Sound On Sound reader Kofi Busia continues his tale of how he came to grips with MIDI, discovered the joys of music software and produced his own LP of African music.

How To Get The Most From Your Sampler

As the band reach their greatest level of British success and release their third album, Talk Talk's Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene discuss the curse of the synthesiser and the blessing of the piano with Tim Goodyer.

Acoustics

Sound absorbent materials for the studio.

Part 5. Tidying Up

Co-designer Tim Orr takes us through the mechanical construction and front panel controls of the MIDI Controlled Sampler.

Battery Studios

Jive Records' own Battery Studio complex has to accommodate acts as diverse as Schooly D, Mark Shreeve and Samantha Fox. David Bradwell raps technology.

This low-cost program for the Atari ST uses Artificial Intelligence techniques to take all the hard work out of programming FM synths and allows you to create new ‘musical’ voices quickly and easily. David Hughes enters the edit zone...

The prettiest people in Pop meet the ugliest person in journalism

Richard Elen visits the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop and hitches a ride through 21 years of past and present music and effects production from Quatermass to Blake's 7.

Acoustic drum samples from producer Bob Clearmountain rub shoulders with Mega Beats drum machine samples, while SSU sounds for the Yamaha SY77 complete the lineup in this month's Patchwork.

Another in our 'How It Works' series. David Mellor kicks off a two-part investigation into the practicalities of bins, horns, tweeters and woofers. Baffled? You won't be once you've read this!

Digital Reverb

Digital reverberation continues its advance. Simon Trask puzzles over a unit that combines improved facilities and a lower price tag than its predecessor.

MIDI Hardware and Software for Apple II Micro

Last month we looked at six software packages, but not one of them was written for the Apple and its lookalikes. LEMI's MIDI system is one that is, as David Ellis discovers.

Part 4 of our series for FM synth owners, in which Martin Russ gives away even more secrets of FM programming. Operators at the ready!

The second of our two versatile electronic percussion modules

Multiverb II Multiverb EXT

Dave Lockwood casts his eye over this brace of MIDI controllable multi-effects processors from ART.

From the dawn of time and the twang of strings comes the tremolo arm. We reveal its courageous story.

TX816 Rack, QX1 Digital Sequencer, KX88 Master Keyboard

At last, a detailed appraisal of Yamaha's state-of-the-art MIDI system. FM rack, digital keyboard recorder and master keyboard come under David Ellis' careful scrutiny.

It's no stay-at-home

In the final part of a look into the world of additive synthesis, Chris Meyer explains the different approaches to additive synthesis adopted by various manufacturers and which synths have employed them.

Linn Sequencer Jr

The sequencing half of the Linn 9000 gets a once-over from Paul Wiffen, who concludes it's far from being a replacement for the tape recorder.

Long sample times and astounding sound quality characterise Bel's range of mid-price delay units. But as Ian Waugh discovers, there are some important omissions, too.

In Part One of this two-part Programmer's Guide to the Casio CZ range of synthesizers, Phil South maps out the territory beyond the factory presets.

Studio Monitors

Choosing studio monitors on a tight budget can be a demoralising experience - unless you're wise to JBL's new Control 1 Plus and its bass-driving partner. Nigel Lord takes control.