HARDWARE

Akai are soon to launch their long-awaited music products, the MG1212 multitracker and AX80 polysynth.

The MG1212 is a combined 12-track ½"tape recorder with built-in 12-channel mixer, using Akai's 'Lambda' tape loading system and featuring functions such as computerised channel/track routing and memory, and program auto search. In addition to the 12 audio tracks, the MG1212 has two tracks for control and sync.

Their 8-voice polyphonic synthesiser, the AX80, incorporates two oscillators and one sub-oscillator per voice, two banks of 32 programmable memories, 32 preset voices (giving a total of 96 sounds), a touch-sensitive keyboard and, of course, MIDI.

For further information, contact Akai (UK) Ltd, (Contact Details).

Carlsbro's new 150 watt, 5-channel keyboard amplifier, the Keyboard 150, is available as either a head or combo (1 x 15" plus two bullet speakers). Channel 5 is a Tape/Aux input designed for backing tapes, and each channel comprises Gain, Bass, and Treble, while Reverb and FX send and return sockets feature on Channels 1-4.

Further information may be obtained from Carlsbro Sound Equipment Ltd, (Contact Details).

From Simmons comes the SDS1, a battery-powered digital drum with a library of sounds available in EPROM. The unit itself has pitch, pitch-bend, sensitivity and volume controls as well as a Trigger In facility. Further details from Simmons Electronics Ltd, (Contact Details).

The Poly-MIDI.1 is a new MIDI-compatible polyphonic sequencer which should retail at under £500 when it comes to the UK towards the end of the year. Its capabilities include 6500 notes of realtime or step-time sequencing (assignable in a maximum of five sequences, with two chains also possible) and being used as a cassette interface for saving sound libraries from synthesisers without this facility (eg. Yamaha DX7, SCI SixTrak).

Further information from the UK distributor, Oxford Synthesiser Company, (Contact Details).

TECHNOLOGY

Cass London are offering several five-day courses in Elementary Recording (£250), Synthesisers - Theory & Practice (£250) and Fairlight CMI (£500) during November, December and January. Further details from Cass London, (Contact Details).

COMPUTER MUSICIAN

'MSX - An Introduction' is the title of a new book published this month by Century Communications. Covering the essentials of computer programming in MSX-BASIC, the book should prove of value to anyone contemplating buying a Yamaha CX5, or indeed any other MSX micro, and is available from leading retail chains priced at £7.95, or £12.95 for the book and software cassette.

Island Logic - a new software company to be launched during October as a division of the hugely successful Island Records label - have announced a complete music package for the BBC B, with further software developments promised.

'The Music System' - as the package is called - comes in both disk and cassette formats. The disk version comprises five different elements: the Editor, the Keyboard, the Linker, the Printer and the Synthesiser, and retails at £24.95, while two software cassettes (retailing at £12.95 each) are necessary to store the same information, Cassette 1 comprising the Editor and the Printer, and Cassette 2 the Synthesiser and the Keyboard.

For further details contact Island Logic Ltd, (Contact Details).

Towards the end of September, London's Gateway Studios were broken into and a number of items stolen, namely a Roland Vocoder Plus VP330 (serial number 951405) with flightcase; a Shure SM10 Headset Microphone; a Roland Juno 106 (SN 437622) with Kohler Carrier; and a Roland SH101 monosynth (grey) with modulation grip. Anyone coming into contact with any of the above equipment should contact Lavender Hill Police Station or Gateway Studios, (Contact Details).

Electronic Music TV Special, South Bank Show, LWT - Sunday, November 4.

London MicroMarket, Wembley Conference Centre, London - November 10/11.

Leisuretronics (reported last month) is now cancelled.

Musicom '84, Hilton International Hotel, Rotterdam, Holland - November 9/10/11/12.

Provisional dates for the Roland Road Show to be held throughout November and consisting of two live performances (usually at 3pm and 8pm) are as follows:

Final details from Roland, (Contact Details).

This year's Hands On Show will be held on Saturday November 10 and Sunday 11 from 10am to 6pm at the Clive Hotel, Primrose Hill Road, London (nearest tube Chalk Farm). It'll include seminars on the use of the latest processors, specialist microphone techniques, solving home recording problems and wiring for maximum flexibility, and amongst the speakers due to appear are Dave Ward of Gateway Studios, Bob Wilson of Atlantex and Andy Munro of Turnkey Two.

Exhibitors will include Accessit, Fostex, MXR, Otari, Rebis, Sennheiser, Soundcraft, Tascam, Tannoy and Yamaha, all sporting, no doubt, the latest in budget home recording equipment.

E&MM and sister magazine Home Studio Recording will also be there in force to answer queries, sell back issues and T-shirts, consume alcohol...

Admission to the exhibits is free, but seminar pre-registration costs £2. For full programme details including an advance registration form, contact Turnkey, (Contact Details).