Digital Drum Machine

Competition is fierce in the budget drum machine arena. Nicholas Rowland takes a look at the British answer to the Japanese and American machines that have been in the limelight recently.

Rapino Brothers

Kylie and Take That’s remixers talk technique

Son of Leo Meets Son of Les — a further attempt to sort out the neat from the naff.

As you've probably already got your sampler playing drums, horns and strings, getting it to sing to you may sound deceptively easy. Tom McLaughlin explains there may be more to sampling the human voice than you'd heard.

Picking up the signals from the world of music and technology...

Wendy Carlos still loves digital synthesis. Through her pioneering soundtrack work on movies like Tron, and her synthesised interpretations of the classics, she has done as much as Jarre, Kraftwerk and Eno in making synthesisers both respectable and popular. She also used to be Walter Carlos. Daniel Rue investigates

'What's the Colour of Money?' was one of last year's most inventive hit singles, but since then, little has been heard from Mark Rogers. Tim Goodyer talks to him as the first HB album is released.

This successful Reggae band discuss the recording of 'Labour Of Love' and their new studio.

Since introducing the world to the delights of pure synth-pop in 1981, Vince Clarke has continued to demonstrate his mastery of the popular song form through the medium of synth technology. Paul Ireson investigates.

Who, What, Where & When...

American trumpeter extraordinaire talks to John Diliberto about horns, electronics and Indian ragas; '60s experimentation meets '80s chic.

Who's Where, What's What

The Logical Choice?

Akai S900 Sampler

Akai's first foray into the sampling market, the S612, was a resounding success. Their new sampling system, aimed more at studios, is considerably more advanced yet still a respectable price. Eventually it will incorporate a multitrack event recorder and harmonic synthesis module, but just released is the first system component - the S900 rack-mount sampler. Mark Jenkins checks it out.

Digital Drum Machine and Keyboard Recorder

The people who introduced the world to the concept of digital drums have now applied their expertise to MIDI keyboard recording. Paul Wiffen gives his verdict.

When your favourite keyboard starts to look a little out of date, do you remain faithful to it or sell it? If it's a D50 you could give it multitimbrality, more waveforms and extra memories. Gordon Reid installs the MEX.

Hohner Professional Series (Steinberger Licensed G2 Tremolo Guitar & B2A Active Bass)

Marillion's guitarist talks to John Harris about the band's home studio and about getting great guitar sounds on tape...

Programmable Polysynth with Sequencer

CBS-Fender's 'budget' polysynth retails at £1700. Mick Jones finds out if it can hold its head above the competition.

Bowie's Dennis Davis and George Murray

Dennis Davis and George Murray chat to Ralph Denyer on their rhythmic station in the Bowie band.

Felton Pilate's success spans "traditional" funk to the rap revolution - just now he's writing, producing and playing keys for Hammer. Nick Batzdorf raps tech with the Hammer man.

A mixer that is equally at home on the road and in the studio.

A prolonged period of silence from two ex-Japan members may have lead same to believe they've said all they have to say. Dan Goldstein and Tim Goodyer discover this is not the case.

MIDI Programmable Graphic Equaliser/Real Time Analyser

The new Peavey Autograph not only analyses your EQ problems, it fixes them too! David Mellor investigates.

PART 2: Greg Truckell winds up his two-part power user's guide to this popular LA expander with some applications techniques.