Welcome to the new look, new format Sound On Sound. So what's new? Well, me for starters (although I ain't that new!). With the departure of Paul Ireson from the editor's chair (thanks for keeping it warm, mate), I have returned to the hot seat to take up the challenge of making SOS even bigger and better than it has ever been. The result is in your hands — a monumental 208 page action-packed magazine; so BIG it'll take you a full month just to turn all the pages!

I'm sure it won't have escaped your notice that our sister magazine Recording Musician has been combined with SOS this month, which partly accounts for the increased issue size and the new design look — hope you all like it. The reason for combining the two mags is simple: it's what you all wanted! (It proves we listen.) Our surveys showed that Recording Musician readers wanted more hi-tech editorial and Sound On Sound readers wanted more recording and live sound coverage. Hmmm.... why not combine the two mags, we thought, to produce Europe's biggest and best 'totally integrated' hi-tech music recording magazine? So we did. Recent technological developments in the once disparate hi-tech and recording markets have brought the two disciplines so close together now that they have fused into one. Is there any real difference between a multitrack hard disk recorder running on a computer and a conventional multitrack tape recorder? Certainly not in function, and increasingly less so in concept. Equally, with MIDI muting systems and integral mixing pages available on many software sequencers, for instance, isn't it fair to assume that users of such systems would benefit just as much from articles about how to mix and how to make the most of MIDI muting as would users of hardware mixing desks equipped with these same functions? We thought so too — that's why RM is now an integral part of Sound On Sound. We think you'll like the new approach — it's practical, down to earth, highly informative and downright entertaining. Let me know your impressions, dear readers.

So what else is new? Well, we've brought on board the team that made Recording Musician such an instant hit with the readers: Paul White is now Recording Editor of SOS; Assistant Editor Derek Johnson can now devote more of his time to SOS instead of both mags; and Production Editor Debbie Poyser will finally be able to plan that well-earned holiday! In addition, we must say a big "Hi!" to Clare 'the flare' Holland, who joined our graphic design staff in time to add the 'female touch' to this new-look magazine. And while I'm at it, let's not forget the established SOS production team, who have worked their proverbial derrieres off to make this month's issue so stunning in the face of DTP adversity (can anyone tell me why Quark Xpress is so bloody slow at screen updates, even on a Quadra?) — thanks guys.

We hope you'll come to think of these changes as 'improvements' and 'refinements' once you've had the chance to check out an article or two. There's something for everybody in the new-look mag. We'll be expanding the range of artist interviews each month to cover a diversity of tastes in music, as well as giving more space to technique-based articles like 'Dance Music Sequencing Techniques' (p.50) and 'Getting The Max From Your E-mu MPS' (p.92). Of course, we'll still be first with reviews of hot items like the Roland JD990 (p.38) and informative behind-the-scenes features on up-and-coming products, like the Soundcraft DC2000 moving fader-equipped mixing console (p.58).

Since SOS is read by a truly diverse cross-section of the music industry, all with wide-ranging levels of experience — from top producers and major artists, through equipment designers and programmers, to home musicians, up-and-coming bands, and complete newcomers to the exciting world of hi-tech music recording — we can now cater to even more of your needs in the additional pages.

Finally, I'd like to blow one further note on the corporate trumpet. In recognition of Sound On Sound's stature as Europe's No.1 hi-tech recording magazine, MTV Europe recently approached us to supply their teletext service, MTV Text, with fortnightly excerpts from our 'Shape Of Things To Come' news pages. This means that, in addition to our regular 100,000+ readers, the world of hi-tech music recording will be opened up to some 43 million MTV viewers throughout Europe who can now dial up page 210 of MTV Text. Now if only we could get them all to buy the magazine...