Everything you didn't want to know and couldn't be bothered to ask

Do you use a computer to help you make music? Then why not go the whole hog and use it to keep track of your songs? Vincent Taylor shows that there's more to computer spreadsheets than merely adding up figures.

Cables

Part 2: Cabling. David Mellor reveals all the prospective home studio owner needs to know about cables.

Korg Poly 800II Polysynth

Korg's popular polyphonic synthesiser gets a new coat of paint and a built-in digital delay line. Dan Goldstein finds out if it's still top of the budget synth tree.

PART 2: Microphones. David Mellor cuts through the mythology of microphone techniques with some practical advice.

Vocal Effects

The sound of the human voice is one of the most difficult acoustic tones to reproduce electronically, but reading Steve Howell's step-by-step guide should set you on the right track.

For a company that is usually in the forefront of musical technology development to be so late in introducing their SMPTE/MIDI processor is quite remarkable. Is the Yamaha MSS1 worth the wait, or is it just a case of 'me too' marketing techniques? David Mellor champs at the timecode bit.

By a happy accident, Amstrad's first-ever home computer could become the MIDI micro of the future. David Ellis tells us why.

Even more about Mixing Consoles

More about Mixing Consoles

Continuing our series for the complete newcomer to electronics in music, Steve Howell takes a look at the VCO, the synthesiser's heartbeat.

Meanwhile, Tim Goodyer finds The Rhythmatist, alias Police drummer Stewart Copeland, resting in his home studio after an African jaunt from which a single, an album and a video have resulted. All three come under discussion.

A pro studio that's offering its facilities to new bands for free? Mike Myers tells Nicholas Rowland what's wrong with the record biz and how he's trying to put it right.

Macintosh Scorewriting Software

One of the leaders of the Mac Pack is Mark Of The Unicorn's Professional Composer. Ian Waugh reports on the latest version of one of the leading Macintosh scorewriters.

Building A Rack

Part 4: Building a 19" rack. There is only so high a temporary stack of equipment can get before it becomes a danger to life and limb. David Mellor explains how to give your rackmount gear a happy home.

Which nutty boy is a home recording fanatic?

Dan Goldstein sifts through the stack of independent vinyl that landed in the E&MM offices following our appeal, and finds each record has a different tale to tell.

The prettiest people in Pop meet the ugliest person in journalism

In the first of a two-part series, Chris Meyer looks into the workings of additive synthesis and how it can be used to accurately mimic naturally-occurring sounds.

You may remember the Minimoog and the ARP Odyssey, but when was the first time you saw an EMS VCS3? Annabel Scott travels back to the days of VCAs, VCFs and non-programmability.

Tony Reed gets Turbot charged

Dave Simpson relates the saga of how his recording dreams became a reality. The Thatched Cottage sixteen track studio must be every home recordist's idea of a success story.

What do you get when you cross brilliant musicianship, technological wizardry and one of the brightest line-ups in modern jazz? Answer: Steps Ahead. Interview by Liz Rose and Leslie Fradkin.

London Calling