terrific tips from the top

So You Say

What the people say.

Born-again guitar heroes Big Country foresee even greater success for their latest album, The Seer. Overseeing their ambitions, our very own Ricky Gordon

Big night in Bristol

Zoom Driver 5000 Distortion Pedal

It may look like a hi-tech fuzz box but it's actually a sophisticated guitar preamp with speaker simulator.

ExpanderCheck

An idea whose time has come — a sample-based expander. Tony Reed slaps it around

Twin channel three voice electronic piano with six band graphic

Another collection of readers' synth patches. If you've got a sound you're particularly proud of, why not begin your career as a programmer in MT? More on page 82.

run-down on nearly 20

Four software offerings from the authors of the popular Dr Beat Vol 1 make effective use of MIDI Song Files to bring music to your ST. Ian Waugh checks the imports.

Improvisation Software

Auto-accompaniment software seems to be growing up, offering real interaction and creativity in place of tacky preset patterns. Martin Russ looks at Improviser, an ST program that does just what its name suggests.

Mono/poly preset with orchestral voices

MT readers get their chance to see their own synth sounds in print. Instruments featured this month include the Juno 106, Poly 800 and DX21...

Yet more of Jez comment as he gets his vocal chords round Digigram/Farfisa's latest MIDI gadget

SynthCheck

Tony Mills toys with the latest Korgi and gets enthusiastic

FM goes weeny

Casio CZ101, Korg Poly 800, Roland SH101 and Yamaha DX100 synths feature in this month's edition of the readers' synth sound page. Keep 'em coming...

Synthcheck

The professional successor to the Six-Trak meets Curtis Schwartz

Stand on one foot to play Moog's newly designed version of their famous bass pedals.