Yet another selection of recently announced new products to whet your appetite!

What the hell's a MIDI Performance System? David Mellor does his level best to explain.

PART 2: David Mellor explores the sampling capabilities of the world’s most expensive musical instrument - the Synclavier.

Tascam MSR24 24-track 1" Tape Recorder

Ever since the dark ages, prophets and soothsayers have been forecasting the Big One. Well here it is - Tascam's 24-track on one inch tape recorder. David Mellor investigates.

Fostex Synchroniser & Sync Controller

Having familiarised you hopefully with the jargon and workings of synchronisers through his 'Using Timecodes' series, Francis Rumsey now turns his critical eye to the most affordable synchroniser/controller set-up available: the Model 4030/4035 from Fostex.

Pros & Cons of Backing Tape Formats

A plethora of new hi-tech products to whet your appetite.

For over a year now Alesis have had the 'budget' 16-bit drum machine market all to themselves, but the release of the Yamaha RX8 provides musicians with an alternative. Besides 16-bit sound quality, Yamaha's new machine boasts a broad range of 43 sounds, flexible MIDI control, RAM card storage, and more. Paul Ireson checks it out.

Putting It Together

The nitty gritty of choosing appropriate recording and sequencing equipment for use in a school environment.

Hints, Tips & News From The World Of Music Software

More hints and tips and tips from the software manufacturers themselves. This month: C-Lab, Steinberg, Dr T, Opcode.

From the humblest of 4-track cassette recorders to the might of 48-track digital, multitrack is the technique used for 99.9% of all commercial recordings. David Mellor looks at the background to this powerful tool and wonders how we ever managed without it.

including The A-to-Z of Analogue

FX tutorial

Part one of Bob Dormon's effects tutorial

Yamaha SPX90

Is it a reverb? Is it a sampler? Yes and no; it's Yamaha's new digital Jack of all trades and it offers surprising value for money.

The Return Of The Single Effects Unit?

David Mellor looks at an effects processor which can't produce three dozen effects simultaneously. Is this the start of a new trend?

Paul Ireson reports from Frankfurt on Europe's biggest music fair.

David Mellor straps on his vintage Stratocaster and plugs into the effects unit of the future.

In case the current wave of BMF-madness has overtaken you completely, MT dropped in on the annual Chicago show to see how the Americans do it. Report: Dan Goldstein, Rick Davies, Paul White and Bob O'Donnell.

A chance to check out some of the forthcoming new products that might force you to dig deeper into your pockets later this year.

Four years on from the successes of The Flat Earth, Thomas Dolby has moved to LA for his follow-up LP, Aliens Ate My Buick. Tim Goodyer discovers that aliens have a lot to say.

£600 (almost) buys you this boxful of MIDI-controlled digital effects processors. But can they be good quality? Ian Gilby dragged himself out of the studio long enough to give us his opinions.

Delightful Dobros, Scintillating C-Ducer, Luscious Lighting, Captivating Canons and much more super schmutter

The CLARION Home Studio — Best yet cassette?

Paul Glaister takes us deeper into Steinberg's premiere sequencing package

Digital Sampler

In the final instalment of this three-part review, Simon Trask takes a look at the most important aspect of Roland's super sampler - the sampling itself.