From the first all-electronic record label to the first ARS Electronica concert, Hubert Bognermayr has been one of electronic music's pioneers. David Bradwell makes the Austrian connection.

Why use an expensive sampler for playing bass sounds when you can take advantage of the Pro MIDI Bass and free your sampler for more worthwhile tasks? Mike Collins lets his fingers do the walking.

More hints and tips revealed as the expert teaching staff of London's Gateway School of Recording & Music Technology answer your queries.

Who helped make Climie Fisher's single a hit? And the Pet Shop Boys', and Depeche Mode's, and Bananarama's? David Bradwell investigates the latest action in the Stock, Aitken & Waterman production stable.

Rack-Mount Sampler/Sequencer

A rack-mount version of the EPS was something Ensoniq swore they would never produce, but they have finally bowed to public pressure. Paul Wiffen looks at the extra memory, extra outputs and SCSI applications, and concludes it has been worth the wait.

Howard Jones was the first keyboard player to successfully exploit the new technology to the full by regularly performing solo concerts with nothing but MIDI instruments as his backing band. In this rare interview, Brian Jacobs talks to Howard about his music, recording, his decision to produce most of his new album himself, and his growing admiration for an instrument he once said he would never use.

Nobody has advanced the application of technology in music more than Peter Gabriel. His pioneering use of the Fairlight CMI helped popularise that instrument and give credence to sampling as a creative recording practice. Yet his music has never fallen prey to the technology trap - his latest album So remains a soulful collection of songs heavily reliant on technology but applied with subtlety. Ray Hammond talks to the great man about the album, new technology, Otis Redding, and his role as musician.

Following last month's list of synthesis casualties, David Ellis delves deeper into the archives and finds yet more mysterious products of human ingenuity. Some of them are quite spectacular.

The Recording of a Film Soundtrack Music

Ed Jones sits in on a major film music session in Abbey Road Studios, London, and reports on how the London Symphony Orchestra and a host of extra musicians recorded the music soundtrack to George Lucas' forthcoming prequel to 'Star Wars' - 'Willow'.

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.

The Dawning Of A New Era?

The impact of new technology has brought many changes to the recording industry. It has equally brought problems. Why, for instance, are some studios failing to attract enough business to survive, whilst others seem to be flourishing? One West London studio that has foreseen the writing on the wall and implemented changes is Berwick Street Studios. So we checked them out.

A complete psychosensory experience in the back of a Transit van? David Bradwell talks to the man behind the most sophisticated sound system on wheels.

After releasing an album consisting entirely of human vocal samples, Claire Hamill reintroduces the synthesiser to her music. David Bradwell listens to the singer's tale.

How To Save £54,800

Tony Mills makes a meal of the most interesting musical microprocessing around.

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

Interested in hi-tech higher education? Chris Kempster reports on the MIDI studios and recording courses available to students at Salford College Of Technology.

Roland's top of the range sampler is the last of those announced at Frankfurt to reach the marketplace, but its 16-note polyphony, 512K memory, and built-in visual editing software could well give it an edge over existing £2000 samplers. Paul Wiffen takes up the case.

System Exclusive messages promised to make MIDI a flexible and powerful communications standard; instead it seems to have caused MIDI havoc. Vic Lennard takes an Exclusive look.

Tonight the hot instrumental news is read by someone with a megaphone. Strange.

UK chart success may have been elusive of late but Howard Jones' continued popularity in the States has brought its rewards — an SSL-equipped 48-track home studio. Interview by Paul Tingen.

From his Vox Continental days with Elvis Costello, to a regular spot on Jonathan Ross' The Last Resort, and now on to film scores, Steve Nieve has retained an objective approach to technology.

Digital Sampling Keyboard

The competition is tough for Roland's upmarket sampler. Paul Wiffen discovers if 16 voices, a fine keyboard, and direct monitor connection are enough to put it at the top of the tree.

Veteran songwriter Peter Hammill and programmer Paul Ridout have used some revolutionary applications of MIDI technology in the creation of Hammill's latest album. Paul Tingen interviews them, and comes away suitably impressed.

NAMM Report

American software engineer Chris Meyer submits a personal, highly subjective and utterly biased report on Chicago's summer music extravaganza. Well, he was only there for a day.