It's called a studio; it could be called a workstation; but actually it's a serious keyboard. Nicholas Rowland identifies a product with several possible identities and several possible markets. Have Ensoniq weighted in vain?

Paul Williams adds yet another module to the modular effects rack.

A Man With A Gift

In between tours with Ultravox and appearances on Live Aid, Midge Ure somehow found the time to discuss the writing and recording of his first ever solo LP 'The Gift' and his No1 single with Ian Gilby.

Chris Smith continues his series on synchronisation

Even the biggest sample library never seems to have quite enough drum sounds. The solution? Roll your own. Craig Anderton passes on some hot hints and tips on how to get the best possible drum sounds out of your sampler.

Steve Cogan finds out just what Satan and Bugs Bunny have to do with this Cyberpunk band who swear by their ST

Feel Every Beat

Are Electronic, mutant offspring of New Order, The Smiths and the Pet Shop Boys, the first electro-supergroup? Does it matter? Mark J. Prendergast ignores the hype, sidesteps trivial speculation, and talks technical to Bernard Sumner.

Simon is both a musician and a producer. This month he talks to Paul White about, amongst other things, his work doing 12" remixes for Nik Kershaw.

the development of synth electronics

Apple Macintosh Software

One of the leading Macintosh sequencing packages has recently undergone another of its periodic face lifts. Ian Waugh checks the state of the performing art.

Back in 1985, Propaganda made an astonishing debut with 'Dr. Mabuse' and the classic album 'A Secret Wish'. After years of silence, a split with ZTT records, and the departure of three-quarters of the original line-up, Michael Mertens is back with a new-look Propaganda, and feeds the party line to Nigel Humberstone.

Ultravox: New improved formula

Bill Nelson, Magma

Phil Brammer converses with one of the most controversial music dealers in the country - Dave Simpson of TCA

The long-awaited new box from Alesis gives the user access to up to four simultaneous high quality effects.

NAMM Winter Market, Anaheim

Paul Wiffen, hotfoot from California, reports on the machines that made headlines at the US music industry's winter shindig...

Dr.T's Keyboard Controlled Sequencer - Level II V3.0 for the Amiga

One music software house that showed greater awareness and belief in the Commodore Amiga from the outset was Dr.T. David Ellis checks out version 3.0 of their top-of-the-range sequencer to see how it rates against the growing competition.

Akai's super-sampler carries on where their S612 left off. Paul Wiffen finds its ease of use belies its sophistication.

Bassist John Greaves & Drummer Pip Pyle

Is the National Health coughing up blood? Tony Bacon gets to grips with the current state of the queues and cures. Music for liver salts. The Greaves-Pyle team of whitecoats gives a semi-exclusive interview to a private patient.

The line between man and machine is blurred; today there exists an entity whose purpose is to make music. Simon Trask discovers that its sights are locked on the dance charts and it absolutely will not stop.

From his remixes of dance music through his record releases with LA Mix, Les Adams has specialised in making a lot out of a little equipment. His latest project is a solo LP, as Simon Trask finds out.

Sampling Module

After much pre-publicity, Cheetah's first venture into the world of samplers is here. It's 16-bit stereo, reads S900 disks and is reviewed by Vic Lennard.

It's the biggest! It's the best! It's the 1986 British Music Fair! Our man on the inside, Tony Mills tracks down the hottest gear of the year

A Preview

A guide to some of the new gear to be released at this year's APRS show.

A few simple rules to help you get professional-sounding vocal tracks every time.