Wilf Smarties kicks off our regular look at new sample CD releases.

Yamaha VL1m

Virtual synthesis in a box

Alan's Answers

ISLAND LOGIC CBM64 SOFTWARE

The Music System - now for the Commodore 64.

Big brother to the Alpha Juno 1 comes equipped with a velocity-sensitive, five-octave keyboard, as Simon Trask discovers.

Roland JD800 Programmable Synthesizer

Already a strong contender for hot keyboard of the year, Roland's new JD800 puts analogue-style knobs and sliders back on the front panel of a modern digital synth. Julian Colbeck goes "wow"!

Programmable 12-Voice Multi-timbral Polysynth

The world's most awesome analogue polysynth finally gets the attention it deserves, as Simon Trask finds out just what you can do with two Xpanders and a row of black-and-white keys.

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?

Flying in the face of fashion, Oberheim's new Matrix-6 polysynth utilises traditional analogue voicing and offers some of the most powerful and versatile sounds around. Keyboards man Paul Wiffen checks out its pedigree.

Fender PX2216D powered mixer

Innovative PA concept

Multi-Timbral Expander

Hot foot from the BMF, hard-working Martin Russ brings us his review of this innocent-looking multitimbral LA expander which packs many of the features of Roland's D-50 synthesizer, including onboard digital reverb, but with the added bonus of 28 sampled drum sounds!

Multimedia PC Sound Card

Rick Davies casts an eye on the latest box from a company that seems to specialise in designing useful, rack-mounting MIDI processors.

What is 1¾" high, has 31 voices, plays the piano, vibraphone and sax, and has its own library? Simon Trask checks out Roland's latest PCM sample module.

Yamaha SB200, Roland SCC700 effects boards

Roland SC88 Sound Canvas

Most powerful Canvas yet

digital waveform polyphonic

David Mellor throws away the Roland S750 manual and gets down to some practical advice for novice users.

HELP US GROW!

Where everything clicks

Your questions answered

Sample Expander For Korg M1

Oberheim Matrix 6

A six-voice version Matrix 12 for £1700? Yes, it’s true. Oberheim’s polysynth for the masses gets a rapturous welcome from a penniless Simon Trask.

Roland S550/S330 Sampling Modules

David Mellor looks at Roland's flagship rackmount sampler, the S550, and its newly launched escort vessel, the S330. Are they squaring up to fire a broadside at the enemy's sampling fleet? Find out inside.