Every Current Model Reviewed

All you need to know about choosing a cassette multitrack, plus concise reviews of every current model on the market.

Ian Waugh makes a global search of the UK MIDI software scene and presents this roundup of what is available and from whom.

What were the best products of 1987 according to Sound On Sound readers? Here are the long-awaited results of our poll.

A look at Newcastle’s ‘open access' electro-music studio.

Direct-to-disk recording explained

MT's guide to the theory and practice of the tapeless studio

Analogue tape, digital tape or hard disk? All have strengths and weaknesses, some of which are more obvious than others; this comprehensive overview unscrews the inscrutable.

Cross Wave Synthesiser

The successor to Ensoniq's popular ESQ1 expands on the sound and sequencing facilities and adds polyphonic aftertouch to the ESQ's spec. Simon Trask goes in search of the performance synthesiser.

Well established as sampling innovators, the Art Of Noise have just released their fourth LP. David Bradwell talks to the Art's JJ Jeczalik about Fairlights and fairplay.

Bamboozled by technical specs? David Mellor explains how to 'interpret' audio equipment specifications and also gives the lowdown on that little understood concept, Barkhausen noise.

Ron Berry

MIDI Mutable Mixer

Most small mixers simply don't have enough inputs for even a modest home recording setup. One that certainly does is the new 20:2 Tascam MM1, complete with MIDI mute automation. Tony Hastings checks it out.

Richard Buskin looks back at the illustrious past of the world's most famous studio and discovers why Abbey Road has remained a front-runner for so long.

Over the last few years musicians have consistently been more excited over the latest MIDI hardware developments than they have over MIDI software. Whilst other micros have come and gone, the Atari ST and Macintosh micros have quietly become the established computers for making music with MIDI. Ed Jones reveals why with a look at Steinberg's Pro-24 (V2.1) and Mark Of The Unicorn's Performer (V2.2) programs.

With Talking Heads on the back burner, keyboard player Jerry Harrison is building a strong following as a solo artist. Nigel Lord talks messages and machinery to a Casual God.

Beat Box Hits

Or, the much-maligned art of drum machine programming. Tony Reed talks to the experts, and Richard Walmsley dissects some classic tracks.

Peter Maydew

In the third of an occasional series on the professional bodies who look after the interests of musicians and engineers, David Mellor talks to the APRS, the body which represents many of this country's leading recording studios.

Winter NAMM 1989

Californian sunshine, sea and sand - with all this on offer, why should MT's intrepid reporters want to visit a trade show in Anaheim? Bob "El Bobo" O'Donnell, Chris "El Macho" Meyer and Dan "La" Rue have the answer.

Tascam's compact and versatile new M1516 desk is aimed squarely at the semi-pro 8-track market. The not-so compact but even more versatile Dave Lockwood checks it out.

AccessoryCheck

The ultimate compromise and the way forward for drummers reviewed by Bob Henrit

Akai DR4d Hard Disk Recorder

Offering 4 tracks of instantaneous cut-and-paste, Akai's £1600 digital recorder looks like being a real winner.

A man continually in search of magic moments in the perfect quality of music.

He's played guitar with the best - David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, David Sylvian, Talking Heads, Brian Eno and, of course, King Crimson - and he's also worked away from the public eye, pursuing truths other than the rock and roll life. Mark Prendergast discovers that Robert Fripp's insights are of interest to more than just guitarists.

Kevin Hook

Kevin Hook describes his home recording set-up.