Tama are the first acoustic percussion manufacturer to enter the electronic arena: Paul White tested the first example in the country to see if the Japanese could make something more than a Simmons copy.

First unveiled at the Frankfurt Musik Messe, the White Shadow range is one of the cheapest 'quality' guitar lines currently available. Tim Oakes examines the fretless bass variant.

A cornucopia of new ideas

CD ROM Player

Expensive it maybe, but CD ROM storage is one way of making a sampler a much more powerful instrument. And if you're using a Roland S550, it may not be as expensive as you think, as Simon Trask discovers.

Preview of Roland's latest products

International Music Show 1983

This Year I.M.S. Show - MUSIC U.K. In Free Gig Shock — Our man with a hangover writes

Brian Whiting

Berlin's techno anarchists Alec, Carl and Hanin are here to cause a riot. Ringleader Alec Empire mouths off on the ambient backlash

from Banshees to Creatures

Sequencercheck

How to sync without a trace. Review by Curtis Schwartz

Appropriately enough, MT shares its birthday with one of the companies which has helped shape today's synthesisers: Roland UK. Gez Kahan presents a view from the inside.

Mixing with the master men

Sorry! I mean drums (what else?) Peter Randall puts Premier in perspective with a review of their new Soundwave kit.

From his Vox Continental days with Elvis Costello, to a regular spot on Jonathan Ross' The Last Resort, and now on to film scores, Steve Nieve has retained an objective approach to technology.

Exclusive: the truth about stardom.

Upcoming systems music composer chats to Simon Trask about modern technology, Renaissance music and Belgian pop.

Chris Craig interview

Bruce Hepton trips the light fantastic with The Orb's visuals, man