Understanding MIDI Implementation Charts

The best way of finding out what a new instrument can do is to look carefully at its MIDI Implementation Chart. Jay Chapman acts as your MIDI interpreter and takes you on a guided tour.

news from the musical front

In conjunction with the Chase Bit 01 Expander, Casio CZ-101 synthesizer and Akai Sampler, the Jellinghaus 12-Track MIDI Studio software for the Commodore 64 micro represents the most powerful compositional and recording set-up available under £2500. Mark Jenkins catches his breath and tells you why.

When your favourite keyboard starts to look a little out of date, do you remain faithful to it or sell it?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.

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

The Innovator Returns

Kurzweil may have invented the ROM sample player as we know it, but others seem to have reaped the benefits. Four years on from the 1000 series, the K1200 and Pro 76 keyboards, and Pro 1 module, offer improved sounds and facilities. David Etheridge dives in at the deep end.

Ralph Denyer reports on London's prestigious CTS Studios and keyboardist Brian Gascoigne who recently teamed up to establish a MIDI/SMPTE-based electronic musicstudio purpose designed for the post-production of film music.

UK chart success may have been elusive of late but Howard Jones' continued popularity in the States has brought its rewards — an SSL-equipped 48-track home studio. Interview by Paul Tingen.

One of Britain's most versatile producers talks about working with Howard Jones, forming a new band, and the importance of communication. Paul Tingen listens.

As Yamaha's 'X' range of hi-tech hardware continues to grow, Dan Goldstein and Trish McGrath present an exclusive appraisal of two of the range's most affordable additions, the TX7 FM Expander and QX7 MIDI Keyboard Recorder.

And following on from that, David Ellis takes an in-depth look at how the MIDI system works, and the sort of potential it encompasses.