Pete Gleadall runs up a transatlantic phone bill waiting for hip-hop whizzkid Mantronik to finish his hamburger and explain why the TR808 is still his favourite drum machine.

Ensoniq Piano

The Q-chip that was the heart of the Mirage and ESQ1 keyboards proves itself to be yet more versatile in the latest in electronic pianos. David Ellis dons concert pianist's tails and tinkles the ivories.

Sharpe & Numan

Gary Numan renews his working relationship with Bill Sharpe for another single project. Dan Goldstein drops in on them, and discovers the link could soon become permanent.

Emulator SP12

What happens when you give a drum machine the sound-sampling capabilities of an Emulator keyboard? Little short of a miracle, according to reporters Paul Wiffen and Annabel Scott.

Hybrid Arts budget package that thinks big as John Renwick discovers

Digital Sampling Keyboard

The competition is tough for Roland's upmarket sampler. Paul Wiffen discovers if 16 voices, a fine keyboard, and direct monitor connection are enough to put it at the top of the tree.

Tony Prince & The Disco Mix Club

The ingenuity and foresight of DJ Tony Prince resulted in the creation of the DMC record label, the hub of the thriving UK dance remixing scene. Wilf Smarties talks to Tony about how and why the label was set up and persuades remixer Phil Kelsey to take us through a typical remix.

Johnny Demestos

APRS Show reviewed

Our roving reporter Mark Jenkins takes a look off the beaten track at some of the more interesting French equipment shown at last month's Paris Music Fair.

3G Flite 8

A console for concerts

Following on from last month's five-amp round-up, Paul White puts two more keyboard combos thoroughly through their paces. Do they make the grade?

Programmable Polysynth with Sequencer

CBS-Fender's 'budget' polysynth retails at £1700. Mick Jones finds out if it can hold its head above the competition.

DrumCheck

Argent's Bob Henrit takes a Pearl kit apart

Upcoming electronic music products and events.

budget synth drums

Having recently released his own independent LP, 'Oh Africa', we asked Sound On Sound reader Kofi Busia to write about his experiences. In this the third and final part of his story, he reveals his discoveries about the record industry and explains why he set up his own record label.

Mark Of The Unicorn's Mosaic succeeds Professional Composer as their pro notation program for the Mac. Mike Collins looks at how it stacks up against the competition.

The 8-Track Challenge

The 8-track challenge: with the release of a new Tascam machine and the recent price cut on the Fostex E8, we thought it opportune to compare the two models. David Mellor adjudicates in the battle of the budget 8-tracks.

Roland Desk Top Media Press Conference

Frontline pedals — More for Less?