamic Control and Arpeggiation emerge from the MIDI jungle. Paul Gilby observes this rare species.

Studio Sound Techniques

Tape echo techniques for reel-to-reel machines.