With more than 9,000 articles, music clips, pictures and quotes, the Hutchinson Music Reference Suite offers a brilliant insight into the world of music.

The most impressive part of this CD is a huge database of musical facts accessed with a search engine.

Users can type what they want to know into the search box and the database returns in seconds with a choice of answers.

Data categories include people, works, instruments and theory. Each contains a vast number of entries and all are interlinked.

Students will find the CD invaluable as it supports the National Music Curriculum at GCSE level. There is also a very usable timeline to help get the chronology right in those all- important essays.

The programme works hard to illustrate a range of musical styles through high-quality sound clips and illustrations.

It takes time to explain complicated issues, including conducting, reading music and composing. Certain types of music were under-mentioned such as traditional folk music and jazz, but any compendium has to have a cut-off point.

Price: £14.99.

Contact: 01889 570156.

Feel good factor: 8 out of 10.