Dance music should be about more than 'moaning samples and ecstasy' claims producer Arthur Baker. Simon Trask talks to the man behind 'Planet Rock'.

IBM PC-Compatibles & Apple Macintosh

Part 1: All four of the major computers can be used for musical applications, so which one should you choose? This month, Richard Elen puts the case for the Apple Macintosh whilst Brian Heywood advocates the benefits of the IBM PC-compatible.

Yamaha's DX21 polysynth offers FM sound quality at a low, low price, plus a few features even the DX7 doesn't have. Simon Trask investigates.

Yet another selection of recently announced new products to whet your appetite!

if your music feels lacklustre, dabble in dance rhythms from the dark continent

England's North has consistently produced some of the most innovative electronic music. Simon Trask talks to a band set to take their place alongside New Order and Heaven 17.

Paul White talks to Tony Visconti about his career, his production methods and his plans for the future.

The price guide to beat all price guides continues with a rundown of available sequencers, software packages and computer music systems.

The Tapeless Recording Market Survey

The tapeless recording revolution is in full swing, as technology that once was available only to the few develops in products that suit a wider range of applications and pockets. Yasmin Hashmi looks at the development of the technology, the current state of the market and how it is likely to progress.

Fostex RD8

Assessing the alternative ADAT

Bassist John Greaves & Drummer Pip Pyle

Is the National Health coughing up blood? Tony Bacon gets to grips with the current state of the queues and cures. Music for liver salts. The Greaves-Pyle team of whitecoats gives a semi-exclusive interview to a private patient.

ITs guide to the British Music Fair.

Loudspeakers

The Additive synthesizer

Once upon a time, 'additive synthesis' was an expensive and little used option on expensive computer music systems. Now, thanks to Kawai's latest keyboard, there is an instrument dedicated to this type of synthesis. Paul Wiffen, long-time advocate of creating your own waveforms, investigates.

Digital Sampler

Following in the footsteps of their successful S900 sampler, Akai's new baby looks likely to set new standards in sampling hardware. Simon Trask's thrilled to bits.

Music Workstation

The problem with building the most popular keyboard in years is having to follow it. Simon Trask test drives the successor to the Korg M1 and likes what he finds.

Four pages packed with news hot from BMF

People, Gear, Events, Gossip

happening people, gear, gossip, events

A Basic Guide to Audio Recording

Not only do 3M produce a useful booklet explaining tape and recording so that the veriest dolt could twig it, they give it away free! Then they wonder if we'd like to serialise it... where's the catch?

You can't discuss the Manchester dance movement without A Guy Called Gerald. Simon Trask talks success and setbacks to one of Britain's most influential young artists.

Atari ST Software

In the second half of this definitive review. Nigel Lord looks into the editing and scorewriting facilities of Steinberg's latest sequencing software.

Just as MIDI itself has gone far beyond what its developers imagined, so MIDI Time Code has the potential to take MIDI technology into areas quite removed from the synthesis and sequencing worlds in which it has become so familiar. MTC user Paul D. Lehrman explains how.

Digital Synthesiser

Roland's latest synth combines the power of digital synthesis with the interactive approach of analogue programming. The pleasure of synthesis returns to the player and to Simon Trask.