Come on down, Akai's new low-cost sampler! Astonishing value for money at a mere £999, the basic S2000 is expandable to a top-of-the-range spec by means of add-on cards. Paul White spins the (data) wheel of fortune to see whether Akai have played their cards right this time...
Alesis rereleased their Quadrasynth early last year to mixed reviews, and in response, an updated version has now been launched. Does it address some of the comments levelled at the previous instrument? Original Quadrasynth owner Mike Best finds out.
This new French program must be one of the cheapest ways of integrating digital audio and MIDI sequencing. Panicos Georghiades and Gabriel Jacobs put it through its paces.
Once simple one-channel units, MIDI-CV converters have become multi-output devices capable of handling various kinds of pre-MIDI control protocols. Design Labs' latest offering even sports a built-in resonant filter! Gordon Reid bleeps and oscillates with delight...
The SampleCell II PC card can turn your humble PC into a fully-featured, 32-voice sample replay unit with eight individual outputs. Brian Heywood investigates.
Best known for their low-cost controller keyboards, Fatar have now released a new kind of controller — the MP1 MIDI pedalboard. Paul Ward brings his lower limbs into the sonic fray...
Hot on the heels of their astonishing new Prophecy monophonic synthesizer, Korg are already near completing work on their next range of workstations, entitled Trinity. Gordon Reid was allowed a sneak preview of the next generation...
Paul White tries to establish whether a separate mic preamp really does make a difference, using the MX2, the latest in the LA Audio Lite range of signal processors.
Following on from last year's modular MSR2 synth, Marion Systems' new stand-alone Pro Synth seeks to capture the analogue sounds of yesteryear in module format, without recourse to sample-based synthesis techniques. Paul Nagle lends an ear.
Keen to get into PC hard disk recording? Samplitude Studio, the top of an impressive range of programs from German manufacturers SEKD, is one of the cheaper options available — but it's certainly not short on features. Panicos Georghiades and Gabriel Jacobs are mightily impressed...
Although it offered a GM mode, Yamaha's QY22 Walkstation was not a true General MIDI instrument. With the release of the new fully GM-compatible QY22, have Yamaha rectified the shortcomings of the previous machine? Derek Johnson finds out.
Most contemporary sequencers include facilities that make it possible to automate all the key aspects of a MIDI mix, but all too often they remain unused. Paul White explains how to dip your toe in the water without falling in...
Brian Heywood considers the role of affordable 'PC plus soundcard'-based digital audio recording systems, and considers whether such systems could ever mean the end of dedicated hard disk recorders...
In an ideal world, studios would function without hum, hiss, glitches, or mysteriously absent signals, but as Paul White has discovered through experience — they don't!
The Sabres Of Paradise are familiar to many as the experimental dance project headed by renowned DJ/Producer Andy Weatherall. However, the two other members of the Sabres also have an extensive list of production and remix credits to their credit. Nigel Humberstone talked to them at the Sabresonic Studio about their recent work.
Rob Parrett catches up with veteran musician Rabbit, also known as John Bundrick, who's still in demand as a session keyboardist after more than 25 years in the business.
What do you do if the expensive piece of gear you've just bought doesn't do what it's supposed to? Here, producer and studio owner Mel Simpson bemoans the fate of the reluctant guinea pig...
Nick Rothwell had a problem; although he owned an impressive MIDI setup, he found much of it useless when his musical project Cassiel came to provide the music for live dance performances. Here he explains how he solved his problems and adapted his setup to fit in with new requirements.
There's a revolution taking place and it's heading your way! David Mellor explains the increasing importance to musicians of optical technology for data storage.
Canadian company QSound Labs were among the third-party TDM developers present at Digiworld, the recent Digidesign-hosted event in London. Paul White chatted to QSound's head of technical support, Scott Willing, about the latest developments in their 3D processing technology.
For his latest musical project, Rick Wakeman chose to work with a travelling state circus. Jonathan Miller discusses the keyboard virtuoso's clowning glory, and delves into the man's 27-year recording career.
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