Akai MIDI Programmable Patchbay

Ian Gilby reckons that before long every studio will have a MIDI patchbay as well as an audio one and the low-cost ME30P Programmable MIDI Patchbay from Akai could well be it.

interface for the Macintosh

This new interface could be just the ticket for Mac users.

At last it's here: Zyklus' sequence sequencer, MIDI control station, performance instrument... You sort it out with the help of Simon Trask's review.

ExpanderCheck

An idea whose time has come — a sample-based expander. Tony Reed slaps it around

MIDI Utility Software

MAXplay opens a window on a world of MIDI applications, including MIDI analysers, harmonisers, editor/librarians and much, much more. Kendall Wrightson investigates.

Signal processor control is one of MIDI's less well-known applications yet it offers enormous scope for the imaginative user. Craig Anderton is your guide...

MIDI to CV Interface

MIDI to CV conversion made simple.

Interrogate your Prophet synthesiser with this unique program that lets you display the patch settings on screen!

The second part of our competition requires you to read our review of the Korg EX800/RK100 system, and then answer questions about their respective specifications.

MIDI Sequencer

As software writers continue to flood the market with sequencing packages, Kawai go dedicated. Dave Bertovic investigates the hardware alternative.

MIDI Router

Midi routing systems have come a long way since the humble passive thru box. Kendall Wrightson explores a sophisticated example of the species.

Keeping Track Of MIDI Connections

Shadow MIDI Guitar

Geoff Twigg takes a look at the latest guitar synth technology. Now you can have a Synclavier system behind the strings of your old acoustic.

What the hell's a MIDI Performance System? David Mellor does his level best to explain.

Sequencing

The theory and practice of MIDI sequencers, explained in simple terms.

MIDI and SMPTE

Two industry standards settle their timing differences and agree to work together. Chris Meyer checks it out and discusses proposals for the MSMPTE.

The 'guitar synthesizer' appears to be going through a new lease of life at present, with many manufacturers releasing guitar-based synth controlling devices that make good use of MIDI's powers of expression. Ian Gilby tries out one such model: the Shadow GTM-6.

MIDI Sequencer

Micro Composer under the microscope

Roland's latest MIDI controller is certainly an improvement over their previous efforts, but the competition has got tougher, too. Simon "Chops" Trask gives the new MKB the once-over.

As the world of musical synthesis shrinks ever more into a 19" black box format, where do we find the MIDI master keyboard to persuade these expander modules to give up their sounds? Since the big manufacturers currently seem reluctant to give us soundless MIDI keyboards, is there a small company we can turn to who can supply us with the equipment we need? David Mellor lets the cat out of the bag.

In an age when most MIDI sequencers seem to come on floppy disk, Alesis hits the market with their new hardware sequencer, the MMT-8. It doesn't boast a video monitor or multi-mega tracks, so can it compete with the omnipresent beige box? David Mellor yearns to learn.

Tape-to-MIDI Synchroniser

An American cost-effective alternative to SMPTE synchronisation; Rick Davies clocks an innocent-looking box designed with the budget studio in mind.

MIDI Synchroniser

It's not the cheapest synchroniser money can buy, but it's sophisticated and flexible enough to become one of the most popular. Vic Leonard gets in sync.

Paul Ireson takes a look at a new kind of direct-to-disk recorder, which stores MIDI rather than audio data. Could it be the ideal live sequencer, he wonders?