The Clarinet

The second instalment of our series on programming and sampling the sounds of acoustic instruments. This month Howard Massey turns his attention to Acker Bilk's favourite: the clarinet.

The Snare

In the third and final part of our series on synthesising and sampling the sounds of acoustic instruments Howard Massey hits it off with the snare drum.

The Acoustic Guitar

We begin a new series that looks at how to recreate the sound of acoustic instruments using various methods of synth programming and sampling. In the first part, Howard Massey turns his attention to the acoustic guitar.

Richard Walmsley takes a ride with BSA down the R'n'B route and finds out how a green band avoid the Blues

Synthesis Software

CAD meets synthesis inside the Apple Mac. Robert Rich fires up a program that allows you to design your sounds on computer before transferring them to your sampler.

While many of us dream of a career writing music for films, a select few are actually doing it. Lawrence UlIman talks to Gary Chang, a resident Hollywood scorewriter.

We get the artists' views

Yamaha's classic CS80 makes a welcome appearance alongside the CZ101, Bit 99 and DW6000, and more ROMs for the DX7 complete this month's selection of readers' sounds.

RhythmCheck

The drum machine you can hit, and get something more than an ex-drum machine. Reed administers the blows.

Don't touch those Level and Pan controls - you may be able to solve your mixing problems more easily than you think. Robert Rich explains how the timbre of a sound affects its performance in the mix.

Part 6: The final episode of our series for FM synth owners, in which Martin Russ removes the mystique from FM programming. Operators at the ready!