Boss DR660 Drum Machine

Roland SDE330 Dimensional Delay

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly at Frankfurt's Musical Fiesta

Five pages of glorious colour on the exhibition to end all exhibitions - the annual Frankfurt Musik Messe. Dan Goldstein comes hotfoot from Germany to report on the latest developments on the hi-tech music scene. And there are a lot of them.

Quasimidi Style Drive Realtime Arranger

The release of the M1R puts the M1’s hot sounds in a compact rack-mounting package that will undoubtedly appeal to musicians and studios already burdened by a surfeit of keyboards. Martin Russ looks beyond the surface appeal.

ICMC Report

Fresh from his exploits at Steim Studios, Ron Briefel takes a look at what last year's International Computer Music Conference had to offer in the way of new instruments, new music, and new ideas.

MIDI Mixer

MIDI has been slowly creeping into mixing desks for some time now, but this American mixer goes all the way. Vic Leonard mixes with MIDI.

Digital Percussion Synthesiser

The ability to modify its selection of drum and percussion sounds is the strong suit of this expander from Kawai. Vic Lennard reports on the continuing beatbox boom.

The French answer to the MSQ100? A polyphonic sequencer with comprehensive interfacing facilities, and a few tricks up its sleeve gets the treatment from 'le docteur' Simon Trask.

One for the DIY fans. In this new series, Martin Russ penetrates deep into the heart of MIDI equipment and explores how they work, what chips they use and more...

MIDI Programmable Mixer

A programmable mixer that will find a good home in a home studio.

The scope of MIDI control has expanded beyond that of simply allowing one synthesiser to control another. Chris Meyer explains how you can now shape a whole mix using the five-pin DIN plug.

Digital Drum Machine

Following hard on the heels of the R100, this junior beat box from Kawai threatens to outshine its big brother, as Simon Trask finds out.

Software for the Atari ST

The software catalogue for the Atari ST continues to grow. Ian Waugh checks out a sequencer package that may give Steinberg and Hybrid Arts serious competition.

For three years the korg M1 has been the leading keyboard workstation, and the product that more than any other has made the company's name as a leading force in hi-tech music. But how do you follow an act like that? David Mellor looks at the M1's successor, the 01/W FD.

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.

Yamaha DX5

Merely two DX7s in a box, or a valid addition to the Yamaha range of FM digital keyboards? Simon Trask takes the mid-price algorithm through its paces, and comes to mixed conclusions.

SMPTE/MIDI Processor

David Mellor dabbles in a spot of SMPTE/MIDI troubleshooting with the Friend Chip SRC/AT processor.

Should You Upgrade from a DX7 to a DX7II?

If you already own a Mk1 DX7, you're now faced with an agonising dilemma: do you risk everything and chop it on for the MkII model? Howard Massey weighs up the pros and cons of taking the plunge.

Digital Multi-effects Processor

Following the success of their Midiverbs and Microverbs, Alesis have developed a unit capable of providing no less than four audio treatments simultaneously. Ian Waugh practices his four-play.

It's been available for well under a year, but already, Roland's latest MicroComposer is establishing itself as something of an industry standard. Steve Howell gives a comprehensive user's eye view...

FM Synthesiser

Another member of Yamaha's world-beating FM family; Howard Massey finds this powerful rack-mount right up his digital street.

Yamaha DX7S

A story in which our hero, David Mellor, deserts the path of enlightenment and sells his DX7 Mk1 for a rival keyboard. Can the DX7S tempt him back to the true faith? Read on...

Sampling Drum Machine

"Affordable" sampling drum machines are few and far between. Dan Goldstein checks up on this contender for a vacant throne from the French.

The man who took the credit for production on Pink Floyd's superlative 'Dark Side Of The Moon' album has since had ten years of album success with his own creation: The Alan Parsons Project. Richard Elen managed to track him down to London's Mayfair Studios, to discuss the appliance of music technology in his recordings.