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.

Ever wondered what its like to use Digidesign Sound Tools? David Mellor takes the driving seat of the world's favourite hard disk recording/editing system.

Eastern Intrigue

A last visit to the land of micro-chips and rice crackers. Simon Trask pays an enquiring visit to the Yamaha organisation before waving a fond farewell to the rising sun.

Belgian sampling innovators Front 242 have been accused of encouraging a fascist following - where does the sampling stop and the politics begin? David Bradwell brings news from the front.

Intrepid reporter Paul Wiffen jets over to Chicago for an exclusive peek at the latest goodies from the States

As a humble home studio hopeful who has never pointed a mic in earnest at anything outdoors before, James Walters goes in search of the basic equipment.

Recording engineer Del Palmer has worked with Kate Bush for almost 13 years. Here he provides an insight into how this innovative lady works in the studio and the background to the recording of her hugely successful album, 'The Sensual World'.

Legal raves demand state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, and Fantazia are the experts. Dave Arcari reports from the dance floor

A Basic Guide to Audio Recording

Not only do 3M produce a useful booklet explaining tape and recording so that the veriest dolt could twig it, they give it away free! Then they wonder if we'd like to serialise it... where's the catch?

Mixing Desk

If you can't afford to be without a fully-featured mixing desk but can't afford the usual asking price, it could be that you haven't checked out Studiomaster's Pro Line Gold. Tim Goodyer has...

Having helped establish the direction of British electronic experimental music in the early-'80s and helped guide it through the dance explosion, Cabaret Voltaire have released a new album. Tim Goodyer finds out why the tracks sound strangely familiar.

New York was the setting for the 83rd Convention of the Audio Engineering Society, where audio manufacturers gathered to show off their new wares. Craig Anderton provides a rundown of the main highlights.

Baz Watts looks into the Armadillo sampler for the Arc

True Stereo Reverb & Effects Processor

The Tokyo Expo is normally a fairly low-key domestic affair, but this year several major new products were unveiled for the first time ever. Our man in Japan, Paul Wiffen, was there to report on some of the hi-tech instruments that will be vying for your money in the coming year; including Yamaha's new mega-synth, the SY77

Alchemea

A visit to one of the leading recording colleges

Software for the Atari Falcon

From D2D2U - tapeless recording on the Falcon

Wrexham's master remixers spill the beans

Hugh Padgham has worked with some of the best contemporary artists - The Police, Genesis, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Hall & Oates, and Phil Collins, to name but a few - and has earned his place in the recording industry history books through his sensitive, innovative, and inspired sound engineering and production work. How did he do it? Brian Jacobs finds out...

hard disk recorder

Direct-to-disk recording from the sample stable

Real World

Real World music

Akai S1000KB Sampler with DAC R4000 Syquest Drive

The S1000 has been with us for almost two years now, and the removable Syquest drive has become the most popular way of accessing a large library for it. But suppose you put them both in the same box with a weighted keyboard? Paul Wiffen discovers to his joy that someone has!

Sound Mastering

Ace Records' re-mastering engineers reveal the secrets of acoustic restoration

Meeting the music business and business of making music on their own terms saw one London band building a studio as well as a reputation from the ground up. Simon Trask gets in deep with Double Trouble.