If you own more than one MIDI synthesizer and an Atari ST, then this universal editor/MIDI controller desk accessory could revolutionise the way you work. Martin Russ explores ...

Lock your sequencer to audio and video with a little help from Chris Smith's definitive guide

The Making of an Album

When Julian Colbeck went back to Bach to find musical inspiration, little did he think he'd end up recording a whole album.

The Final Frontier?

Is what digital reverb is all about recreating. But how do the mechanics of reverberation work, and what relation do today's digital techniques bear to the real thing? Paul White reports.

who does it where to whom and with what

Power Amplifier

Compared to a critical appraisal by Ben Duncan, the Spanish Inquisition was about as daunting as an old lady asking the time.

Digital Drum Machine

Competition is fierce in the budget drum machine arena. Nicholas Rowland takes a look at the British answer to the Japanese and American machines that have been in the limelight recently.

Emulator III Sampling Keyboard

If there is one company which has made its name on sampling that company is E-mu Systems. The term 'Emulator' is now synonymous with sampling and now the third instrument in this distinguished series is on the market. Paul Wiffen checks it out and finds E-mu bang up to date.

The PPG Wave was one of the most powerful synths of the early Eighties, but it died a death along with so many other dinosaurs. Now its particular method of wavetable synthesis lives again in an entirely new rack expander, which combines the best of the Wave's original audio architecture with full MIDI control. Paul Ireson learns how to cook better sounds, faster.

Turning a collection of samples into a usable keyboard patch is one of the most important aspects of sampling. Tom McLaughlin puts samples on the map.

Could you make music using only samples from natural sources? Paul Tingen talks to a band who've done just that in an attempt to draw attention to our environment.

Don't delete those unsatisfactory samples until you've tried resampling them. Tom McLaughlin explains how you can turn a bad sample into a good one.

MIDI Software and Hardware for Commodore 64

An extensive new MIDI software package from Worcestershire could well be the answer to many a Commodore owner's dream. Simon Trask has the details.

For over a year now Alesis have had the 'budget' 16-bit drum machine market all to themselves, but the release of the Yamaha RX8 provides musicians with an alternative. Besides 16-bit sound quality, Yamaha's new machine boasts a broad range of 43 sounds, flexible MIDI control, RAM card storage, and more. Paul Ireson checks it out.

Touch-Sensitive Polyphonic Synthesiser

The new Sequential Circuits touch sensitive programmable poly synth

How To Keep Noise At Bay

Dan Goldstein talks to the Can founder member whose current interests include providing the Pope with a backing band, recording with four valve tape machines, and chopping-up bits of Bulgarian folk music.

New Gear Galore.

Programmable Digital Drum Machine

Is it worth spending nearly a grand on a non-sampling digital beat-box in 1987? Trevor Gilchrist, after testing the RX5, comes to the inevitable conclusion that it is.

Looking for an editor to help you plumb the depths of your LA sounds? David Hughes uncovers a real gem of a program for the Atari ST that makes light work of editing Roland D10, D20, and D110 synths, and can even be used with the MT32.

Sound Sampling System for Apple II/IIe

Mainframe's sound-sampling add-on for the Apple is now available to the general public. David Ellis puts the system through its paces.

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.

Akai S1000PB 16bit Stereo Sample Player with SWM and Workstation Disks

Do you find the idea of sampling your own sounds unappealing? Why not settle for a high quality replay-only sampler like the Akai S1000PB and spend the money you save on more library disks? Paul Ireson checks out the machine and Akai's newly launched set of Workstation and SWM disks.

The Four Track Future - Where To Start With Cassette-Based Recording

Four-track Fandango - Gary Cooper looks at all today's choices for cassette multitracking