New York was the setting for the 83rd Convention of the Audio Engineering Society, where audio manufacturers gathered to show off their new wares. Craig Anderton provides a rundown of the main highlights.

Mark Fishlock expounds.

A string arrangement can make or break a song — Ian Gardiner digs up a few basic rules for right-on arranging.

Steve Hall bandies about words like involvement, commitment and encouragement as he argues that the engineer should take a more active role in the everyday process of recording.

PA Hire

how to do it, what to avoid

News from America compiled by Simon Braund

Tony Horkins lays his hands on Tom, Alanna and Joe and squeezes out the technical secrets

After releasing an album consisting entirely of human vocal samples, Claire Hamill reintroduces the synthesiser to her music. David Bradwell listens to the singer's tale.

Mr Bassman, boom boom, thwack thwack, talks exclusively, dang dang, chacker chacker, to Making Music, thock thock, thwackadang

Adrian Deevoy goes larynx-in-hand to seek advice from Britain's most swinging singing teacher, Tona de Brett

Their trials and tribulations.

AmpCheck

Hugely powerful and impressively loud. Martin Brassell, that is

Nominated by Steve Levine, Steve Lillywhite, Peter Collins, Hugh Padgham, Swain and Jolley

drum parts and recording arts

Pop hopefuls or Stock, Aitken and Waterman puppets? The men in Blue give David "newboy" Bradwell the inside story on the SAW production stable.

news from the front

after the break, news from the front

The Police skinsman explored darkest Africa recently and came back with samples, songs and stories galore. Adrian Deevoy takes the missionary position.

Tony Banks talks to Kendall Wrightson about his new solo album, Technology, and the latest chapter in the book of Genesis.

The Art Of Arranging

Ian Gardiner gets out the manuscript paper and tells you how to spread those blobs around

Tony Reed talks to Somerville and Coles, the Morecambe and Wise of agit-Pop

Do you live in peace with your cassette recorder? Or is your life full of mangled tape misery and longings for lost high frequencies? Confirmed reel-to-reelie David Mellor explains the problems that bedevil the cassette format, and offers some advice to make the medium work for you rather than against you.

Ex-Police drummer and self-styled 'tech-head' Stewart Copeland discusses the merits of owning four Fairlight CMIs, why he's in a group called Animal Logic, and how to write an opera. Logical questions: Nicholas Rowland.

New England Digital: A Company Philosophy

Most people have heard of the Synclavier but little is known about the company that produces it: New England Digital. Paul Gilby met up with its Vice-President, Brad Naples, who supplied us with a fascinating insight into the philosophy behind the development of this highly advanced digital recording system they call 'the Synclavier'.