Tim Goodyer looks past the bright colours of Drum Theatre to find high technology and ethnic tradition working hand-in-hand, and selling records, too. The band themselves explain.

The Nightcatchers

First of an occasional series on the twilight zone between recording first demos and collecting that first gold disc. Birmingham's Nightcatchers talk to Tim Goodyer about tight budgets and big-name producers.

Sophie and Peter Johnston

If the major labels let you down and you're writing sophisticated electro-pop, forming your own record company is one way of getting your message across. Annabel Scott meets a remarkable brother-and-sister duo.

Beat box basics

More news from cyberspace

for Cubase, Notator and Breakthru

Grab a pizza, shove in a video and learn about Cubase, Rotator or Breakthm with these new manuals for the TV age.

the next generation

Programming drums

The Hands-On show 1985

for Your Analog Keyboard or Sequencer

UKMA

Now that the UK has its own MIDI association, help and information are but a phone call away. Simon Trask checks out the UKMA and its founder: Vic Lennard.

The System

System feature; sound collage with the CSQ600.

MIDI Controlled Muting

Paul White evaluates this compact and cost-effective means of adding sequencer-driven mute automation to any mixing console.

Once you've got your sequencer up and running you're gonna need some extra sound sources. Paul Wiffen guides us through the MIDI Expander jungle

12-Bah Humbug - A Christmas Blues

news from the front

new gear releases

The second of an ‘experimental’ column devoted entirely to Steinberg software. Written and compiled exclusively for SOS by Steinberg's experts, it contains hot news of current and forthcoming software revisions plus ‘in-house’ tips and tricks on its use. Read on and respond!

The Acorn Archimedes has not yet proved to be a popular computer amongst musicians, mainly because of the lack of useful software. Paul Ireson takes a look at a significant development in the world of Archimedes music: the Armadillo A616 stereo 16-bit sampler.

The second part of our constructional article on building a MIDI interface for the BBC Model B home computer. There's a complete parts list and some more software to get your board up and running once you've built it.

Where everything clicks

If it doesn’t work, it’s in the help file

Band-In-A-Box Software

Is it really possible to get more music out of a program than you put in? David Hughes looks at software that takes auto-accompaniment and makes it work for the musician.

MultiKlone Kit

Just because an electronic drum kit is (very) cheap, doesn't mean to say it isn't worth hearing. So says Paul White, who's played with the best of them.