What do one of London's top studios do with a computer room?

What you may have 'missed' at the Los Angeles AES and the London Hands On Shows.

Los Angeles and London were the recent locations for two very different audio get-togethers. Paul Gilby reports on the proceedings and products shown at both the AES and Hands-On shows.

TechTalk: Kim Ryrie

Second and final part of our interview with Fairlight's co-founder. Simon Trask listens to what he has to say about the future of musical technology.

Since heralding in a new musical era in 1976 with the release of his innovative synthesizer-based opus, 'Oxygene', Jean-Michel Jarre has gone on to sell almost 34 million records worldwide. Currently embarking on a new album project, as well as planning a series of concerts to welcome in the new decade, Richard Buskin visited Jarre in his home studio to talk about the technology behind his music.

CD ROM and Removable Hard Disk

Never Ending Storage

Magneto-optical Disk Recorder

Akai's DD1000 Magneto-optical recorder applies state-of-the-art technology to four-track dedicated digital editing. Vic Lennard sees the light at the end of the sample.

DCC vs. MiniDisc

Is either format any good?

David Hughes lends an ear to three well-priced CDs full of synthesizer and drum machine samples.

Synclavier

The updated Synclavier with new software. We take it for a test run.

No hype, no waffle - just tomorrow's products today

Tomorrow's hot products previewed

Yet another selection of recently announced new products to whet your appetite!

We hold a sample

Part 1 of a two part in-depth interview with Brian Eno and his latest collaborator Harold Budd.

Already assured their place in history for inventing the Portastudio, Tascam have also given us a one-inch 24-track machine and now the "Midistudio'. Tim Goodyer visits Japan to find out more about this revolutionary company.

Concluding signal.

The secret life of the noise gate

Open your gate and find the key to a better sound

This month, a specially extended Track Record looks at the making of two very different albums with one thing in common. The Stones' Dirty Work and Joe Jacksons' Big World were both recorded live

Tim Goodyer talks to the man who's programmed Peter Gabriel's synths, recorded a host of electronic albums under the name Synergy, and started up his own record label for instrumental music.

Intrepid reporter/cameraman Ralph Denyer ventures into the wild suburban jungle of East London to capture the rarely heard thoughts of this lesser-spotted songbird and re-mix producer who has recently taken delivery of his very own Synclavier system.

Inventing the multi-track recorder

Fostex RD8

Assessing the alternative ADAT

Tascam DA30II

New version of DAT classic

The Mix's terrestrial bulletin board

Or Everything You Need To Know About Buying A Sampler, But Didn't Know Who To Ask. Julian Colbeck is your guide.

Jean Michel Jarre is about to stage the world's biggest ever concert in the London Docklands. David Bradwell finds out about the technological dark age and the art of showmanship.