Here it comes..the Virtual Studio revolution, and at the helm Propellerhead's ReBirth RB-338, virtually recreating two of electronic music's coolest boxes (with written permission), the Roland TR-808 drum machine and TB-303 synth sequencer.

A fully functional programmable real-time synthesizer set-up within your desktop computer or powerbook, and capable of re-creating exactly the same sounds that the original versions are capable of, but without having to actually own them (have you seen how much those things cost these days?!).

What's more, you actually get an extra TB-303 so you can run two completely separate synth tracks while the TR-808 takes care of the beats.

Within a couple of minutes of installing the software into our Power Macintosh we were up and running. No extra internal hardware is needed, and because all the neccessary controls are controlled with your mouse, or keyboard commands, an external keyboard isn't required either.

But the beauty of the RB-338 really lies in its simplicity.

With controls laid out logically, and instantly accessable, you always know what's going on, and when running ReBirth in song mode, a feature which allows you to save all the changes and patterns for later playback, you'll see the controls moving in time to the music, just as you programmed them.

There's also an extensive effects department, which includes a clean, effective delay and a distortion control, which is almost entirely responsible for producing the familiar overdriven nasally sound heard on almost every dance driven techno CD released this year.

The PCF section gives you infinite control over your filters and allows you to get even more expression from the standard controls found within the TB-303 modules.

One of the greatest single signature sounds in electronic music is that of Roland's TR-808. Its classic synthetic percussion sounds are heard on more dancefloors than that of any other drum machine. A perfect compliment to any synth track, and re-created here in software form complete with strobing LED's which make programming too easy.

And as with the TR-808, the two virtual TB-303's have exactly the same controls as the originals, complete with the miniature push button keyboard and rotary filter, decay and accent pots.

ReBirth has effectively put synthesis within reach of many who may never have had the opportunity to use it to create their own music, and as amateurs and professionals alike begin to see a powerful and versatile musical tool when they look at their desktop computers, you can expect to see many enhancements made to this remarkable electronic musical instrument.

For more information about this product visit our Manufacturers department for contact information.

electronicmusic.com/features/reviews/software/rebirth.html