Playing the Rhodes Chroma with the Apple II Sequencer

Software for the Apple Macintosh

Following the procession of MIDI sequence packages that have appeared for the Atari ST comes a program designed specifically for the musician fitting music to videotape or film. Chris Many gets that syncing feeling.

Abandoning guitars for samplers, Skin became Fluke and discovered new artistic freedom. Simon Trask listens to the man/machine argument from people who've learned both sides of it.

Yamaha to the Fore: 4-Track Examined

The CMI and Blue Weaver

Recording your own music is only the first step to getting it heard; to do that, you need to deal with A&R people at record companies. Paul Tingen meets them, and discovers why so few bands succeed in impressing them.

Studio or stage? As technology advances, the traditional distinction between "recording technology" and "keyboard technology" becomes more and more confused - as this years recording show displayed. Report by Simon Trask.

Category crossing contemporary composer cornered

A Man With A Gift

In between tours with Ultravox and appearances on Live Aid, Midge Ure somehow found the time to discuss the writing and recording of his first ever solo LP 'The Gift' and his No1 single with Ian Gilby.

The Alternative

So far, affordable 16-track has been a one horse race and all the money has been on Fostex. But now the odds are getting more interesting as a lively young thoroughbred from the Tascam stable enters the starting stalls. David Mellor assesses the form.

Catch a glimpse of what goes through the mind of a Newcastle musician commissioned to provide a suitable soundtrack for an animated film whose subject matter revolves around a woman living alone in a high-rise block of flats. John Goodenough relates his experiences.

John Harris draws on personal experience to reveal some of the problems encountered when recording TV pop music programmes.

Software for the Atari ST

The first release from a British company called System Exclusive is a 128-track sequencer for the Atari ST. Simon 'ST Trask (and his assistant, 'Mouse') find it both powerful and flexible.

With Martin Rushent just voted BBC Producer of the Year, our interview from his Genetic Sound Studio, where Human League recorded ‘Dare’, must be THE music feature of the month!

Your kindly editor investigates ways in which the newcomer to recording might spend his money effectively rather than just quickly.

The Logical Choice?

Portastudio Review

Roland D20 LA synthesizer

With its 8-track sequencer, rhythm composer, digital reverb and built-in disk drive, Roland's latest multitimbral LA synthesizer would be better described as a budget 'music workstation'. Paul Ireson reveals why ...

An excursion into the depths of dub with reggae master and sound manipulator The Mad Professor.

Multitrack Cassette Recorder

Neville Unwin puts this sophisticated home studio package through its paces.

Pros & Cons of Backing Tape Formats

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