Shredder goes to New Orleans for hot news from America's major instrument show... scoop

Hugh Padgham has worked with some of the best contemporary artists - The Police, Genesis, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, and Phil Collins, to name but a few - and has earned his place in the recording industry history books through his sensitive, innovative, and inspired sound engineering and production work. How did he do it? Brian Jacobs finds out...

Ben Duncan goes through one of his phases...

Having been out of the limelight for a while, Robin has again donned his producer's cap and set to work with new artists 3AM and Robin Clark. Here he talks of his involvement with them and his attitude to the home recording revolution.

Mark Prendergast takes a look behind the scenes at the recording of New Order's fifth LP, 'Technique'.

Digidesign SampleCell II

Mac-driven sampling re-defined

Part 10 of this rhythm programming series covers a selection of fascinating rhythms indigenous to the exotic countries of South America. Nigel Lord gets a studio tan.

If the major record companies won't give you the deal you know you deserve, you could do worse than to do it yourself. David Bradwell investigates the pros and cons of pressing your own single.

The release of Jason Rebello's first LP shows him to be more than the tasteful performer the jazz circuit already recognises. Simon Trask talks to one of Britain's leading jazz keyboardsmen.

Part 7. In this penultimate episode Jay Chapman explains the usefulness of MIDI's all-important System Exclusive messages.

Dbx 'X' Processors

Apart from noise reduction systems, dbx make a studio quality range of 'budget' signal processors. Engineer Gareth Stuart put three of them - the 163X compressor/limiter, 263X de-esser, and 463X noise gate/expander - through their paces.

Sample Expander For Korg M1

Portable Sampling Keyboard

You want a synthesiser, a drum machine, a sequencer and a sampler, but you've got less than £500 to spend? Home-keyboard buyers are currently being offered just such a package, as Dan Goldstein discovers.

The assembled masses of the IM review department wax lyrical over their selected favourites from this year's music fair.

A self-contained analogue drum synth from ultimate Percussion.

8-Track Tape Recorder

Since its dramatic drop in price, the C278 is an attractive proposition to the private user who puts quality before frills.

A survey of trendsetters

Synthcheck

Paul Fishman goes to town on Crumar's new baby

Keyboard Technique

Helpful hints to improve your keyboard technique.

M.P.C. Percussion Roundup

The MPC percussion system: DSM1/2; DSM 8 Auto Tom; DSM 32 x 4 drum synth; Programmers Rhythm Sequencer.

Ian Waugh takes a side by side look at Fingers and Tunesmith.

E&MM looks in a new direction that starts you thinking about the way you play, from a psychologist's point of view

An explanation of psychoacoustic signal enhancers and their possible applications.

Dod 944 Chain Reaction

On the rack again!