The SIEL CMK49 is a very versatile external music keyboard for the Commodore 64 and 128, which comes complete with its own synth software on cassette or disk. As with most of the Siel products, MIDI functions are built in, but require the Siel MIDI interface present to these functions to work.

On loading the software, you are offered the choice of creating your own sounds, or loading the set of forty preset sounds provided with the package. Some of the sound sets use all three voices to create highly complex sounds, while others only use one voice leaving the other two free for you to add your own melodies. All the preset sounds can be modified, so the range of sounds available is limited only by your imagination.

The keyboard itself covers 49 notes (4 octaves), and is enclosed in a rigid grey plastic case. It has an 'expensive' feel to it, not unlike the keyboards of synths costing much more. I found it very comfortable to use. A length of ribbon cable protruding from the rear is terminated in a two-way connector. When plugged into the C64, the cartridge socket is reproduced to allow connection ot the Siel MIDI interface.

The package comes with a difficult-to-follow multi-lingual manual of about thirty pages length, although only five of these are dedicated to the English user, the rest consists of the same instructions in various European languages. The Italian translation is difficult to come to terms with, and only makes sense if you have the software running in front of you at the time.

The cassette loads in just under eight minutes, leaving you with various menu options. At this point, you can continue to load the preset sound file, load your previously saved sounds or create a set of sounds from scratch. Any of the sounds loaded into memory can be edited, a simple process despite the complexity of the sounds possible.

Altogether, a well thought out package full of professional features and a real keyboard at an affordable price.

Stave notation: no Record moves: step/real MIDI: yes Edit rhythm: yes Load/Save: yes Printer: no Tempo: yes Transpose: yes Tuning: yes Edit sounds: yes Graphics: 4 Easy use: 7