As promised, after the music software special issue we produced to tie in with the PC Show at Earl's Court, this month's edition returns to the 'normal' mix of hi-tech and recording related news, reviews and technique features you all seem to love. At least that's what many of our readers amongst the 100,000 people who turned up at Earl's Court told us! And who are we to disbelieve them?

Seriously, though, we do value your comments regarding the direction and content of Sound On Sound; after all, it's your loyal and devoted support that makes us Britain's No.1 Hi-Tech Music Recording magazine.

As Sound On Sound embarks upon its fifth great year, I would like to thank all of our readers and advertisers for allowing the magazine to flourish when others around us have fallen by the wayside. I like to think that the musical instrument industry has grown better and more professional for our existence, and will continue to do so.

Birthdays are always a time for reflection and contemplation, and it's interesting to recall the impact technology has had on musicians during the lifespan of this publication. Here at Sound On Sound we have never been afraid to stick our editorial neck out and devote pages to important areas of developing technology which may, at the time of publication, appear to be inapplicable to the 'average' musician. For example, way back in 1985 we ran a five-part series called 'Using Timecodes', which outlined how SMPTE/EBU was being used by the film, TV and video industries and how it might one day be applicable to the recording fraternity and musicians at home.

"Musicians don't want to read about technical stuff like SMPTE," we were knowledgeably informed by several so-called 'forward thinking' manufacturers. Four years on and few self-respecting musicians or engineers these days could ever contemplate running their MIDI studio without timecode! And what about the distributor whose classic one-liner always raised a titter: "MIDI? Doesn't that stand for 'Mindless Idiots Desire It'?" he used to say. He's currently making a very comfortable living out of selling musicians MIDI-controlled equipment. It's a funny old game this music business...

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to gloat, or feign superiority; it's just that I would like to see our (admittedly few) critics taking a more longterm view of this increasingly technological industry and where it is heading, whilst recognising the educational value of an in-depth magazine series like 'System Exclusive' (see page 88). I admit that many readers do like to see up-to-the-minute reviews of the latest whizz-bang megasynth (have you read page 97 yet?), but a far greater number prefer to read technique-based support articles that help demystify the workings of hi-tech instrumentation. Once readers have actually succumbed to the advertising hyperbole and bought the latest product, they want to know how to use it! And this is where Sound On Sound will continue to play an important role. Enjoy the issue.