CZ Editing Software

It's taken two British companies - XRI and Joreth - to produce the first computer-based editing packages for the Casio CZ range. Simon Trask finds out if they make programming life easier.

UMI 2B Software

The 1B version was good, but Simon Trask has spent a month with its successor, and reckons it deserves its reputation as the most professional sequencing package designed round a home computer.

The AES Report

America's premier recording exhibition provides Bob O'Donnell with food for thought; the password is "digital", just like the gear.

Emagic Notator Logic 1.2

Frankfurt Musikmesse 1989

Rain, sub-zero temperatures and sleazy hotels - who'd go to Frankfurt if it wasn't for the trade show? Simon Trask finds more than warmth and shelter at the Musikmesse.

John Renwick takes an internal sound chip synth program for the Atari ST for a test drive

cheap SMPTE coding

Studiomaster were one of the first established mixer manufacturers to incorporate MIDI facilities in one of their desks and to mate it to a personal computer. Mark Badger assesses whether the marriage is successful.

Over the last few years musicians have consistently been more excited over the latest MIDI hardware developments than they have over MIDI software. Whilst other micros have come and gone, the Atari ST and Macintosh micros have quietly become the established computers for making music with MIDI. Ed Jones reveals why with a look at Steinberg's Pro-24 (V2.1) and Mark Of The Unicorn's Performer (V2.2) programs.

Cassette Multitracker

If you're looking for a cost-effective way to add multitrack tape recording to your sequencing setup, it couldn't come much more cheaply than with Fostex' X18. Simon Trask goes back to basics with this new cassette multitrack.

Electronic Percussion Buyer's Guide

If you can hit it or make it sound as if you have, you'll find it listed in E&MM's exclusive rundown of what's available in the world of drum machines and electronic kits.

Programmable Preset Polyphonic Synthesiser And PG-200 Programmer

A colourful bonanza of newly released and forthcoming new products.

This month’s information bulletin board

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

When fractal mathematics first emerged, it caused an uproar in the scientific world. Expecting the worst, Steve Wright examines its appearance in music software.

Last month we gave you advice on choosing a computer for musical applications; as a follow on, this month Mike Barnes provides a comprehensive rundown of available music software for the Atari, Macintosh, IBM PC, and Amiga computers.

Bill Collins brings you some rhythms from Africa

This month’s Checklist turns its attention to the world of electronic drum kits and drum machines. Price guides will never be the same again.

Readers' replies to the second half of our survey, analysed by David Ellis.

Software and Hardware

Newer, cheaper models have brought the Apple Macintosh within the reach of an increasing number of musicians. Tim Tully presents an overview of hardware and software products for the computer that pioneered the Graphical User Interface.

Jay Chapman sinks his teeth into one of the most complex and sophisticated scorewriting and sequencing programs on the market - Jim Miller's Personal Composer for PC compatible computers.

Paul Overaa catches something nasty and takes a look at computer viruses on the Amiga