During November, E&MM attended both the 'Hands On Show' and 'Breadboard Exhibition'. Hands On organisers, Turnkey, were very pleased with the big turnout and their evening lectures on various aspects of electro-music were well attended. At Breadboard, the Spectrum was demonstrated to packed audiences and we have already received enough orders to be able to offer a full kit of components from next month.

Its synthesis capabilities exploit the Curtis chips fully and we are grateful to Curtis' UK suppliers, Digisound Ltd, for their helpful advice in this exciting project.

At last we have caught up with Tangerine Dream — during the year many readers have requested a feature and we are sure this will be the first of many on this experienced group.

We start two new columns this month — Fact File which highlights the equipment and methods of musicians in the current music scene; and a Guitar Workshop by Peter Cook who is well known as an expert guitar maker in the music industry.

Electronic music appears in many commercials, documentaries and films nowadays so it is interesting to discover that Richard Mitchell is producing film music using Powertran's kit synthesisers. This article should show a new direction for the electronic music composer.

Our Demo Cassettes are proving extremely popular and besides giving examples of music from the reviews and features, we are trying out two music study tracks for you to use with E&MM's music supplements. They are really practice 'backing tracks' that you play along with and require you to listen carefully to Rick Wakeman's '1984' LP and Tangerine Dream's 'Exit' LP. It's a great way to improve your reading and at the same time learn the composing and performing styles of today's electro-music.

Finally, Christmas is always the best time for musicians to do plenty of gigs and concerts. But it is also a time when many musicians can be giving some of their musical enjoyment to others less fortunate — why not give up an hour or so to play carols to Senior Citizens, hospital patients, or the disabled? Playing for charity can usually be organised with your local authorities and is another way the musician can contribute to this Festive Season.

E&MM wishes its readers a very happy Christmas and a musical New Year.