There's an awful lot of hi-hi-history involved, y'know

The System

The System this month features ZTT engineer Paul Gomersall's MIDI sampler set-up.

Why has this top record producer - the man behind Culture Club's phenomenal success on vinyl - given up using the Fairlight in favour of a Steinberg Pro-24 system? Why is he so upset about the myths that surround digital recording? Ralph Denyer went along to Levine's new studio to find out...

As sound-sampling becomes accepted as a technique, what will musicians do with their machines after the novelty has worn off? Chris Meyer takes a sideways look.

'Hymn' music to play — we've linked the music to an exclusive interview with Midge Ure and Billy Currie on E&MM cassette, discussing and playing the instruments for this new Ultravox single

Tony Hastings brings his enjoyable series of hints and tips to a close with a look at the Mirage's final four MASOS functions.

The high priest of Pop discusses his solo album, musicianship, songwriting and The Police.

Martyn Ware flatters Fairlights

Back in 1985, Propaganda made an astonishing debut with 'Dr. Mabuse' and the classic album 'A Secret Wish'. After years of silence, a split with ZTT records, and the departure of three-quarters of the original line-up, Michael Mertens is back with a new-look Propaganda, and feeds the party line to Nigel Humberstone.

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.

Setting the Scene

Part one of a survey of music-printing instruments.

Second instalment of Jim Grant's five-year mission into the unknown, or what goes on inside the world's most popular computer music tool.

how soundtracks changed one star's life

After analogue synthesis, FM synthesis, additive synthesis and sampling comes resynthesis - the ability to reconstruct a sampled sound. Bob O'Donnell introduces the Acxel; the first dedicated resynthesiser.

The Eno collaborator and leading exponent of American minimalist music, Harold Budd, discloses the fascinating background to his new solo album 'Lovely Thunder', his love of the piano and his strange union with the Cocteau Twins. Mark Prendergast attends the masterclass and takes notes.

David Mellor reviews this sample library for the educated user.

The new FM synthesis

Everything you ever wanted to know about samplers... 48 models compared! Paul Gilby surveys the current sampler market, exposes the 'spec wars', dispels the 16-bit myth and explains in simple terms how sampling really works, before telling you what to look out for when buying secondhand.

Hitmakers Heaven 17 reveal how they've harnessed the hardware on How Men Are.

The Computer And The Environment

Will Hutchings on the environmental impact of the personal computer.

Upcoming systems music composer chats to Simon Trask about modern technology, Renaissance music and Belgian pop.

easy note doodling

C64 steal