Atari ST Software

Every new synth seems to herald a new generation of software editors - and so with IMS and Dr T's Atari ST editors for E-mu's Proteus. Vic Lennard gets in shape.

Jazz-funk in the basement

Digital FM Synthesiser

After last month's preview, Simon Trask gets to grips with FM's friendlier face. Can simpler programming compensate for the deficiencies of four-operator sound?

Korg's DS8 presented FM synthesis in a more friendly light than originators Yamaha. Now their latest synth makes the price more friendly too. Simon Trask looks at a sine of the times.

Percussion Voice Expander

Nick Rowland takes sticks to Simmons pads - and finds a whole load of tuned percussion sounds appearing at the other end. Will drummers start putting xylophonists out of work?

Following on from our look at KCS last month - Clive updates us on the new version for the Mac

Syco's Analogue to Digital Interface is less than half the price of its nearest competitor. But does it match the quality? We investigate.

Roland SDE-2500 MIDI digital delay

Roland's MIDI digital delay

16-Bit Digital Synthesizer

Following on from the success of their extremely popular K1, Kawai have gone upmarket with the 16-bit K4. Tony Wride looks at the company's new flagship synth.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's a MIDI Performance System. Simon Trask investigates the truth behind the intriguing advertising campaign.

A mixer from Simmons? Why not? The application of MIDI control to audio mixers is resulting in a radical departure from traditional designs, as Tony Hastings found out when he road-tested the SPM8:2 recently.

Courses for recording.

for Roland Jupiter 8 & Juno 6/60

Hands up once-proud owners of a Jupiter 8 or Juno 6/60 who've left their pride and joy to collect dust while they've concentrated on MIDI gear. Tony Wride finds out MIDI can be yours courtesy of Groove Electronics.

Chris Jenkins looks at a master keyboard of a very different kind, from the people who brought you drum machine and sampling add-ons for home computers.

Steinberg & Soundbits

Tony Wride investigates the Steinberg and Soundbits Atari-based voice editing programs for the Kawai K1 multitimbral synthesizer.

At last, a keyboard that presents FM programming in a more accessible way, and at an accessible price. Simon Trask previews the great new hope of digital synthesis.

Roland strike a happy note with a new MIDI percussion device that doesn't fill the stage or empty your pocket. Nigel Lord and Alex Murray declare it a hit.

Yamaha SY99 Sample Disks

Performance Signal Processor

Now that multi-effects processors are all the rage, Korg go one better by producing a unit which allows you to add extra effects via ROM cards. Vic Lennard discovers the advantages of open-ended signal processing.

CMC 24 Mixer

On the cheapest computer-assisted mixer yet, the AHB CMC 24. We take a look.

Kawai's latest synthesiser combines samples with sounds created using additive synthesis. Simon Trask investigates what could be a new dimension in synthesiser technology.

When The Stranglers had timecode trouble and the big studios couldn't help, the Time Code Refresher could - they liked it so much they bought one. Vic Lennard feels refreshed.