...Is one of the producers responsible for the new wave of guitar-based pop. Paul Tingen finds he has plenty to say about modern music technology, not all of it favourable.

Two of the group write, the rest play, and they end up with "The Pacific Age" LP.

Synthcheck

An expansion on the Expander with a free (£1200) keyboard! Paul Fishman goes upmarket

the hidden tricks

Software for the Amiga

Dr T's programmers probably sieep as often as rust. Ian Waugh boots up the latest version of the successful Copyist scorewriting program - and finds that it's running on his Amiga.

Digital drum machines may rule the waves in the R&D labs, but one obsolete analogue device is still the record producers' first choice. Tim Goodyer dissects the appeal of Roland's classic TR808.

Already renowned for producing high-quality budget equipment, Alesis have introduced a new 16-channel mixer. Ian Waugh discovers Monolithic Circuit Technology is behind the 1622's amazing performance.

Martyn Ware has been spending a lot of time producing other people's projects since Heaven 17 faded away, but now a second BEF album is in progress. Interview by Paul Ireson.

D'Cuckoo are hardly your average MIDI band: they build their own instruments; they're all women, and they play "post-industrial cyber-tribal world-funk". Paul Tingen investigates.

It's now some 18 months since the company first produced MIDI software for home micros, and now SIEL have come up with two of their most attractive packages yet. Trish McGrath has the details.

Nobody ever seems to think much about the art of disc-cutting: yet in reality the cutting-room is the final link in the chain that can really make or break your recording quality-wise. Ralph Denyer, therefore, takes some time out to talk to Strawberry's top cutting engineers, in an effort to demystify this vital area.

Home recording goes modular.

Eight top pop players and producers discuss the necessity of notation. Richard Walmsley chairs the debate

With The Roland JD800

One year after reviewing the instrument that brought back knobs and sliders, Julian Colbeck presents an in-depth user report on Roland's flagship JD800 synthesizer.

Vintage technology strikes back

Collector’s corner - including the A to Z of Analogue

A large mixing console can have literally thousands of knobs and switches. David Mellor explains how to use every last one of them - almost! Part 1 of 2.

Tom Ellard, Severed Head's supremo, on sound surgery and synths.

A Guide to Digital Reverbs, Delays and Multi-Effects Units

Julian Colbeck takes a look at what's on offer in the world of digital reverbs, delays and multi-effects units, and explains how to choose between them.

Part 2. If you developed a stomach ulcer through reading last month's instalment on the theory of line-up and haven't dared go near your tape machine since, you can stop worrying no was David Mellor tells you exactly what to do to achieve perfection in your recorded sound.

Your sequencer could be having more of an effect on your music than your synths do. Wilf Smarties wonders whether you should be giving your MC50 a co-writing credit...

Synth Expander

The latest addition to Oberheim's classic Matrix range offers 1000 analogue-style synth sounds for under £500. Simon Trask investigates the attraction of analogue in '88.