The Commodore Amiga range of computers have been conspicuous by their absence from this magazine's pages - but not any more! The Amiga has always been a great graphics machine, but it is equally talented when it comes to making music. In fact, its onboard sound chip is one of the best around. Phil South delivers a quick guide to making music on the Amiga.

Sample Editing Software

A sample editing package to beat all sample editing packages? Robert Rich test-drives a universal editor that may be the answer to many a sampling studio's prayers.

SynthCheck

An analogue synth with a hefty price tag has to have a pretty good excuse these days. Jim Betteridge believes this one has

Editing, Looping & Splicing.

Keyboard programmer Paul Wiffen moves on to the process of manipulating the sample in this series designed to help make the best use of your sampling machine.

The first in a new series that takes a behind the scenes look at companies specialising in the development of hi-tech music and recording products. This month Tony Hastings catches the night boat to Hamburg to report on MIDI software designers Steinberg Research.

Sampling Module

After much pre-publicity, Cheetah's first venture into the world of samplers is here. It's 16-bit stereo, reads S900 disks and is reviewed by Vic Lennard.

Jerry Harrison makes it go

From the American Dr Ts comes an Atari ST program capable of additive, FM, AM and multiwaveform synthesis as well as sample editing. Chris Meyer asks if facilities are everything.

Information Society's combination of funk, hip hop, sampling and Star Trek give them a particular perspective on modern music making. Society spokesperson: Deborah Parisi.

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.

The latest developments from the land of the floppy. Tony Mills reports

An extended feature this month to incorporate many of the new products shown at NAMM and the Frankfurt Music Fair.

The Art of Sampling

Part 1: The Art Of Sampling. Keyboard programmer Paul Wiffen offers valuable advice on squeezing the most out of your sampler.

Advanced MIDI Amiga Sampler

Got an Amiga? Want a sampler? Then cast your beady eye over this one. Greg Truckell is your guide.

The Farm: taking pop to football louts or bringing hooliganism to the pop charts? Tim Goodyer gets casual with keyboardsman Ben Leach and tries to find out.

SynthCheck

A sampling synth for less than £180? Jim Betteridge stands back in amazement.

Rag Bags and Hotch Potch

Another grab-bag of micro-goodies from IM&RW's computer hack (or is that hacker?) Tony Mills

If you own several samplers or just want to transfer S900 samples into your mate’s FZ1, then this program will make life considerably easier. David Mellor creates some designer sounds with the Atari ST version of Digidesign’s universal sample editor.

Questions! Answers!

Concluding our sideways look at the art and soul of sampling, Dom Foulsham covers N to Z in his alphabet of tips

Winter NAMM 1987

Our spectacular show coverage starts here, with masses of information - backed up by colour photographs - on the biggest Winter NAMM show there's ever been...

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.

The Pros And Cons

Seasoned programmer Paul Wiffen reveals the truth about separate voice outputs on samplers. Are they really desirable or are they just a nuisance? And what happens to the polyphony when you use them? We tell you what no others dared!!

The most talked about Amiga software ever is finally in the shops. Was Microillusion's program worth the wait? Phil South waxes lyrical about the first professional integrated music sequencing and editing program to take full advantage of the Commodore Amiga's powerful multitasking features.

John Renwick takes an internal sound chip synth program for the Atari ST for a test drive