Every month, MusicRadar’s industry-leading sister magazines - Guitarist, Computer Music, Total Guitar, Rhythm and Future Music - publish the best independent and in-depth music-making gear reviews.

We’ve collated the latest plug-ins, controllers, synths and mics to have fallen under the watchful eyes of Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm’s test teams. All the gear on show here was originally reviewed in Computer Music issue 152, Future Music issue 227 and Rhythm issue 178. It was published on MusicRadar throughout June and July.

Scroll on for this month’s top picks and click through to read each product’s full review. First up: Roland Octapad SPD-30

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“For drummers or percussionists looking to add electronic sounds to an acoustic set-up with the minimum of fuss, the SPD-30 is a great choice. And the fact that it's the latest in a line of well-proven tools allows for real confidence in its long-term abilities.”

5 Stars

FULL REVIEW: Roland Octapad SPD-30

(Reviewed in Rhythm magazine issue 178)