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The Windows music software scene is thriving. Brian Heywood reflects on its effects on the rest of the music software market, and examines some new arrivals in more detail.
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The Windows music software scene is thriving. Brian Heywood reflects on its effects on the rest of the music software market, and examines some new arrivals in more detail.

The original MAQ 16/3 analogue-style step sequencer, developed with the help of Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider, was released almost five years ago, but Doepfer clearly believe in shelf-life and have continued to update this unique instrument. Chris Carter steps ahead.

Emu's latest sampler release is a new budget module to replace the ESI32. But with recent price drops from Akai and Yamaha's return to the sampling fold, have the company done enough to fend off the competition?

The Native Power Pack from DSP software specialists Waves gathers together several plug-ins previously only available for Mac-based TDM systems, and makes them available at a Knock-down price, instantly widening the appeal of software based processing. Janet Harniman-Cook plugs in.

Aquabats are an unconventional trio dedicated to the creation and recording of unconventional improvised music — using unconventional and often improvised instruments — which they call Earth Music. Tim Turan tells the story.

The latest version of this popular audio sequencer sees Emagic's answer to competitor Steinberg's VST built-in effects. But there's rather more to this significant upgrade than that, as Paul White reports.

GeneralMusic are perhaps best known for their home keyboards, but this powerful new high-end instrument is aimed more at the synthesizer workstation market, though is still includes keyboard auto-accompaniment features. Are the company mapping out a brave new world? Simon Trask explores the SK76.

Designing sounds on a computer can give you virtually all the knobs and sliders you'd want, but there's the potential to go far beyond hardware synthesis too. Dennis Miller begins a two-part tour of what's available.

Nick Magnus takes a look at the digital incarnation of Dynacord's popular CLS 222 Leslie Simulator.

The legendary Kurzweil piano sound is now available in a smaller box and with a lower price tag than ever before - though in the UK it's still significantly more expensive than competing piano modules from other manufacturers. Is it worth the price premium? Derek Johnson finds out.

Computers may have revolutionised home recording, but for the recording guitarist who prefers the sound of single coil pickups, they have taken the age-old problem of radiated-field noise to a new level. Dave Lockwood checks out a new generation fo pickups promising a real solution without compromising the classic sound.

The upgrade of Cubase to version 4.0 sees the software comprehensively overhauled — and it's available in an optional 24-bit version for the first time. Martin Walker temporarily changes platform for the next stage of the Cubase journey.

Style-generation software Band-in-a-box is one of the many still-thriving music programs that started life on the Atari. These days, it's very much a home in the latest Mac- and PC-based studios, as Vic Lennard and Martin Walker discovers.

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.

At £899, the AN1X is one of the most affordable physical modelling synths on the market — and it's no less than 10-note polyphonic, with a host of features designed to bring out the control freak in you . Martin Russ follows up on our exclusive preview with this in-depth studio test.

In the fourth instalment of our series on the techniques and technology behind digital audio Hugh Robjohns looks at digital tape recording formats.


Given the wide range of studio and synthesis equipment Yamaha make, it's perhaps odd that there's been no serious sampler in their catlogue for almost 10 years. Now, after putting a toe in the water with the well-received SU10 mini-sampler, they're taking the pro sampling plunge once more with the A3000. Chris Carter finds that still waters run deep...

Paul White gets truly virtual with Roland's new physical modelling guitar product — and no, it's not a guitar synth!

Paul White has been a devotee of guitar synths ever since Roland introduced the original GR500 back in the 1970s. Technology has come a long way since then, but there are still various techniques and tricks that can be adopted to make using these fascinating instruments a little less traumatic.