EUROPE'S LARGEST MUSIC FAIR INVOLVES THE ENTIRE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT INDUSTRY IN AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO HUGE EXHIBITION HALLS TO CATCH THEIR GLIMPSE OF THE VERY LATEST GEAR - THIS PICTORIAL PREVIEW IS YOURS. FULL REPORT NEXT MONTH.

Yamaha's RY30 drum machine introduces old-fashioned, synth-style, real-time sound modification to the world of digital drum programming with its "bend" wheel.

Furthering the success of their Proteus sample players and Proformance piano modules, E-mu hope to strike gold with their Procussion drum module.

While Cheetah's analogue MS800 synth expander awaited its final touches, their Master Series 770's weighted keyboard won the caress of thousands of fingers.

Mixing the new and the old: Roland's impressive new JD800 synth fuses state-of-the-art digital synthesis with "analogue" programming techniques.

Counterpoint: a mock-up of Korg's new Digital Audio Production system shared a display case with their 1968 "Traveler Orgel" organ.

Just one of three new keyboards about to join the popular Ensoniq range is the SQ2 - it's so new that almost no information was available at the time of the fair.

Another sound module with roots in analogue synthesis is Akai's EWI 3000m - designed for use with EWI/EVI controllers and the new X335i breath controller.

Oberheim are set to renew their acquaintance with panels full of inviting knobs - the awesome-looking OB-MX analogue expander module makes it debut.