Light fantastic?

Digital Drum Kit

First there were Ddrums... Nicholas "animal" Howland returns to his skin-bashing roots to test a Swedish electronic kit that aims to replace its acoustic relative.

Moraz and Bruford Embrace the New

Patrick Moraz and Bill Bruford, two of music’s best-established virtuoso players, talk about their two-year relationship and a new LP. Interview by Dan Goldstein.

And what news there is. A special preview on the Frankfurt fair, lifting the veil on 1987's most important gear.

With Richard Burgess And John Walters

Richard Burgess and John Walters talk about the make-up of Landscape.

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.

Happy Christmas?!

Tony Mills looks back at Xmas 85, to see whether what you got for it was worth getting

What is one? Who has one? How can you get one? All these and more dealt with expertly by Bob Henrit

Millioniser 2000

The Millioniser 2000, a synth harmonica that may sound as odd as it looks.

Readers' patches for the OSC OSCar and the Yamaha CS30 make this month's patchwork an all-analogue affar. This and Stiletto's Roland D-series and Casio CZ-series synths.

Guitars, Amps + major keyboards survey.

David Hughes lends an ear to three well-priced CDs full of synthesizer and drum machine samples.

When your favourite keyboard starts to look a little out of date, do you remain faithful to it or sell it? If it's a D50 you could give it multitimbrality, more waveforms and extra memories. Gordon Reid installs the MEX.

Three jam-packed pages of hot new products.

The missing sync?

Tim Goodyer talks to pin-up keyboardsman Steve George about life at the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic...

what the famous want from St Nick

The vintage advantage

Computer-controlled Rhythm Sequencer

Some drum sequencer software that's as user-friendly as it's versatile. Paul White enthuses over MPC's latest little marvel.

A synth is only as good as its sounds - and that goes for any synth controller too - sax, violin, guitar... Ollie Crooke And Simon Thomas look at sound programming for MIDI controllers.

drummer Tony Thompson fuses influences

Dave Stewart

Eurythmics’s main man rips the lid off

Janet Angus and Mark Dearnley discuss various facets of the recording industry including his production work with AC/DC.