Another selection of brand new products about to be launched in this country.

Mark Jenkins investigates the very latest attempt at replacing the Steinway Grand to come from the company that has made sampling its forte!

Part 1. American, Paul D. Lehrman, documents how he recently recorded an album of synthesized Irish music entirely on an Apple Macintosh computer using the Southworth Music Systems 'Total Music' software.

Know anything about bias, test-tones or calibration? If you use a tape recorder then you should! In the first of two parts, David Mellor explains the need for tape recorder line-up procedures and unravels the mystery behind this arcane science which can have a profound affect on the quality of your recordings.

Having hit upon the right formula with their successful 1882 mixer, Seck have now introduced a cut-price 1282 version aimed more at the needs of the 8-track user. Paul Gilby monitored its performance.

Over a 25 year period, Tom Hidley has designed and built more than 400 of the world's top recording studios. Recognised as an undisputed 'master' of his craft, his acoustic design concepts have changed the face of studios and the music that is made within their walls. In a rare interview, he talks openly about his design philosophy and his most current 'ground-breaking' project to Paul Gilby.

Ibanez are late entrants to the fast-moving field of digital reverb products, but their new SDR 1000 unit has something different about it that caught the eye of reviewer Mark Jenkins. Read the review to find out what...

Although still very young, keyboard player Guy Fletcher has a long list of album/single credits already under his belt for such artists as Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, Tina Turner, Mick Jagger and Dire Straits. Paul Gilby finds out how Guy landed such plum roles and learns more about the way Dire Straits make use of music technology in their recording.

Martin Russ outlines the practical benefits that using a Star Network can bring to anyone's existing MIDI set-up and further explores some applications of MIDI Switching Units.

The 'guitar synthesizer' appears to be going through a new lease of life at present, with many manufacturers releasing guitar-based synth controlling devices that make good use of MIDI's powers of expression. Ian Gilby tries out one such model: the Shadow GTM-6.

The Fairlight (in its previous Series II guise) was/is probably the most famous computer musical instrument in the world. Everybody knows the name, but few really know what its true capabilities are. Now there is a new breed of Fairlight, far more powerful and far more sophisticated than the old one ever was - the Series III. Richard Elen takes a look at the mind-boggling potential of this Rolls-Royce of sound sampling/synthesizing machines.

We gathered together five different types of microphone from the current Shure product range and gave them to sound engineer Dave Lockwood to test. Read his report in this issue.

An interesting name for a very interesting MIDI computer product from Flinton Instruments of Oxford. Jay Chapman tells you what it does and how it can be used.

Paul Gilby focuses his attention on a cost-effective modular effects rack system from Tantek and scrutinises one of its modules - a versatile sampler and digital delay unit.

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