Industry Talk

A recent court ruling could be the biggest threat to music composers since the great cull of 1673. Big George breaks the bad news...

Do you want to engineer top acts in top studios? Are you prepared to devote your entire life to music recording? In this new series, David Mellor explains how you can become a professional music recording engineer.

Robert Louis Medina explores the sordid world of naked Dutch flesh — and bemoans the gulf between the quality of Roland products and that of Roland manuals.

The music biz is a notoriously difficult one, but you might think that at least the people who get paid to work for you are on your side. Sam Inglis says it's even worse than you thought.

Music on the Internet has brought into sharp focus the changes that will need to be made to a global law to ensure the safety of music copyright. Debbie Poyser and Derek Johnson assess the possible impact of new technology.

Electronic music pioneer Klaus Schulze talks about the way he'd like to see synthesizer design developing over the next few years.

After years of crafting your music to the peak of perfection, do you think you've now got what it takes to make it big? Big George Webley looks at some of the harsh commercial realities of today's record business, and explains why the path to fame and fortune doesn't end at getting a record deal.

Nicholas Rowland argues that there's still something we can learn from the Beatles apart from the fact that drummers shouldn't have solo careers.

SOS Editor Paul White explains the thinking behind his own studio layout, and offers a few practical tips on cable runs and studio furniture.

Brian Willis bemoans the lack of creativity in synthsizer programming and electronic music.

John O'Connor said farewell to the UK music business with the million-selling single 'Star Trekkin'. Paul Tingen tracks him down at his new home in America, where he is one of the principal composers for the cartoon King Of The Hill, as well as a successful recording artist in his own right.

In the sequel to his article last month about being a session musician, Big George takes a look at what it takes to be a successful programmer.

Neil Watkinson doesn't care whether your studio is analogue or digital, big or small, so long as new can hear the words...

While the fame and fortune of pop stars is frequently short-lived, session musicians can carve out a career lasting many years, making a living through sheer ability and professionalism. Big George Webley goes behind the scenes....

It's all in the mind... music, that is. A computer can't begin to make music without a human being... or can it? Paul Hodgson explains the current way of thinking at the cutting edge of research into music cognition.

Rupert Cook tells the Luddites among us to stop complaining and defragment our hard drives.

The head of the design team behind the Lexicon Studio talks to Paul White about the Lexicon sound and the benefits of the Studio approach — and offers some practical tips on optimising PCs for audio recording.

Do you ever wonder who's responsible for the waveforms and sound patches in your favourite synth? If it's a Korg keyboard, then the answer might be Steve McNally, one of the team of sound developers.

'That Martin Walker', you probably think as you leaf through your new SOS, 'he must be very happy man. He's always getting to look at the very latest music software — and for free!' But no, he's complaining about it. Here's why...

History is littered with people who proclaimed that the latest musical development was 'just not music' — Mozart, rock & roll, and techno have all come under fire in the past. Paul Nagle would normally be the first to decry such conservative musical attitudes, but some of the latest developments in music technology have got him worried; the end results just don't seem, well, like music anymore...

One day we all might drive a compact hatchback. Until then, Mac musicians should rally support for their beloved computer. Kenny Campbell sounds the call...