Bamboozled by technical specs? David Mellor explains how to 'interpret' audio equipment specifications and also gives the lowdown on that little understood concept, Barkhausen noise.

Korg Wavedrum

Innovative electronic percussion

David Mellor looks at the world of advertising, and how music is created and mated with the visuals in a TV commercial.

Are record producers losing their touch now they've regained their influence? Are DJs better-equipped to make music that moves? Simon Trask gets the answers from an objective source - one of Britain's top remix DJs.

Beat Box Hits

Or, the much-maligned art of drum machine programming. Tony Reed talks to the experts, and Richard Walmsley dissects some classic tracks.

Betteridge back again, with a step-by-step guide to the mysteries of mike technique.

How To Repair Your Damaged Drums

Drum and cymbal repairs. We show how.

Software for the Commodore 64

Ian Waugh explores Joreth Music's integrated Music Composer System and Real-Time Linker - two powerful MIDI sequencing packages for the Commodore 64 micro.

16:4:2 Mixing Console

Software for the Atari ST

Until now writing MIDI software has been the preserve of a few dedicated individuals, but T-Basic offers to make MIDI programming accessible to the masses. Ian Waugh gets online.

Roland XP-50

Well-equipped new workstation

Their '88 acid house hits took Britain's clubland by storm, but now S' Express are taking their sampling a stage further. Tim Goodyer enjoys the trip.

the next part in our comprehensive survey, this month between £650 and £1500

Now making a huge impact in the north of Britain, Detroit's techno music owes its roots to a handful of far-sighted pioneers - amongst them Derrick May. Simon Trask discusses the future of electronic music.

With their debut album just released and a single high in the charts, these are busy times for the Beatmasters. Tim Goodyer braves a tube strike to find out what technology has done for them (and what they'd like to do to technology).

Computer Musician in Rock

The The's Matt Johnson talks about production, outwitting the lawyers... and hillbilly blues

David Mellor tries out three new effects units from ADA — a MIDI programmable stereo equaliser, MIDI valve preamp, and a pitch transposer - and finds one that gives his secret studio weapon a run for its money.

Alesis are known, more than anything, for their digital signal processing expertise, yet their new mixer is an all analogue 16:2:2 design - but employing a revolutionary construction technique. Paul Ireson lends an ear.

Watch emotion flower as Pete Carbines spends a honeymoon with Aiwa (AD6800) and contemplates settling down to a deepening relationship. Makes Love Story look like Camp On Blood Island.

a history of progressive rock - is there a new day dawning for the dinosaurs?

Sample CDs

First they were sampling off other peoples' records, now they're selling records to sample off. Tim Goodyer listens while Simon Harris, Pascal Gabriel, Norman Cook, Ed Stratton and Coldcut put the case for sampling CDs.

Phil and Paul Hartnoll are Orbital, and their pioneering brand of user-friendly electronic dance music is a lot more fluid than the traffic on the motorway that prompted the name. So Phil Ward avoids the M25 and heads straight for the heart of the P&P music factory