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Hi-tech gear companies have set up shop on the web and offer all manner of downloadable goodies, plus FAQs, tips and techniques, to support their users. Derek Johnson & Debbie Poyser take their pick.
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Hi-tech gear companies have set up shop on the web and offer all manner of downloadable goodies, plus FAQs, tips and techniques, to support their users. Derek Johnson & Debbie Poyser take their pick.

Paul White tries his luck on the green and finds that where voice channels are concerned, this box is a whole in one.

French musician Hector Zazou's quest for sounds and songs with a difference took him North, to find ethnic drumming from Siberia, joik chanting from Lapland, and the disappearing folk music of the World's northern tribes — which he combined with contributions from himself and world-famous artists, to create a unique musical experience. Paul Tingen gets some Northern Exposure.


Does defragmenting your hard drives, including the ones you use for recording audio, really result in better PC performance? Opinion is divided, so we take a considered look at the subject, as well as testing some of the most suitable 'defragger' utilities.

The Edirol SD90 combines Roland's Sound Canvas sound set with a USB audio and MIDI interface.

Robin Morley explains why he thinks musicians should stop showing off and get on with making some tunes...


Korg have realised some of the sonic expansion potential of their Triton keyboards and module by releasing a number of PCM sample expansion boards. Simon Trask, who reviewed the Triton Rack for SOS a few months ago, listens to what they have to offer...

What's the connection between SOS, a set of bagpipes and Richard Branson's round-the-world balloon escapades?

Paul White catches up with the man who pioneered the art of radical remixes in the '80s, and has gone on to become a hugely successful producer and songwriter.

The new version of Opcode's flagship sequencer/ hard disk recording package almost extinguishes the differences between audio and MIDI recordings, allowing unprecedented control over your compositions. A hitherto MIDI-only Martin Russ broadens his horizons...

Mixing on 'cans' is often frowned upon, but if you know what you're doing, you can get good results with only occasional checks on your monitor speakers.

Despite having produced a string of successful albums by artists as diverse as Crowded House, Suzanne Vega and Elvis Costello, Mitchell Froom still strives for a fresh approach to each new project and refuses to sit back and sink into a formula. Paul Tingen talks to him.

Use of a full symphony orchestra remains a luxury afforded only to the world's top-selling artists or film composers. But with a little help from technology, the sound of convincing strings and blaring brass is achievable on a budget. John Rowcroft reports, and offers advice to anyone seeking to follow his example...

Apple had plenty of surprises at their Developer Conference this year, including new hardware (the G5 Power Macs), and new software (Panther). In this specially extended Apple Notes, we consider the likely effects on the Mac-based musician...

Paul Ward plays a key role in the thriving Surreal To Real record company, is about to release his second solo album — and still holds down a day job. Paul White caught up with him backstage, after his impressive live performance at the EMMA festival, to find out how he does it.

Irritated by the pop-fixated production values of small commercial studios, Per Villez decided to attempt a jazz recording session at home, using minimal equipment to produce master-quality results. Here he explains how he went about it on his own terms.

Behind every musical milestone there's a pioneering engineer. In the first of an occasional series, Richard Buskin looks at classic recordings from a technical angle. This month, former Van Morrison engineer Elliot Scheiner talks about the 1970s sessions which produced the 'Domino' effect...

On a windswept February day in Blackpool, scores of Kraftwerk fans gathered to swap notes, watch probably the only Kraftwerk covers band in the world and generally party, while paying homage to one of the most influential electronic bands of our time. Convention organiser Paul Wilkinson brings us this report.