Die Krupps: hi-tech and heavy

Yello made the sort of music everyone had heard of but few people heard - until Shirley Bassey helped them into the pop charts. These obscure Swiss art rockers reveal all to Nicholas Rowland.

An English playwrite talks to Nicholas Rowland about the lure of electronic sampling techniques; the sounds of the theatre come of age.

The people who invented the electronic drum introduce MIDI — and a decidedly acoustic sound - with the advent of a new kit, the SDS9. Nigel Lord gives his verdict.

Simmons SDS7 and SDS8

In a special report, Ultravox drummer Warren Cann takes a look at two new electronic drum-kits from Simmons - the people who started it all. One is a straight forward 'Simmons-sound-on-a-budget' model, the other a sophisticated modular system employing both analogue and digital sound-generation, as well as versatile user-programmability.

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.

A chat with art-punk godfather Bruce Gilbert, a founder member of left-field collaboration Wire. The man reveals a low-tech approach to hi-tech gear... and a few trade secrets.

We meet the trio of men behind the Frank Chickens.

The man who brought computers to Frankie and programmed his way to chart infamy with The Art of Noise, fits in an interview before going out to play some very English sport. Paul Tingen fills in the scorecard.

The line between man and machine is blurred; today there exists an entity whose purpose is to make music. Simon Trask discovers that its sights are locked on the dance charts and it absolutely will not stop.

how to liven up your music by being open to improvisation

The Nightcatchers

First of an occasional series on the twilight zone between recording first demos and collecting that first gold disc. Birmingham's Nightcatchers talk to Tim Goodyer about tight budgets and big-name producers.

Mark J. Prendergast looks behind the anonymous front of the KLF, riding high on the success of 'What Time Is Love' and '3am Eternal'.

Worth its weight in microphones and Gaffa tape.

Rhythm Composer and Digital Keyboard Recorder

A matching analogue/digital drum-machine and digital keyboard recorder come under the gaze of Dan Goldstein and Geoff Twigg.

Voice Processor

More than just a vocoder, this voice processor incorporates pitch shifting and pitch-to-MIDI conversion. Bob O'Donnell listens to what it has to say for itself.

Sounds, samples, & software upgrades for the modern studio

New software, updates, sounds, and samples

Rhythm Workstation

With its synthesizer-like voice editing functions, built-in stereo signal processing, 8-track sequencing and SMPTE sync options, can Korg's new top-of-the-line drum machine justify its title of rhythm workstation? Richard Aaron finds out.

Sounds, samples, & software upgrades for the modern studio

New software, updates, sounds, and samples