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Tomorrow’s hot products previewed

Having recently celebrated their first 100 years in the music industry, we thought it opportune to discover what Yamaha have planned for the next century. Paul Gilby investigates.

The final part of this series on creating good sample loops. This month it's yesterday's synthesisers that submit their sounds to the digital manipulation of Chris Meyer.

Vince Hill random samples new keyboard

Dave Crombie tries one of today's biggest sellers. Just how good is Roland's latest?

...Is one of Britain's most inventive jazz keyboard players, with a myriad of different strings to his performing bow, and an unusually open-minded approach to new technology. Simon Trask listens to what he has to say.

Kawai SX-240

Kawai's SX 240 portable keyboard appeals to the eye but what about the ear?

Keyboardcheck

The Fender Rhodes is re-born. Jim Betteridge gets down to some serious Jazz Funking

From T.V. repair to corporate boss - Carlsbro's struggle to the top

Italian-designed keyboards have received mixed success over the years. Elka's old Rhapsody string synth was a popular instrument in the seventies but their main polysynth, the Synthex, failed to set the world alight. That may well be about to change with the release of their impressive 9-voice, multi-timbral, DX7-soundalike, the EK44, and the 6-voice analogue EK22. Or is it? Mark Jenkins offers his views.

Leaving the comforts of the studio behind, the Art of Noise step out into the real world of live music, taking their MIDI technology with them. Chris Meyer lends an ear to see how they fare.

...while Dan Goldstein, sore-foot from Germany, has the details on the new European and Japanese gear that'll soon be flooding the UK's music stores. Prepare for some surprises.

ExpanderCheck

It's FM, it's got mono-mode, it's cheap(ish), and it's wonderful. Martin Moody relates to Yamaha's new MIDI expander

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.

More via MIDI

Equipment news

Britain's biggest, busiest and noisiest music fair is over for another year. So what did we get for our money and our aching feet? Report by Simon Trask.

A new prestige keyboard line-up that fuses traditional modular synthesis concepts with the latest interface technology. The complete system surveyed by Dan Goldstein.

Yamaha DX7S

A story in which our hero, David Mellor, deserts the path of enlightenment and sells his DX7 Mk1 for a rival keyboard. Can the DX7S tempt him back to the true faith? Read on...

Synthcheck

The latest in the ridiculously successful FM series gets its algorithms examined by Tony Mills

Tone Generator

It's not simply an SY77 in a rack, more an alternative application of Yamaha's latest synthesiser technology - Ian Waugh gives the TG55 a full workout.

producer of Sade, Everything But The Girl and more speaks acoustic-wise

Rhodes MK80 Piano

The Rhodes electric piano features on countless classic tracks, and is one of the most imitated keyboard sounds of all time. Now Rhodes are back, with a new keyboard that updates a classic sound with all the benefits of contemporary MIDI technology. Tony Hastings checks it out.