A review of ESQ1 cartridges from Executive Audio joins readers' patches for it and the Roland D50 and Yamaha TX81Z - all in this month's Patchwork.

Readers' replies to the second half of our survey, analysed by David Ellis.

In an exclusive interview, this longstanding keyboard hero and Miami Vice music maestro discusses keyboard technique, and what it’s like to achieve mass recognition after years of obscurity. Annabel Scott takes note.

The beat goes on: this month Nigel Lord's essential drum programming series takes him into the deep south of the African continent, and into deep rhythm.

Music technology consultant Martin Russ reports on the recent Conference On Reproduced Sound held by the Institute of Acoustics.

Prophet 600

While Sequential's Prophet 5 will always be regarded as a milestone in synthesiser technology, their Prophet 600 is almost forgotten already. Gordon Reid attempts to correct the history books.

cast in Italy

Non-programmable six note poly with arpeggiator

Roland Report

Rock musicians have it tough, eh? But how hard is the life of a classical player?

Rhodes MK80 Piano

The Rhodes electric piano features on countless classic tracks, and is one of the most imitated keyboard sounds of all time. Now Rhodes are back, with a new keyboard that updates a classic sound with all the benefits of contemporary MIDI technology. Tony Hastings checks it out.

John Morrish listens to the radio

who controls the radio waves?

Software writer Jay Chapman introduces us to DX7ED, a patch editing program for Yamaha's FM poly, the BBC B, and E&MM's own BeeBMIDI interface.

Lieber and Stoller

More record production legends. This month Lieber and Stoller and the black breakthrough.

Confused by MIDI - or even been hiding from it in the hope it might go away? Your prayers are answered and your fears dispelled by Bob O'Donnell in the first of a series that takes MIDI from the top.

Marvel at previously unrevealed secrets of famous musical instruments and their inventors.

Most of us have bought CDs bearing the label "digitally remastered", but how many of us appreciate what's happened to the music in the process. Tom Doyle exposes the power behind the remastering button.

Paul Bliss — Star Fleet Command

interacting with the future

Your passport to future worlds

The wonderful guitars that made the wonderful Midge the wonderful guitarist. That he is.

Compusonics digital home recording system should be with us by the end of the year. This is a first report on a system that could be the death knell of the portastudio.

Synth Techniques

improve your keyboard chords