Preview of Roland's latest products

The Nightcatchers

First of an occasional series on the twilight zone between recording first demos and collecting that first gold disc. Birmingham's Nightcatchers talk to Tim Goodyer about tight budgets and big-name producers.

Four-track Cassette Machine

It's like a Porta One, but bigger, with more input channels, more features, and a correspondingly higher price-tag. Paul White casts a critical eye.

TWO BOOKS TO DEMYSTIFY THE SYNTHESISER

Geoff Twigg and Neville Unwin cast a critical eye over two books aimed at taking the mystery out of synthesisers, and come to vastly differing conclusions.

Steve Cogan takes time out to talk to the members of Yen

Rhythm Composer and Digital Keyboard Recorder

A matching analogue/digital drum-machine and digital keyboard recorder come under the gaze of Dan Goldstein and Geoff Twigg.

The first of our Systems features focusses on making music with the DX7, Jupiter 6, Drumtraks and MSQ700.

Fostex MTC1 Sync Box

Take Fostex's R8 tape deck, Steinberg's Cubase sequencer and an MTC1, and what have you got? Total creative freedom! Richard Aaron discovers the missing link in the recording chain.

The Bahamas boy talks tunes and tides with Adrian Deevoy

Phil and Paul Hartnoll are Orbital, and their pioneering brand of user-friendly electronic dance music is a lot more fluid than the traffic on the motorway that prompted the name. So Phil Ward avoids the M25 and heads straight for the heart of the P&P music factory

John Renwick plays around with a revolutionary new cartridge synth expander system for the Atari ST from Hybrid Arts

Brian Whiting

There's no point having a mass of electronic keyboards if you've got nothing to mount them on, but how many keyboard stands are available, and what do they offer? Trish McGrath stands up to the lot of them in an extensive survey.

Since the members of Ultravox went their separate ways, Billy Currie's solo career has taken him from band leader, through studio owner, to record label boss for the release of his second solo album. Interview by Mark Jenkins.

David Mellor unplugs his Atari and tries his hand at sequencing on a PC, using Magnetic Music's 16-track Prism sequencer.

Software for the Atari ST

If the usual approach to computer sequencing is unappealing or uninspiring to you, you may find the approach offered by this Atari ST program more to your liking. Chris Meyer finds time for Real Time.

From their excellent 1984 debut single 'Venceremos', Working Week have charted a unique course between fashionability and credibility. Simon Trask works out with Simon Booth.

Will there be a rush to purchase Siel's new CMK 49 computer gizmo? We pass judgement.

Looking for a quick and easy way of getting good quality guitar sounds down on tape? Well, you can stop searching because Ian Gilby has the solution...

SMPTE Events Controller

The increasing popularity of SMPTE has meant a corresponding growth in sync units. We take a look at this one from Bokse.

Book Reviews

New Books - Quick Looks