Jazz - the final rhythm programming frontier; but if you treat jazz as an attitude (as the jazz greats all have), jazz patterns are just a state of mind away. Nigel Lord thinks cool.

Bridging The Gap

Whilst Roland and Yamaha take LA and FM synthesis into the home, Technics make it even harder to differentiate between a home keyboard and a synthesizer with the release of the AX7. Paul Ireson checks it out.

SynthCheck

A Fairlight small enough to slip into your 501's? Well, nearly. Jim Betteridge warms to Casio's supercheap sampler

Smiths' producer Stephen Street lets off some steam.

Cover Versions

Why do them, how do them, when do them.

RS-PCM Keyboard

Roland's U110 sample reading module proved popular enough to make a second appearance, complete with keyboard, in the U20 - but there's more. Simon Trask checks out Roland's RS-PCM keyboard.

Johnny Demestos

The world-conquering sound of Ronnie James' band rests on its rock solid rhythm section. Tony Reed talks to the men who make the Dio metal machine move

Philip Bashe and Don McLeese stop a lone Stone stateside

are small ads working for the musician?

Geoff Nicholls traces the style and influence of two drummers who've recently copped it — Buddy Rich and Carlton Barrett

US successes return to Blighty with the formula for Stateside MOR safely intact. Interview by Jonathan James

Part two of this series on combining live instrument performances and MIDI recording looks at a typical session in the studio of Ollie Crooke and Simon Thomas.

SY-DP50

On Technic's hybrid Preset/Programmable digital drum machine the SY-DP50.

ROLAND CM32L, CM32P, CM64 & LAPC1 Sound Modules

Roland's CM32L, CM32P, CM64 and LAPC1 modules are a selection of their more familiar expanders re-configured and re-packaged with the computer synthesist in mind. Modulating with Ian Waugh.

Can multi-keyboards match up to the latest hi-tech instruments? We take up the challenge.

Steve Hackett and Paddy Kingsland set out to test the merits and demerits of the Roland GR-500 and ARP Avatar. Synthesise watches, lads.

This premier producer, conductor and arranger discusses his solo album 'The Best of the Alan Parsons Project'

return of the solo

The future looks like this

RS-PCM Keyboards

Responding to the demand for accessible synthesisers, Roland's Rhodes division has come up with the first of a series of "playable" instruments. Simon Trask checks their performance.

Sample CD boxed set

Music Of Life Beats, Breaks & Scratches sample CD boxed set.