Groove guru Wilf Smarties reports on the sample CD scene.

Computer Controlled Recorder

One of the prime forces for the 90s is sure to be digital recording and editing - as found in TOPAZ. Simon Trask previews a powerful new system from Steinberg Digital Audio.

Additions To Traditions

Tony Mills rips the lid off the latest in the land of the electrode; updates for Yamaha's CX5M, Greengate's DS:3, and the ever-popular Speccy.

Matthew Vosburgh reports on this unassuming little program that turns any Macintosh computer into a powerful sound sampler.

Are you afraid of the art of Bath? Adrian Deevoy goes into battle with Curt and Roland

Casio RZ1 Sampling Drum Machine

Fancy an Emulator SP12 for £350? Casio have something approaching it in the new RZ1, the world's first 'affordable' digital drum box with onboard sampling facilities. Dan Goldstein says nevermind the quality...

US successes return to Blighty with the formula for Stateside MOR safely intact. Interview by Jonathan James

The first of three personal views of a nation that's revolutionised the development and manufacture of hi-tech musical equipment. Hugh Ashton checks out the gear and the music.

When is Left Right?

Sinister Tony Reed takes the side of the left-handed musician

little Andy Taylor on big guitar sounds

Hip-hop beats, anarchic industrial noise and the odd jazz lick are the hallmarks of The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy’s debut album Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury. Kean Wong drops in on San Francisco’s uncompromising renegades and discovers which are the sharpest tools at the cutting edge of rap

Yet another show. Organised by the Audio Engineering Society, this 4-day show displayed the latest advancements in recording technology.

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.

A chance to check out some of the forthcoming new products that might force you to dig deeper into your pockets later this year.

Synthcheck

Paul Fishman, who always wanted to be bigger, expands to fit Kurzweil's keyboardless package

What is networking and how can it be of use to the musician using MIDI-equipped instruments? Harvey P Newquist III investigates the working relationship between machine and machine.

THE ULTIMATE SOFT MACHINE

The Fairlight (in its previous Series II guise) was/is probably the most famous computer musical instrument in the world. Everybody knows the name, but few really know what its true capabilities are. Now there is a new breed of Fairlight, far more powerful and far more sophisticated than the old one ever was - the Series III. Richard Elen takes a look at the mind-boggling potential of this Rolls-Royce of sound sampling/synthesizing machines.

A new band, a new album, and a new year. Planning ahead with the Police behind you.

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

Flushed with the chart success of Close (To The Edit), the 'faceless' trio return with more talk of Art, Empire and Industry. Paul Gilby pushed the record button and monitored the noise levels...

Guitarcheck

A dream come true? Dave Burrluck pinches himself

...Is one of the producers responsible for the new wave of guitar-based pop. Paul Tingen finds he has plenty to say about modern music technology, not all of it favourable.