Into the Seventies

Boogie Back studios

What the North London jazz/soul studio may lack in technology, it makes up for in good vibes

From humble beginnings CC have grown into a major force in 80s music. Here, they explain their approach to writing and performing, and their rise to chart success.

His idiosyncratic style of fretless bass playing inspired a generation, but now the ex-Japan man is playing sessions, writing his own music, and programming his own synths.

Guitars Go Avant Garde

The best-known instrumentalists aren't necessarily the ones with the most to say. We chat to American avant garde guitar player Steve Tibbetts via the postal service, and find he's got a lot of views worth hearing.

Show Reports

what we saw

MIDI-To-Tape Synchronisation

MIDI-to-tape sync: why you need it, what it does and how you use it.

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.

The Bahamas boy talks tunes and tides with Adrian Deevoy

Greg Phillinganes: The keys to Jacksonville

ARP Odyssey owner and enthusiast Gordon Reid remembers the only synthesiser that gave the Minimoog a run for its money back in the 70s - the sounds of oscillator cross-modulation and filter sweeps live on.

how to liven up your music by being open to improvisation

Golden boy of the teeny bop scene a closet guitar hero? It's true, all true. Muso musings captured for posterity by Dave Burrluck and Susan Rookledge.

How much do musicians really earn? The rich ones (ahem) the poor ones (definitely).

Systems Music

Musical mathematics made easy

PART 2: Microphones. David Mellor cuts through the mythology of microphone techniques with some practical advice.

Star of recording studio and airshow in conversation with Tim Goodyer. Is pop about to lose a hi-tech innovator, and display flying gain a star aviator?

Beatfarm

The boys from Beatfarm Studios talk business, production, and new jazz funk

Moraz and Bruford Embrace the New

Patrick Moraz and Bill Bruford, two of music’s best-established virtuoso players, talk about their two-year relationship and a new LP. Interview by Dan Goldstein.

With Richard Burgess And John Walters

Richard Burgess and John Walters talk about the make-up of Landscape.

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.

Atari ST Software

Combining four Dr T's programs, Omega brings together scorewriting, sequencing and powerful editing facilities on the Atari ST. Ian Waugh reckons it's Christmas.

Software for the Atari ST

Until now writing MIDI software has been the preserve of a few dedicated individuals, but T-Basic offers to make MIDI programming accessible to the masses. Ian Waugh gets online.

Frank Zappa is never short of a word or a thousand. In this case, there were so many, we had to make it a two-parter. In this first, Ralph Denyer finds out why Frank doesn't hate people (quite) and why London's one of the worst places on earth.

A new prestige keyboard line-up that fuses traditional modular synthesis concepts with the latest interface technology. The complete system surveyed by Dan Goldstein.