Akai EWI 3020/3030

Wind controller and sound modules

Lexicon Alex Digital Effects Processor

Personal Music System

Casio's curious Rapman is already regarded as a toy by many a music cynic - but it's captivated pros like Manu Katche and Peter Gabriel. Tom Robinson reviews it - and buys it.

Yamaha smash new price barriers with their latest FM synths - the DX100 and DX27. Mark Jenkins assesses their performance as stand-alone keyboards and as compact MIDI expanders.

Using System Exclusive Bulk Dumps

Have you ever wished you could save your SPX90 effects programs to disk or into your MIDI sequencer for instant recall at the right point in your music? Using the power of MIDI’s System Exclusive Bulk Dump commands, Mike Collins explains how it can be done.

Sound On Sound reader Kofi Busia continues his tale of how he came to grips with MIDI, discovered the joys of music software and produced his own LP of African music.

MIDI-controlled Sampling Delay

Korg’s latest digital delay looks like any other - but it offers comprehensive MIDI-controlled sound-sampling facilities. Tim Goodyer checks it out.

20 years of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon

Original engineer on the 'Dark Side Of The Moon' sessions, Alan Parsons, explains the 20th anniversary remastering of this classic album.

Hints, Tips & News from the World of Music Software

More hints, tips and update news from the world of music software.

Roland DEP5

Roland's long-awaited multi-effects unit turns out to have a great deal to offer.

More MIDI magic from Roland.

MIDI Guitar Controller

Casio's first truly professional MIDI guitar boasts an onboard synthesizer and claims to have the fastest pitch tracking of any MIDI guitar. Rowland Jones bought one to find out!

It's no stay-at-home

Long sample times and astounding sound quality characterise Bel's range of mid-price delay units. But as Ian Waugh discovers, there are some important omissions, too.

A surprisingly flexible and easy to use unit that offers first class results.

Keyboards

System Exclusive messages promised to make MIDI a flexible and powerful communications standard; instead it seems to have caused MIDI havoc. Vic Lennard takes an Exclusive look.

NAMM veteran Craig Anderton with news from the biggest and best music show in the US.

Don't touch those Level and Pan controls - you may be able to solve your mixing problems more easily than you think. Robert Rich explains how the timbre of a sound affects its performance in the mix.

Synthcheck

Yamaha DX7, Casio CZ5000, Juno 106, Korg DW6000, 30 to 1 the field. Commentator, Tony Mills

the Yamaha story

Roland's flagship sampling module boasts an impressive specification, and its page-based screens are oddly reminiscent of the famous Fairlight. Kendall Wrightson finds out how impressive it is in the flesh.

In this lengthy article, Craig Anderton explains all the features found on sequencers, from the simple to the esoteric. It is intended for those who are trying to make an intelligent purchasing decision about a sequencer and don't fully understand all the options that are available.

Sound Module

Carry On Doctor...

Declaring Independence

They've been on CBS, they run their own company called Dry Communications, and they've learned a thing or two: they are a band called Thomas Lang. Phil Ward meets the Scousers with a Dry sense of humour.