
Kurzweil K2600X
Kurzweil's latest workstation is very much the product of evolution, rather than revolution. Paul Ward finds out whether it's keeping pace with the rest of the synth world...
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Kurzweil's latest workstation is very much the product of evolution, rather than revolution. Paul Ward finds out whether it's keeping pace with the rest of the synth world...

With prices for an original Roland TB303 as high as £1000 on the open market, it is unsurprising that the last two years have seen a number of manufacturers attempting to emulate the 303 in a cheaper, MIDI'd form. Martin Russ checks out the latest pretender to the throne...

Roland's original Fantom workstation wasn't really much competition for Korg's Triton, so it was no shock to see it revamped last year as the hugely improved Fantom S. But surprisingly, Roland have done it again. What's new this time around?

There's already a decent range of products providing digital emulations of vintage guitar amps, but iZotope's Direct X plug-in goes a lot further, offering no fewer than seven processing modules, and is intended to model every kind of distortion you'll ever need.

Windows XP works better for audio than any other Windows OS so far, but musicians still seek those ultimate go-faster tricks, so this month we bring you a guide to those that are worth doing and those that are worth avoiding.

Paul White finds he has a crush on the Smart Research C2 compressor — but at what cost?

The sheer power of Emu's three ESI samplers has endeared them to many home musicians on a budget. However, it can be tricky to get the most out of these machines, so here are some power-user tips to help you.

Korg shook the hi-tech recording world in 1988 with the introduction of the M1 workstation. With their new Trinity range, Korg are attempting to update the workstation concept for the 1990s. In the first instalment of this two-part review, Gordon Reid assesses how they have fared.

New drum machines are few and far between these days, but as Nicholas Rowland discovers, this one has a lot to offer even in a world full of computer sequencers.

Almost overlooked in the rush of people desperate to get their hands on a Roland TB303, the MC202 is just beginning to find favour with the all-analogue dance crowd. Tom Carpenter explains why he's never forgotten the diminutive MicroComposer.

By the time you read this, he could be clutching his first Oscar for his soundtrack for the historic blockbuster Elizabeth. David Hirschfelder discourses with Richard Buskin about the art, science and pyschology of scoring for the moving image.

You've got the talent but you haven't got the gear. Sounds familiar? Christopher Holder visits a production team who decided to do something about it, and are reaping the rewards.
![Figure 1: [top] The output from an envelope follower. Figure 2: [bottom] A more sophisticated envelope follower.](https://dt7v1i9vyp3mf.cloudfront.net/styles/teaser_large/s3/imagelibrary/s/synth1_2-0800-0C0zNIUAttbB6Ff8M6IKO1uI8Z34UeVi.gif)
Gordon Reid introduces the synthesis modules that allow you to create a number of commonly used 'random' effects, and their close relatives — analogue sequencers.

When it comes to emulating acoustic instruments, the modern orchestra probably represents the ultimate challenge. Philip Meehan shows you how to take it on and win.

Yamaha have taken a weighted keyboard from their latest digital pianos, added high-quality piano samples and Motif sounds, and thrown in a playback sequencer and arpeggiator, and master-keyboard facilities. Left to simmer, the S90 is the result...

Now that Korg's Legacy Collection is properly complete, we follow up last month's preview with the first instalment of our three-part in-depth review. This month, we focus on the Korg Wavestation plug-in...

If you've heard of Paris's IRCAM, you probably imagine it's government-funded research bunker devoted to a kind of avant-garde sonic and musical experimentation that has little relevance to the average hi-tech musician. Over the last few years, though, as Paul Tingen discovers, IRCAM has been coming down to earth, and a new spirit of openness and commercial awareness now shapes its work.

The Stone Roses seemed fit for world domination at the end of the '80s, but after releasing a successful debut album, they disappeared for nearly six years. Matt Bell talks to the producer of their new album, Simon Dawson, about his approach to recording the all-important follow-up.

David Byrne must surely be one of the most individual and iconoclastic musicians of the late 20th century and, six years after leaving Talking Heads, he's still fusing different musical styles and forging new musical alliances. Sue Sillitoe does at least some of the talking...

The newest member of Digitech's Vocalist family of intelligent pitch-shifters boasts some slimmed-down features from previous models and a 'hands-on' user interface. Paul Farrer warms up with some scales, adjusts his bow tie and takes this powerful module right through the standing ovation and bouquets