File Size: 12772 KB
Print Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Berklee Press (February 1, 2005)
Publication Date: February 1, 2005
Language: English
ASIN: B002L4F4B8
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #292,694 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #59 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Arts & Photography > Music > Recording & Sound #221 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Recording & Sound #236 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Instruction & Study
Begin (and end) your quest for audio knowledge as it relates to a studio and modern recording with one book. It delivers what the title promises, an understanding of audio (even if you're not building a studio). I found UNDERSTANDING AUDIO an immensly practical and comprehensive volume explaining "everything you needed to know about audio", whether you're a layman, student or professional. From start to finish, the explanations of concepts, processes, and technical definitions were abundantly clear and free of unnecessary techno-babble. This is used as a text at Boston's Berklee College of Music, but don't let that scare you, rather embrace it. (especially since you won't have to pay the tuition fee) The writing is concise with well chosen words and the information is top notch stuff. Designed to give you a complete overview of the various and interactive components of "audio", it more than does so and in my opinion, better than any other comparable book on the market today at any price.
Through friends I heard about Berklee Press' books and decided to check out a few titles at the local bookstore. I was very impressed and requested a catalog, and in the catalog I found Understanding Audio: Getting the Most Out of Your Project or Professional Recording Studio. Being a novice in the sound recording world, I decided to risk the $25 and buy the book. Let me tell you it was $25 well spent. This book explains, in a very understandable way, basic and advanced audio techniques. One thing I found most useful was it explained how putting a microphone at different angles produces a different type of sound. It also goes as far as showing the history of recording studios and their technology. This was a perfect book for me because it is not only a handbook for intermediate to advanced level sound engineers, but it also serves as a beginners guide to sound as well. The graphic examples are extremely accurate and helpful, and the in depth detail of every topic is excellent. This is a great book for anyone currently working or planning on working in the recording field.
I recently embarked on the adventure of transforming my basement into a functioning recording studio. Shortly after beginning the process I realized I was way in over my head. However, after reading "Understanding Audio", all of my questions have been answered. After providing you with a basis for understanding how sound works, Thompson gives several suggestions and techniques for setting up your equipment for optimal sound quality. Project guidelines are given at the end of each chapter which help you apply the techniques discussed. I'm happy to say that my studio is nearly finished and I am thoroughly pleased with the sound quality it is producing. I definitely recommend this book to anyone thinking about building their own studio, or for anyone who is interested in learning more about the way sound works.
drbob says:I perceive Sakkas' review as pretty harsh. While it may be true this is not a book for experienced, accomplished recording engineers, it's the best introductory work I've encountered. I liked the book's organization and the author's writing style. For those of us who are non-experts, this book is well worth the price, imho.
I am the guy at the mixer when music is recorded or performed live. I'm one of those who need to know WHY and HOW things are done so I can produce the best sound. This book answered those questions about both analog and digital audio with clear descriptions and simple yet effective graphics.This is NOT a simple generic overview; it is a solid "get this concept into your head" kind of audio engineering reference (with only a touch of optional illustrative math) useful for non-engineers who want to do a better job of producing or recording music. It will definitely help you avoid mistakes and get better results when recording in a studio or mixing live.It walks you from the origination of sound, through the mics and DI boxes, into the mixer components, through parametric or graphic equalizers, to effects, recorders, amplifiers and speakers. It even explains electricity, decibels, meter scales, sampling rates, A/D and D/A conversion, studio acoustics and playback concerns. Each detail is explained in language that lets you understand what is going on. I'm confident now when I walk up to a mixer board or recording deck.This book transforms an audio signal from a nebulous sound to a visual and mental object that I can manipulate. Even after I read the entire thing, cover to cover, I find myself going back to it often, using it as a reference or a refresher whenever I had a question. It will never be far from my DAW and encourages me to read more Berklee Press books.
This was the required text book for a course I took at Berklee and is probably the single best book I have read on this topic. If you are new to audio theory/practice or have been messing with it for a while but want to improve your fundamental understanding, this is definitely the book you want.Topics include a brief history of audio reproduction, the fundamental physics of sound, the mechanics of capturing and reprocing sound, digital audio theory, and psychoacoustics (how your ears and brain process sound). Also, many practical topics such as how to evaluate and acoustically treat rooms are covered. All of these topics are covered in sufficient detail, but presented in a very clear and understandable way.
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