It may sound like something out of a Dr Who plot but this British electronic patchbay system attracted enormous interest from pro studio users at this year's APRS show. David Mellor got hold of a Matrix to find out just what all the fuss is about.

Portable MIDI Keyboard Controller

It makes no sound, but it makes a lot of sense.

Kawai's latest synth comes complete with their latest approach to sound creation: Digital Multi Spectrum synthesis. Ian Waugh checks out some serious competition for FM and LA.

Zoom 505 Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal Unit

Performance Synthesizer

John Renwick looks at the new SY-77 from Yamaha

Music with Mainframe computers

You may remember the Minimoog and the ARP Odyssey, but when was the first time you saw an EMS VCS3? Annabel Scott travels back to the days of VCAs, VCFs and non-programmability.

Production Tips & Techniques

When your favourite keyboard starts to look a little out of date, do you remain faithful to it or sell it? If it's a D50 you could give it multitimbrality, more waveforms and extra memories. Gordon Reid installs the MEX.

Two New Developments From Sycologic

We take a brief look at two new bits of hardware - an analogue-to-MIDI interface and an expansion board for the DX7 - from Syco Systems' research wing, Sycologic.

Colin Cat takes the K-1r to greater heights with Drumware's Editor/Librarian package

Solo electronic music composer Boddy gives a personal overview of Roland's mid-price polysynth.

Synth Expander

The long-awaited, rack-mounting, multitimbrol, budget analogue synth expander from Cheetah has arrived. Simon Trask turns on and trips out.

Atari Editing Software

Digital and analogue technology meet face to face in this editing software for the Oberheim Matrix 1000. Vic Lennard explores the possibilities.

Kawai's latest 16-voice multitimbral keyboard is packed with features and aimed fairly and squarely at D50/ESQ territory. Its PCM sampled waveforms include drums and percussion, a host of standard and exotic instruments, as well as the best of the additive synth waveforms gleaned from the K5. It also has one ace up its sleeve - its price. Ian Gilby tells it like it is.

Ingenious harmony processor

Complete MIDI set-up for the small band.

for the DX7, Version 2.0

The debate over whether to upgrade to a DX7II takes on a new dimension with the possibilities that this expansion board brings to the original. Jim Burgess is impressed.

Synthesiser Module

Remember the module? It's like a synth but it's got no keys. Weird, huh? Simon Trask takes a look at the new 1U, half-rack, 16-bit, MIDI box of sounds from Kawai.

MIDI is often perceived as being incredibly complicated, but learning to use it can be quite painless.

Alesis MIDIverb

Digital reverb comes of age, in the shape of a new American unit that abandons user-programmability in favour of great-sounding presets, and does it at an incredibly low price. Paul White enthuses.

Digital Synthesiser

Roland's latest professional digital synthesiser crosses the frontier between their successful D-series technology and a new generation of Roland synths - without costing a fortune. Simon Trask welcomes the JV80.

Mark Jenkins brings you a round-up of the current state of the digital reverb market.