Electronic Drum Kit

A British-built electronic drum kit for under £500. Sounds good, affirms reviewer Paul White.

Programmable Drum Machine

The world's cheapest programmable digital drum machine looks on paper to be a fine companion for Korg's similarly-priced Latin percussion machine. Paul White checks out the reality.

Programmable Polysynth

Paul White looks at the first musical instrument product from a Japanese giant. Has Akai's poly got the sounds and the facilities necessary for it to make an impact on today's synth world?

The X30's a typical example of how organ manufacturers are applying today's technology to traditional instruments - but will the new-found features make it as popular among 'serious' musicians? Paul White finds out.

We first looked at the Digisound in July, but now the Dutch sampled-sound percussion machine has some new features and a new distributor. Paul White checks out the new version.

If the sound of your kid sister hitting a biscuit-tin lid is your idea of what a snare drum should sound like, Simmons' new EPROM blower should make your sampling dreams come true. Paul White reports.

Where 'live' recording is involved, truth is stranger than fiction. Or is it?

Paul White puts five sturdy and powerful keyboard combos to the test - stand by, all at Ohm, Marshall, Carlsbro, Roland and HH.

In which five of E&MM's writers pick their fave things of the year. If your personal preferences aren't there, don't take it out on us.

'Guitar-style' effects pedals are frowned upon by conscientious recordists but, surprisingly, some can yield very good results as we discovered.

Computer-controlled Rhythm Sequencer

Some drum sequencer software that's as user-friendly as it's versatile. Paul White enthuses over MPC's latest little marvel.

If you've got a serious syncing problem, chances are the new Sync Box will be your best bet for a solution, as Paul White explains.

A single electronic pad with a handful of controls and an IC socket underneath it. It doesn't look like a recipe for tremendous excitement, but Paul White finds that there's more to the SDS1 than meets the eye.

The MIDI Index

We present The MIDI Index, a cost-effective - though as yet untested - circuit that enables Omni only MIDI synths to receive information in Poly mode.

Electronic drum kits give superb sound separation for the studio engineer - but he still has to mike up the cymbals. We investigate a novel application for the C-ducer contact strip microphone, which helps alleviate this problem.

Add-on for Digital Delay Lines

Paul White and an ingenious 'black box' that gives older-generation digital delay lines a sampling capability.

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.

Another acoustic drum manufacturer gives tradition the thumbs down and goes electronic. Paul White takes an in-depth look at Pearl's first futuristic percussion offering.

Not, as its name might imply, a wondrous device capable of predicting next week's racing results, but a handy build-it-yourself project that divides down sequencer and drum machine clock pulses. Designer Paul White has the full story.