The theme of this month's edition of Patchwork is decidedly traditional, as Casio's CZ101 joins the ubiquitous DX7 and D50 as the subjects for readers' programming dexterity.

Eccentric Swiss pioneers Yello follow 1989's Flag with another long playing sound fantasy. Simon Trask talks to Boris Blank about his old Fairlight and his new Baby.

Where would Madonna, Giorgio Moroder or Stock, Aitken and Waterman be without sequenced bass lines? Rudi Cazeaux provides some guidelines and practical examples to help you create better bass lines.

808 State - Absolutely Gorgeous

When inspiration strikes and you're out of reach of a sequencer, Anatek's latest Pocket unit can save your soul, if not your life. Vic Lennard picks a pocket.

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

Personal Services

It’s a tough world out there in the 16-track studio jungle, but Abbeydale’s owners have made a success out of providing a ‘personal production service’ for songwriters and bands. What's their secret? Read on...

Omar: comin' to ya, on a dust road

The Farm: taking pop to football louts or bringing hooliganism to the pop charts? Tim Goodyer gets casual with keyboardsman Ben Leach and tries to find out.

Scottish band Danny Wilson were led by Gary Clark, who regards his debut solo album Ten Short Songs About Love as his finest work to date. From conception to birth, it was made entirely at home. Phil Ward drops in on the basement studio, and finds both album and proud father doing very well

An eponymous debut single took Living in a Box high in the singles charts. In a rare interview with this publicity-shy band, Tim Goodyer found technology an essential part of their success.

Now at last, it can be revealed! The veteran producer spills the beans about those 70s Genesis albums... and updates us on work in progress

Back in the '60s it was Jefferson Airplane, then it was Jefferson Starship, then it was simply Starship. Brad Leigh Benjamin compares notes with the Synclavier king of one of rock's institutions.

Andy McCluskey

Andy McCluskey reveals his dislike for synth programming and his penchant for the classics.

From his remixes of dance music through his record releases with LA Mix, Les Adams has specialised in making a lot out of a little equipment. His latest project is a solo LP, as Simon Trask finds out.

The Recording of a Film Soundtrack Music

Ed Jones sits in on a major film music session in Abbey Road Studios, London, and reports on how the London Symphony Orchestra and a host of extra musicians recorded the music soundtrack to George Lucas' forthcoming prequel to 'Star Wars' - 'Willow'.

in Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe

Session player Julian Colbeck tells the tale of how he got the gig as support keyboard player for Rick Wakeman on the recent Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe world tour, and runs through the instrumentation he and Rick used on stage.

Before you try to win one in our competition, this preview of Kawai's latest synth (and rack-mount alternative) should help whet your appetite.

Jean-Michel Jarre In Concert

We go backstage at Jarre's recent Wembley extravaganza to see how the show sound was put together.

European Son

Live Music For The Hi-Tech Musician

They began the '80s as Japan, now they're starting over as Rain Tree Crow. Tim Goodyer catches synthesist Richard Barbieri and drummer Steve Jansen for a frank discussion of music and personalities ten years after Tin Drum.

Akai S1000

No-one can deny that Akai's S900 is the 'industry standard' sampler, having kept all newcomers at bay for well over two years. But now there's a new heir to the throne. David Mellor looks at the long-awaited 16-bit stereo, 16-note polyphonic S1000.

Since heralding in a new musical era in 1976 with the release of his innovative synthesizer-based opus, 'Oxygene', Jean-Michel Jarre has gone on to sell almost 34 million records worldwide. Currently embarking on a new album project, as well as planning a series of concerts to welcome in the new decade, Richard Buskin visited Jarre in his home studio to talk about the technology behind his music.

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