An at-a-glance guide to MIDI and MOPS (Music-orientated Peripherals.)

Part 1: The Casio CZ Series

Baffled by MIDI Mode 4 on the Casio CZ synths? Paul Wiffen plots a path through one of modern technology's minefields, and explains how to get the best from it.

Since introducing the world to the delights of pure synth-pop in 1981, Vince Clarke has continued to demonstrate his mastery of the popular song form through the medium of synth technology. Paul Ireson investigates.

Wilf Smarties gives a new batch of CDs a spin.

Hitsound Sampling CDs

Paul Ireson checks out the first three volumes in the Hitsound Sampling CD library: Pure Gold Synth; Old Gold Synth; and Guitar.

The man responsible for the UK's first genuine acid house single discusses basslines, bitonality and the grin factor. Baby talk: David Bradwell.

What, a revolution in the US? Tony Mills plays foreign correspondent

Software Surplus

Memorymoog

Intended to be their finest moment, Moog's "ultimate" polysynth proved problematic and unreliable - yet it won many devotees. Steve Howell recalls the sound of analogue.

The art of writing music for popular television in the last few years may have been single-handedly redefined by Jan Hammer. His upbeat, rocky soundtracks to the hit TV series 'Miami Vice' (along with a few of the chart hits used in the show) have now produced two albums of instrumental music. Ed Jones finds out how they were done.

Once leader of the seminal Weather Report, Joe Zawinul recently took his current project, The Zawinul Syndicate, on the road. Simon Trask talks with an acknowledged master of the synthesiser.

Details of a new German computer musical instrument, MIDI software for the Apple Macintosh, and Passport's latest Commodore 64 music packages.

digital guitar science

Geoff Levin tries the latest word in psychoacoustic enhancement, and finds it involves analysing the entire frequency spectrum, then time-aligning parts of it. What do the results sound like in the studio?

The Alternative MIDI Controllers Session

In 1985 Propaganda produced a seminal electronic music album - then they vanished. Five years on they've returned to pick up where they left off. Michael Mertens talks to Tim Goodyer about technology and the German tradition.

Sold on the 3-Minute Song

Erasure's fifth album sees the duo of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell going from strength to strength, delivering electro-pop at its finest. But the doyens of synthesizer pop recorded Chorus with almost no MIDI instruments at all. Vince Clarke tells Paul Ireson how he made a hit album with 10-year old technology.

A look at a selection of the new and innovative equipment on show at Europe's premier trade fair.

High quality sampled bass sounds that you can play from any MIDI keyboard, sequencer or drum machine are offered by the 360 Systems MIDI BASS. Tony Hastings assesses its performance.

Phil and Paul Hartnoll are Orbital, and their pioneering brand of user-friendly electronic dance music is a lot more fluid than the traffic on the motorway that prompted the name. So Phil Ward avoids the M25 and heads straight for the heart of the P&P music factory

Details of new MIDI software and something for all Fostex Model 80 owners are amongst the new products we have for you this month.

Jerry Harrison makes it go

Having explored the history and development of wind synthesizers in our September issue, record producer and wind player extraordinaire John L. Walters compares and contrasts the Akai EWI and Yamaha WX7. Are they the instruments that wind players have been longing for? Find out inside.

Software Surplus

Kurzweil K2000

Kurzweil's new keyboard offers genuine innovation: versatile synthesis, an unparalleled user interface, and up to 64MB of user sampling are only the start of what sets the K2000 apart from other sample-based instruments. Craig Anderton explains why it will turn the head of even the most jaded technophile.