All-digital Programmable Polysynth

A British-built additive synthesis instrument with multiple keyboard splitting and overlaying, and up to 16 voices at its command. A dream come true? Simon Trask has the answer.

The latest reports from the lands of Trade and Product

All the new stuff, including a special feature on the soon-come Stepp digital guitar.

Westone Pantera & Clipper

Offering 240 FM sounds, with up to 8-voice polyphony, and control via MIDI mono mode, the FB-01 takes the crown as the cheapest expander on the market today. Martin Russ casts his vote.

John Chowning, inventor of FM synthesis and the man indirectly responsible for Yamaha's DX synths, receives an interrogation from Simon Trask. In the event, our man scarcely gels a word in edgeways.

If no news is good news this is baaad

An all-British sound-sampling and drum-synthesising MIDI percussion machine with built-in sequencer gets an exclusive preview courtesy of David Ellis - there's even comment from the designers.

Multitimbral Expander

From the home organ division of the Japanese giant comes a box which wipes the floor with anything that Yamaha’s Professional Keyboards division can currently produce. Paul Wiffen reveals the secret of the black box...

Wind Controller

Yamaha's WX7 MIDI wind controller has already attracted the attention of professional sax players like Courtney Pine. Man Jumping saxophonist Andy Blake gets his second wind.

Appropriately enough, MT shares its birthday with one of the companies which has helped shape today's synthesisers: Roland UK. Gez Kahan presents a view from the inside.

Programmable Percussion Machine

The Latin percussion variant of Korg's new budget drum machine duo comes under the scrutiny of Trish McGrath. Is its beauty more than skin deep?

and MRC real-time recorder program

The Digital Group's MIDI interface is now available in the UK and compatible with Apple and IBM PC micros. Katie Robinson checks out the unit and its associated composing software package, MRC.

What's new in the world of the Micro Musician

Four pages packed with news hot from BMF

All this and the scam from Olympia II

In the third of an occasional series on the professional bodies who look after the interests of musicians and engineers, David Mellor talks to the APRS, the body which represents many of this country's leading recording studios.

IN TUNE's sneak preview of the Frankfurt Fair

our look at the forthcoming Frankfurt Musical Instrument Fair - at 7½ Instruments Per Second

With features like stereo, mono and separate outputs for external processing, real-time and step-time programming, MIDI compatibility, and interchangeable drum sounds, the budget-priced MD8 should theoretically cost a lot more than it does. Tony Wride sees if it lives up to expectations.

are today's micros really helping

news from the front