How to get the very best from what you do in the privacy of your own home

More of the mysteries of MIDI dispelled, as Bob O'Donnell puts MIDI plug into MIDI socket and connects controller to expander. Part two of this new series.

Personal Music Studio

Ensoniq don't bombard the market with products - they take their time and get it right. Paul Ireson casts an eye over their new SQ1 workstation.

all the singer needs to know, part 1

Computer Music System

Gerry Queen brings us an exclusive preview of what will be Britain's first custom-designed computer music system - from the people who brought you the OSCar monosynth. It's capable of combining analogue, digital and sampled sound sources, and it's cheap.

Stanley Clarke & George Duke, Pat Benatar and AMM

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Britain's biggest, busiest and noisiest music fair is over for another year. So what did we get for our money and our aching feet? Report by Simon Trask.

Art Multiverb III & SGE Mach II

Art seem to update their range of multi-effects processors faster than everyone else. Dave Lockwood checks out two of their very latest incarnations.

Absolute Beginners

Neville and Val Pearson pass on their experience in equipping a home studio. Following their advice could save you from making more than one costly mistake.

Polyphonic MIDI Sound Sampler

A real advance in the field of accessible polyphonic sound sampling. Tim Goodyer finds out if the 612's beauty is more than price-tag-deep.

John Harris draws on personal experience to reveal some of the problems encountered when recording TV pop music programmes.

Nyle Steiner and Sal Gallina Interviewed

As wind synthesis gains momentum we sent Nick Armington and Lars Lofas out to track down and talk to the men responsible for the design of the Yamaha WX1 and Akai EWI.

Martin Russ reflects on a cult phenomenon: Kawai’s K5 additive synthesizer.

TX816 Rack, QX1 Digital Sequencer, KX88 Master Keyboard

At last, a detailed appraisal of Yamaha's state-of-the-art MIDI system. FM rack, digital keyboard recorder and master keyboard come under David Ellis' careful scrutiny.

John Harris and Shirley Gray take a look behind the scenes to find out how the tube is recorded and how much planning is necessary to produce the apparent unrehearsed chaos that we all know and love.

Music Sequencer

The phrase "size isn't everything" could have been written for this pocket-sized sequencer and synth expander. Simon Trask predicts big things.

DAT Recorder

Tascam's latest machine has all the features we have come to expect of a professional DAT recorder. Dave Lockwood assesses its performance.

Indie Records

First part on how to go about releasing your own electronic record. A D.I.Y. guide.

As Fifth Generation computing takes more definite shape, David Ellis goes crystal ball-gazing in an attempt to predict its musical implications.