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Recent titles of interest for and other songwriters By Lorenz Rychner recording musicians If you have built up a bit of a library, you may already have much of the content of this book on your shelves, so better check the details of the contents (at http://demo2delivery.com) before you spring for this compilation. For example, nearly 50 pages are reprinted, almost verbatim, from the second edition of Mastering Audio—The Art And The Science, by Bob Katz (a book you should own outright—see below!). To the publisher’s credit, the compiled chapters from the various authors’ previous books were not condensed, so while the changes in style from one chapter to the next may appear jarring, the totality of the presented information does not skimp on detail. The wide array of topics makes this a good book for browsing. favors Windows users—only Zebra runs on a Mac, and SynthEdit is the only freebie (shareware). Chapter 1 dives into the basics of running software synthesizers, with a quick and somewhat skimpy first mention of MIDI, followed by a bit of terminology. Chapters 2–4 go deeper, serving as an introduction to sound sources, and chapter 5 deals with filters. This is followed by chapters on modulation and control, effects, and principles of sound design. Having taught these subjects for years, on the “real” devices in the days before softsynths, this reviewer would like to see some of the most basic concepts fleshed out in more depth, for once-for-all solid learning. Many definitions, while not technically incorrect, are no more than a passing mention, other definitions are insufficient (LFO on p. 25 or FM Synthesis on p. 133, for example), and the book’s nondescript layout doesn’t allow for the most important statements to be visually enhanced. An exceptionally diligent and patient novice can certainly learn from this book, but without the aid of an instructor, and with no audio examples to accompany the book, using it for selfstudy could be a daunting task. Audio examples on a CD, or as downloads, From Demo to Delivery: The Process of Production. Edited by Russ Hepworth-Sawyer. 313 pp, paperback. Ill (b+w). © 2009. Publ. by Focal Press, an imprint of Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-240-81132-1. $31.95 This wide-ranging book is a sampler of the works of twelve Focal Press authors. Hepworth-Sawyer was tasked with “pulling some highly reputed authors’ work together to make a new publication”. He did a commendable job of selecting and sequencing existing texts, and he also wrote a significant portion of the book.RECORDING MARCH 2010 Becoming a Synthesizer Wizard: From Presets to Power User. By Simon Cann. 333 pp. Paperback. Ill (b+w). © 2010. Publ. by Course Technology/Cengage Learning (www.courseptr.com). $34.99. After barely touching on the history of synthesizers, this hands-on oriented book goes on to introduce the software synths that will be used throughout as the learning tools: SynthEdit, KarmaFX Synth Modular, VAZ Modular, and Zebra 2. This selection would at least confirm that the reader is on the right track after doing some of the prescribed exercises, and hearing examples while reading about them would enhance the learning process greatly. Still, if you have the time to invest and the means to run the synths that this book uses as teaching tools, you could learn a great deal about synthesis. As you’ll probably need to flesh out some of the concepts for better understanding, look for additional learning tools, possibly with available audio examples. Once understood, synthesis is a great way to personalize your sound arsenal, so it pays to persevere.

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Recording - March 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - March 2010