mixed-mode CD tracklist

The words behind the sounds on this month's CD and CD-ROM

Yamaha DX7 Digital Synthesizer

E&MM's resident FM expert, Jay Chapman, takes a critical flick through the pages of a new book intended to ease the programming on Yamaha's DX7 poly.

Passport MIDI/4, Polywriter

Two new software packages

Shadowland

Part 9: Shadowland. More inside info on the compositional structures Dave adopted on this track.

two newies

Roland Orzabal picks over the Tears' gear

The guitars behind five Roxy Music classics, plus a Skill Centre special as Phil shows you the chords to 'Love Is The Drug'.

Ambient Corporation

Forget the Fairlights, ditch the D.D.L.'s — ES&CM reader Graeme Robinson shows how you can beat it with the big boys, using just a couple of multitracks.

Another selection of excellent drum patterns appear in this month's edition of the definitive beatbox programming series. Nigel Lord hands put a good beating.

Julian Woodford takes us across the sea to bring us a report on the state of MIDI in Canada

A Step-By-Step Sequencing Project

Stephanie Sobey-Jones takes you through a step-by-step sequencing project and explains some sequencer jargon along the way.

Our intrepid aviator battles the latest yellow peril.

8-Track Automation System

When you run out of fingers and you find yourself pushing faders up and down with your nose during a mix, then it's time to get a helping hand. Master craftsman David Mellor takes on a new apprentice, the J.L Cooper MixMate.

music accompaniment player

Auto-accompaniments, yes - but it's a recordable sequencer too. And you can fiddle with it on the train...

Nominated by Adrian Belew, Bill Nelson, Roddy Frame, Ted Nugent, Robert Smith, Dierdre Cartwright

Opinions interesting or infuriating

Real-time Sequencing

Paul Wiffen gives some useful tips on how to record sequences in real time.

keyboard, cassette and radio