As the world and his wife gets hot under the collar about affordable 16-bit sampling, we wonder if the increase in sound quality is necessary at all.

For the first time, a UK magazine gives coverage to the fair that follows NAMM and Frankfurt. It may not be as big, but it's growing in importance all the time. Dan Goldstein reports from the Bosphorus.

Dan Goldstein talks to the Can founder member whose current interests include providing the Pope with a backing band, recording with four valve tape machines, and chopping-up bits of Bulgarian folk music.

If music-making becomes more and more popular, will the quality of popular music automatically slide downwards? Is the Casio VL-tone responsible for Starship?

Portable Sampling Keyboard

You want a synthesiser, a drum machine, a sequencer and a sampler, but you've got less than £500 to spend? Home-keyboard buyers are currently being offered just such a package, as Dan Goldstein discovers.

As Yamaha's London R&D Centre opens its doors, we ask if it's reasonable to expect musicians to know what they want anyway.

"The customer is always right", runs the well-known phrase. But from what we hear this month, musical instrument retailers don't seem to pin much faith in it.

Not quite a household name, but an American jazz fusion guitarist whose attitude to improvisation and performing with new technology is starting a quiet revolution. Dan Goldstein gets the lowdown.

With the British Music Fair upon us the musical equipment manufacturers are proving there's nothing like the hi-tech end of the music market for innovation - and no-one like MT to pass Comment on it.

In case the current wave of BMF-madness has overtaken you completely, MT dropped in on the annual Chicago show to see how the Americans do it. Report: Dan Goldstein, Rick Davies, Paul White and Bob O'Donnell.

A change of skipper at the helm of Music Technology: the old editor signs out, the new one signs in.

FM Synthesizer Module

Is this the FM synth you've been waiting for? Dan Goldstein takes a look at Yamaha's new six-operator, multi-timbral module.

Strongroom Studio

Hidden in the centre of London is a recording studio with MIDI very much in its heart. Dan Goldstein talks to its directors about technology, producers and prejudice.

Sampling Drum Machine

"Affordable" sampling drum machines are few and far between. Dan Goldstein checks up on this contender for a vacant throne from the French.

Yamaha's classic CS80 makes a welcome appearance alongside the CZ101, Bit 99 and DW6000, and more ROMs for the DX7 complete this month's selection of readers' sounds.

A little-known American drummer who played on such classic recordings as 'Rappers' Delight' and 'The Message' talks to Dan Goldstein about "stretching" technology.

Orinoco Studio

Another studio receives a visit from a roving MT reporter. This time the intrepid Dan Goldstein drops in on South East London's Orinoco Studios.

RETROSPECT: the hollies

complete career countdown

Yesteryear's Gear: Roland Juno synths

classic analogue synthesizers for today's acid sounds

RETROSPECT: miles davis

what can a 63-year-old jazz trumpeter teach you about playing? rather a lot, actually

Dream Machine: Studiomaster 848r ProLine Mixer

the spotlight falls on the Studiomaster 848R mixer