An extended feature this month to incorporate many of the new products shown at NAMM and the Frankfurt Music Fair.

Jonathan Sorrell is one of a handful of session programmers working with the world's most sophisticated sampling keyboard - the Synclavier. Paul Gilby discovers how it came about.

Ian Gilby reviews a truly ingenious programmable patchbay that takes all the hard workout of MIDI equipment routing in the studio - the Sycologic M16 MIDI Matrix.

Dave Lockwood tastes the aural delights of the MIDIVERB's upmarket stablemate - the XTc.

Paul Gilby scrutinises the world's cheapest MIDI controlled stereo digital reverb, the MIDIVERB.

Ian Gilby looks at how you can programme that 'human feel' into your drum patterns or sequences using another clever device from the Bokse company - the MIDI Humaniser.

Keyboard programmer Paul Wiffen draws to a close his popular series on the merits of sampling techniques with a close look at two means of extending your sample playback range.

The phenomenal rise to success of Gary Stevenson came about through his dynamic production work on the first Go West album. Ralph Denyer extracts the details of the saga and discovers what Gary has planned for the future.

Manufacturers of keyboard samplers are now turning their attentions to the studio market by offering enhanced rack-mount versions of their products. Mark Jenkins waited anxiously at Heathrow for the first device to hit our shores - the budget-priced, 8-voice multi-sampler from Ensoniq. Read his report.

Multiple output devices like drum machines and sequencers are placing new demands on mixer manufacturers to come up with increased input channel desks. One of the first to respond are Soundtracs with a new range of recording consoles. Dave Lockwood tries out the 24/8/2/model.

Jay Chapman delves deep into the murky waters of MIDI's often ignored Mono Mode in pursuit of multi-timbral expression!

Dr.T's MIDI Sequencer software for the Commodore 64 has been much applauded in the USA for its versatile real-time and steptime operation. Now that it's available on prescription in the UK, we asked software surgeon Ian Waugh for his diagnosis...

If you're not an FM fan, but are looking for a low-cost polysynth that can double as a MIDI expander, you won't need to look further than Roland's new Alpha Juno-1 according to Mark Jenkins.

Part 2 of our series finds Francis Rumsey exploring timecode standards and the use of timecode with video.

We were so impressed with this brand new stereo digital reverb that we felt you should have a chance to experience it too! Turn to page 77 and find out how to win one.

We've now reached Part 4 where Robin Lumley surveys the technology of syncing sound and vision.

Competition results, news and gossip.