Cassette Multitracking Guide

A complete idiot's guide to buying a four-track cassette recorder, with hints on what features to look for, and a rundown of some of the most popular machines.

Arriving on the world stage, the Dream Warriors' unique musical style is giving Canadian hip hop American-style exposure. Simon Trask talks musical sentences.

In the battleground that is the record business, one band have managed to find the space to be one of the most individual and resourceful of British talents. Nigel Lord talks uncommerciality in an Immaterial world.

Star of recording studio and airshow in conversation with Tim Goodyer. Is pop about to lose a hi-tech innovator, and display flying gain a star aviator?

The Old Workhorse

We take a close look at this studio stalwart in all its various forms and point out what to look for when buying one second hand.

'Now the Virgin returns,' quoth Virgil, and who are we to disagree? Mel Lambert takes a colourful look at Richard Branson's new London studio: a Town House for the Lord of the Manor.

Akai S900 V2.0 & ASK90 and Steinberg Soundworks

Already a well-established sampler, the Akai S900 is on the receiving end of a series of software and firmware updates from Akai and Steinberg. Chris Jenkins boots them up.

An English playwrite talks to Nicholas Rowland about the lure of electronic sampling techniques; the sounds of the theatre come of age.

'Are Friends Electric?' and 'Cars' will go down in the musical history books as classics of their genre but the writer of those hits, Gary Numan, has yet to match his early successes. Mark Jenkins met up with him during sessions for a forthcoming album at Rock City studios, Shepperton, only to discover that the Numan of today is finding it tough to get airplay for his recent work...

Amplifier

Sydney Music Conservatorium

Music technology Australian style. To prove that there's more to the Australian music scene than the Fairlight, Jonathan Puckeridge pays a visit to the Sydney Music Conservatorium.

A complete history of record production accompanied by quotations and anecdotes from no fewer than 18 of the world's leading producers.

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

PART 2: Timecode - much talked about but little understood - is of increasing importance to musicians and recording engineers. Whether you are synchronising audio to video, or MIDI to multitrack, at least a working knowledge of SMPTE/EBU is required. In the second part of this series, David Mellor explains what timecode is and how it is used.

Are They A Good Mix?

mixing the pop world's most powerful cocktail: should your music have a message?

The quiet man of systems music tells Simon Trask why his work is so often misunderstood - and why tomorrow's 'serious music' won't be possible without computers.

The new Human Rhythm Composer goes where no TR808 has gone before, into previously uncharted territories of feel and nuance.

Japan's most respected technopop pioneer has recently finished an album that breaks new ground for him - it involves live musicians. He discusses his new LP and his other projects with Paul Tingen.

Ryuichi Sakamoto was a founder of the YMO before becoming one of David Sylvian's favoured partners. Now, fresh from a Japanese and a series of film scores he tells Tim Goodyer about his latest LP.

...Is one of Britain's most inventive jazz keyboard players, with a myriad of different strings to his performing bow, and an unusually open-minded approach to new technology. Simon Trask listens to what he has to say.

Guitarcheck

Three of the new breed vetted by Dave Burrluck

There's an S1000 in every studio — almost. David Mellor presents an introduction to this popular sampler.

Another in our series that looks at hi-tech companies and design personnel working in the field of music and recording technology. This month Paul Gilby talks to Jim Cooper, President of J.L Cooper Electronics and the MIDI Manufacturers Association.

Multi-media artist Laurie has come a long way since O Superman. But has the heart gone out of her Art? Mark Dery and Tony Reed find out