keyboard

The simplest way of talking to your QY10/QY20

Ministudio

Is there still room for a little old style analogue technology? Tascam offer evidence for the defence

Human Rhythm Composer

Nicholas Rowland examines the successor to Roland’s classic R-8 drum machine and asks: is there life in the old beatbox yet?

Catch your breath before reading - a new age in synth controllers is dawning and they'll blow you away. But where do they fit into the present scheme of things? No MT, no comment.

MIDI Keyboard Controller

'Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye' - as Val Doonican once said. Now you can with Roland's portable MIDI keyboard controller, designed for those with a severe case of guitar envy. Nicholas Rowland discusses the angle of the dangle

Rack Mixer

DJs know Phonic's mini-mixers well. Will the musician take to their new 16-channel, rackmounted offering? Nicholas Rowland racks his brains

Nicholas Rowland checks out some amazing sound sources for your sampler

powered mixer + HiSys 2 monitors

A PA system you can take anywhere

There's more than one way to a living out of music. Nicholas Rowland talks to the Pync Brothers about writing and recording music specifically for use in TV and radio advertising jingles.

The cassette 4-track is still the focal point of the home studio, and Marantz have produced a serious challenger to the familiar Portastudio. How does it measure up? How will musicians’ take to it? How does Nicholas Rowland do it?

Mixing Desk

Q: Just what is a Minister Without Portfolio? A: A leading member of the Government who hasn't got Soundcraft's nifty new portable mixer, that's what. Nicholas Rowland raises questions in The House

Multi-effects Processor

ART's ever-expanding range of signal processors is intended to cater for musicians of all styles and financial means. Nicholas Rowland test drives a new effects unit whose price belies its power.

2nd Sense Studio

Take an eight-track tape deck and a 128-track MIDI sequencer and you've got the basis of 2nd Sense studio. Nicholas Rowland visits a studio taking full advantage of what modern technology has to offer.

Take the Fostex X15, restyle it, add new features, raise the price by the cost of a dirty weekend in Blackpool and you've got their new X30 multitracker. Nicholas Rowland finds out if they're on the right track.

Yamaha RY20

Beatbox rejuvenated

Vocal Harmony Processor

It's that Nicholas Rowland again, testing his tonsils on Digitech's new 5-part vocal harmony processor. You too can sound like The, er, Five Tops

PC sequencing and notation software

16-track sequencing and notation software for the PC. Especially for those who know the score...

Nicholas Rowland guides us through the tricky process of choosing the best sequencer for our money

sequencer for the PC

For many people, the definitive sequencing software for the PC has yet to be written. Could this be it?

Cult masters of industrial funk talk hi-tech sounds, performance CDs and popular commerciality to Nicholas Rowland; the code of the '80s.

MIDI FX Controller

Programming Lexicon FX units has never been easier, thanks to this upgraded version of their remote control. And what do you know? Nicholas Rowland, not Top Cat, is the most effectual. Lexicon’s LXP-5 FX module gets the one-over too

Personal Multitracker

The intrepid Nicholas Rowland continues his search for the ultimate in personal multitrackers; armed only with a blank cassette and a bedroom's worth of gear, he tackles Tascam's latest budget baby.

Portable Keyboard

Budget polysynth or home organ accessory? Casio attempt to find another gap in the market with Spectrum Distortion synthesis. Nicholas Rowland finds it's not too far from old-fashioned analogue.