Musically superior

All the news you can eat. And then some

Dave Reed finds happiness in the Channel Islands thanks to the Trackman sequencer for the ST

Instrumental music doesn't sell, the UK dance scene is totally bereft of life, and dance bands never produce decent albums. Wrong, wrong, wrong — and 808 State are back with proof. Nigel Humberstone talked to Manchester's finest during the recording of Gorgeous, their third album.

Designer of the revolutionary Prophet 5, prime mover behind MIDI and now one of Korg's chief designers, Dave Smith's career is unique in hi-tech music. Simon Trask conducts the exclusive MT interview.

Vince Clarke reveals trade secrets.

As close to the cutting edge as you can get without needing stitches...

More Micro For Your Money

We save you money and serve you chips

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.

Jez Ford gets his laughing gear round the budget Casio MIDI wind controller - The DH100

Exclusive news from UK Electronica, plus all the latest in the world of MIDI music

Digital Keyboard

How can the principles of Artificial Intelligence be employed to make a computer musical instrument sound like a grand piano? David Ellis delves deep into the workings of a £10,000+ Stateside keyboard.

FRANKFURT REPORT

Trade shows often make the best stage for unveiling new equipment - did this year's Frankfurt show witness any revolutions? Simon Trask brings the news from Germany.

All the latest hi-tech goodies, brought to you in glorious technicolour.

We look at how electronics, synths and a PET computer have influenced this versatile British composer.

Software writer Jay Chapman introduces us to DX7ED, a patch editing program for Yamaha's FM poly, the BBC B, and E&MM's own BeeBMIDI interface.

More on Kim Ryrie's CMI, the instrument that started it all, from the pen of Fairlight-user Jim Grant.

IBM PC Software

This combined sequencer and tone editor for the IBM PC will work happily with Roland's MT32 and LAPC1. Ian Waugh looks into a serious PC music system.

Your chance to catch up on the latest releases from the world of hi-tech music and recording.

Sound Designer Software

The Emulator II finds a new friend in the Apple Macintosh, courtesy of a little American ingenuity. Together, the two make sweet sound-editing music, as Paul Wiffen reports.

Everything you ever wanted to know about samplers... 48 models compared! Paul Gilby surveys the current sampler market, exposes the 'spec wars', dispels the 16-bit myth and explains in simple terms how sampling really works, before telling you what to look out for when buying secondhand.

Version 4

Brian Heywood evaluates the latest update to Voyetra's powerful PC-based sequencing program.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly at Frankfurt's Musical Fiesta

Five pages of glorious colour on the exhibition to end all exhibitions - the annual Frankfurt Musik Messe. Dan Goldstein comes hotfoot from Germany to report on the latest developments on the hi-tech music scene. And there are a lot of them.