It’s tempting, given that this is issue 299 of Computer Music, to start getting excited about ‘the big one’ next issue, but I’ll try and leave that for another four weeks or, if you can’t wait, until the last page of this issue. I’ll just say that 300 issues for any magazine these days is well worth celebrating and we’re doing it in style. Onto this issue and one of the reasons I got into music making in the first place was, I admit, for the gear. A powerful computer throbbing amidst a studio packed full of delightful hardware was the order of the day… that is until the computer became powerful enough to swallow up said hardware. Now, though, hybrid studios are all the rage – the best software with choice, bespoke hardware – and if that’s your dream, or if you need a decent space to record real instruments or a band, you’ve come to the right place! In this issue we’re talking home studios, acoustics and home recording, with lots of practical advice to convert any spare space you might have into a decent recording setup. With a little planning and hopefully the advice in our features, you should be able to make your music space just that little bit more ‘pro’. OK, I’m getting excited about issue 300 now and I can’t not go on about it. Expect a mountain of classic samples, and a special edition free DAW plus a tutorial on creating a complete tune with it. I’ve given way too much away already, so just enjoy this (and the next!) issue.