By popular demand, the readers’ synth patch page returns with a new look and a new approach. This month, sounds for the Casio CZs, Roland Juno 106 and Yamaha DX7, plus news of a Korg cassette that offers 165 sampled sounds for under a tenner.

Janet Angus traces the career of this enterprising sound engineer which ranges from recording Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' and designing Virgin record stores, to his current pre-occupation with improving the quality of film soundtracks.

Paul White talks to Tony Visconti about his career, his production methods and his plans for the future.

Sixty Something

Part 6: Sixty something. Dave reflects on originality and where to find it.

Continuing our series that looks at hi-tech companies and design personnel working in the field of music and recording technology, Paul Gilby talks sampling with Kim Ryrie, President of Fairlight Instruments of Australia.

A review of PA Decoder's D50 ROM Vol II joins patches for the Ensoniq ESQ1, Kawai K1 and Korg DW6000 in this months' selection of readers' sounds.

Activision Music Studio (CBM 64)

Music software for the CBM 64

Annabel Scott talks to one of the synth world's younger composers about a new album of raunchier, dynamic music, the result of his first sessions in Jive Electro's equipment-laden studio, Battery.

Yamaha DX100 Polysynth

The latest addition to the DX family is the cheapest yet at just £349. Simon Trask slings it round his neck and takes it for a test drive: will it bring FM to the masses?

19 ways to the top: exclusive

Once singer with The Pop Group, Mark Stewart has now joined forces with drummer Keith Leblanc and producer Adrian Sherwood under the title of The Maffia - Nicholas Rowland listens to the sounds of hell.

The Producers

We wish Wayne's Wells world war well: Richard 'Way With The Words' Elen interviews Jeff 'War Of The Worlds' Wayne.

Having been out of the limelight for a while, Robin has again donned his producer's cap and set to work with new artists 3AM and Robin Clark. Here he talks of his involvement with them and his attitude to the home recording revolution.

This month's colourful round up of new products to tempt and tantalise.

RCM Synthesis explained

In this second part of our in-depth review of the SY77 synthesizer, Martin Russ delves into Yamaha's ultra new synthesis method: Real-time Convolution and Modulation.

Annabel Scott takes a look at what a reduction in price and an increase in facilities has done for the first budget sampling keyboard...

Chris Smith enlightens us on the subject of locking music to video

Golden boy of the teeny bop scene a closet guitar hero? It's true, all true. Muso musings captured for posterity by Dave Burrluck and Susan Rookledge.

Atari ST Software

Using a Roland MT32 or any Roland CM modules and looking to get into sequencing on an Atari? Ian Waugh reckons that there's a particular piece of software you should check out.

Music moves in mysterious ways - these LPs for example aren't vinyl or CD, they're floppies for the AMPLE music system. Ian Waugh boots up the boogie.