Digital Drum Machine

Expandability comes to drum machines, with an affordable unit that offers four ROM expansion slots, plus the added bonus of onboard user sampling. Trevor Gilchrist checks it out.

Sampled Percussion Performance Module

What is it about programmed drum parts that make them sound programmed. Paul Wiffen goes in search of the secret of realistic drumming, and finds it in the Emu Procussion.

Digital Drum Machine and Keyboard Recorder

The people who introduced the world to the concept of digital drums have now applied their expertise to MIDI keyboard recording. Paul Wiffen gives his verdict.

Gordon Matthewman's interests in hi-tech and his horn have found him in some of the most unlikely musical settings with his project Blow. Simon Trask blows another man's trumpet.

A comprehensive guide to features and capabilities

From a new British company comes a new Atari ST software sequencer that looks set to rival Notator and Cubase for power and versatility. The virtuous Nigel Lord boots it up.

EffectsCheck

Two little boxes to let your MIDI gear do more than you ever thought possible — Curtis Schwartz reports

John Renwick puts this sequencer/sound module through its paces

News from the front

and now, back to the newsroom

Thomas Dolby, Chris Heaton, Dave Stewart

A new regular feature giving details of three music personalities. This month: Thomas Dolby, Chris Heaton and Dave Stewart.

Prophet 600

While Sequential's Prophet 5 will always be regarded as a milestone in synthesiser technology, their Prophet 600 is almost forgotten already. Gordon Reid attempts to correct the history books.

In the final part of his series on the synchronisation of audio and video, Francis Rumsey summarises the possible applications of timecodes in helping to automate the music studio.

Worth its weight in microphones and Gaffa tape.

MIDI Controller

16 channels of MIDI data at the push of a slider. Vic Lennard just loves being in control.

Steinberg Pro16 MIDI Sequencer

Tony Hastings takes you through the recording of a song using the facilities of the Pro 16 MIDI Sequencer software from Steinberg Research.

Roger Wilson.

Martin Russ dons his lab coat and deerstalker to investigate some of the unwanted features of MIDI.

Non-programmable six note poly with arpeggiator

Akai MIDI Effects

Three 19" rack-mounted modules that act as a delay, a dynamics controller, and an arpeggiator respectively. Simon Trask gives them the critical treatment.

New Amdek CompuMusic

Martin Russ describes some ways to use Intelligent Music's 'M' program as an effective aid to structured composition.

Creative Sound on the BBC B

Book/software package for the BBC