Total Percussion Sound Module

From the R8 Human Rhythm Composer comes the Total Percussion Sound Module "humanising' without a sequencer? Simon Trask investigates Roland's latest beat box and a selection of sound cards.

What is 'New Age' music? Who plays it, and why is it apparently so popular? Our resident musicologist Mark Prendergast traces its development back to the work of 'new music' composers Arnold Schoenberg and Erik Satie.

(But Were Too Afraid To Ask!)

PART 11: Martin Russ explains how he overcame some puzzling MIDI problems on a Kawai R50 drum machine, and takes a SysEx eyes' view of the Alesis DataDisk.

Improving Your MIDI Environment

Martin Russ concludes his discussion of MIDI environments with an in-depth look at how to create your own profiles in X-Or and Galaxy.

The pick of 1983's equipment releases.

This famous German synthesist and ex-member of Tangerine Dream now has his own record company and our interview tells about his unique approach to music.

Synthesiser Module

From the ashes of the classic PPG Wave synthesisers rises the Microwave - a synth expander that combines the unique qualities of PPG's wavetables with late '80s technology. Cooking with Simon Trask.

(But Were Too Afraid To Ask!)

PART 2: Martin Russ reveals even more about the uses and applications of MIDI's most powerful function.

The backstage view of the mammoth Tull operation from Tony Freeman, one of those without whom... nervous times among the cigarette stubs.

Mark Prendergast talks with trumpeter, composer, and synthesist Mark Isham about new technology, David Sylvian, Van Morrison, Windham Hill, and his solo career as one of Hollywood's more interesting film soundtrack composers.

Newsdesk as was - news as is

And what news there is. A special preview on the Frankfurt fair, lifting the veil on 1987's most important gear.

Lyricon-blowing John Walters, of Landscape fame if not fortune (yet), undertakes the western world's most comprehensive guide to the history, construction and playing of the Lyricon wind synthesiser.

A special, report on budget digital reverb, with the spotlight focussed firmly on two groundbreaking new machines, the Yamaha REV7 and Roland SRV2000. Paul White and Simon Trask take up the story.

News from the cutting edge of music and multimedia technology

Mark Prendergast begins a two part in-depth appraisal of the thoughts, words, music and art of one of the most influential artists of the last decade: Brian Eno.

Richard Elen visits the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop and hitches a ride through 21 years of past and present music and effects production from Quatermass to Blake's 7.

European Son

20 guitar combos of 100 Watts get a good going over by five fine guitar players: in this first part Acoustic to Lab receive the ole SI ear ole test.

New Themes, New Dreams.

A complete guide to all the hardware interfaces for home micros available so far, plus the software that goes with them.

News Special

Read all the hot news from the biggest ever show of new instruments and gear