Alternative routes to funny fingerings. Tuning is not cheating, we say.

Who you (the readers) voted as best musician, and what you (still the readers) voted as best gear. We shake the world.

Bass Slate

The life history of the bass guitar.

Mark J. Prendergast explores the recording process that surrounded Peter Gabriel's new album 'Passion' and takes a peep inside Gabriel's Real World studio complex.

Neville Unwin attempts to shed some light on contemporary production and arrangement.

Rhythmic and Harmonic Structure

Dave Sinclair sorts out seven significant strikers

Peter Gabriel at Selhurst Park

Watson

Ben Duncan passes some of his tried and tested methods of evicting any studio gremlins that may be residing in the mains supply, and also explains the phenomenon of the singing light bulb.

return of the great Briton

The pick of 1983's equipment releases.

Engineer Jim Ebdon shares some secrets about getting a heavy live sound, and Andrew Levy explains the band’s approach to recording

How much do musicians really earn? The rich ones (ahem) the poor ones (definitely).

How to be an engineer, what happened at these two trade shows and why John Lennon would turn in his grave

South America: home of Latin rhythms and countless rhythmic influences is this month's port of call for Nigel Lord on his rhythm programming journey.

An IM Investigation

If you're thinking of working abroad read IM's complete guide to hassle avoidance

Songwriter.

Hooklines and singers analysed by Jim Betteridge

"Build a better mousetrap", they said, "and the world will beat a path to your door". Nobody warned Nigel Lord that writing a drum programming column for MT has the same effect.

Going Busking

Should you do it? Can you legally do it? Have you got the right sort of songs to do it?

All the latest topical bulletins from the trade

NOMIS

Chris Maillard co-stars in The NOMIS Complex. In all major West End cinemas now

Goes Chrimbo Crazy

A special seasonal waft of your favourite news and gossip column, this time drifting through the whole magazine and including mini-interviews with the likes of China Crisis and jokes from the likes of us. The fun starts here.