The BBC's sound effects records have been the staple diet of many a film, TV and radio production. Now there is a new generation of digitally recorded sound effects available on compact disc which are ideal for sampling. David Mellor assesses their worth.

Self-contained mini-synth

What price British made effects? Two from Sola Sound and a Eurotec get the mad axe trial

Alesis MIDIfex

Hot on the heels of the remarkable MIDIverb, the MIDIfex takes reverb-derived sound treatments a step further, while retaining a low price-tag. Paul White has the details.

I used to work with this prat once who thought that I'd mis-spelt compleat when I used it in an article - sometimes you just can't win, can you? Dave Hastilow, however, is well sussed and brings you sound at a stroke.

Theatrical Sound Effects (Synthesized, Of Course!)

Digital Sound Effects System

An exciting sound-sampling effects generator

Ensoniq DP/4 Parallel Effects Processor

It's flexible, it's powerful, and it comes with a pretty hefty price tag. Paul White finds out whether Ensoniq's first foray into the world of stand-alone effects delivers enough bang for the buck. Additional research by Derek Johnson.

Sound On Sound's DEFINITIVE guide to DX7 RAM & ROM cartridges

We bring you Sound On Sounds DEFINITIVE guide to all ROM/RAMs available for the Yamaha DX7 in the UK. Over 2500 voices tested and everything you need to know about the products revealed in a comprehensive round-up and table.

Add-ons for small computers are getting more and more professional in their facilities, their quality and their presentation, as Chris Jenkins discovers.

Sound Workshop

Catch a glimpse of what goes through the mind of a Newcastle musician commissioned to provide a suitable soundtrack for an animated film whose subject matter revolves around a woman living alone in a high-rise block of flats. John Goodenough relates his experiences.

Richard Elen follows on from last month's Compleat Sound Effects Recordist with a short exposition on the wonders of FX recording with the aid of a coincident pair of mics and an examination of Uher's new cassette recorder.

Searching for new samples? Craig Anderton lends an ear to three discs from this new American CD sound library.

With a Macintosh computer and Digidesign's new CD-quality digital audio system, you can cut, splice, and create extended remixes to your heart's content. Paul D. Lehrman discovers what it is like to go tapeless in the studio.

The Roland Sound Canvas is far more than a successor to the MT32— it's the first of a whole new generation of MIDI instruments, conforming to the General MIDI standard. Special Agent Paul D. Lehrman investigates.

Sound card feature

There's a revolution going on in the high street. People with no musical experience can now write and record songs. All you require is a PC, a sound card... and MT's definitive guide. Ian Waugh is your dealer.

Heathcliff: Behind the sound

FM Sound Generator

Yamaha's preset synth expander offers a multitude of FM sounds for reasonable money, and also boasts MIDI Mono Mode for multi-timbral recording. David Ellis gives his verdict.