Basic Mixing Techniques (Sound on Sound) Review

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(More customer reviews)Get this book! This little book (literally - it's a little bigger than a palm pilot) is five chapters packed with 175 pages, including the glossary. It is worth more than books twice its size, with twice the content. I started in music doing rap, hiphop and electronica so I got my experience from doing talent shows, contests, and parties and later in college playing gigs in a band, and later going totally digital on a PC. I never went to school for this stuff, so what I wanted was some indepth tips and techniques to polish my sound. Most other books are extremely intellectual and contain very little practical-wise for someone who already has some experience. You'll learn all the correct words and terminology for what you've already done from experience. Now you can take a written test and pass with an A. But it won't help you recording wise. Also typical books will only give advice on your standard pop or rock recordings. I'm doing techno which pretty much goes by its own rules. No reverb on the bass track? Yeah right! This book gives you practical techniques, tips and advice on a whole lot of stuff!! Effects techniques, recording vocals, balance, mix automation and little tricks for getting around little shortcomings your gear may have. And it gives you alternatives for different styles of music. First I was a little nervous when I saw how little it was. And it came a big 'ole box. I was like, "oh no, I wasted my money again." But believe me this book delievers!! It gives new meaning to "put it in da mix!"

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In music recording, the quality of a mix is every bit as important as the quality of the performance, and potential hit singles have been ruined by poor mixing. This helpful guide blows the lid off the secrets of mixing and explains in easy and illustrated terms how you can create a professional-quality recording with even the most basic equipment.

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Modern Recording Techniques, Sixth Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Modern? As a reprint this book is getting pretty old now and would really benefit from some new material. I'm also not sure who the audience is meant to be. It's too generalised to appeal to someone who understands the fundamentals of recording and yet would probably scare off someone who is relatively new to the subject.
The format is very text bookish and is let down by the lack of solid tips, techniques and examples that would have bought this otherwise ordinary book to life.
Unless you have the luxury of already owning all the other recording books advertised on Amazon I would shunt this one further down the list.

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Modern Recording Techniques, Seventh Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Pros:
Not sure how much the 7th edition differs from previous editions, but I feel this book is a solid reference for beginner/intermediate recording. It touches on every part of the recording process and has a lot of broad info (though some parts are way more useful than others).
There are some useful bits throughout the book that helped me get more mileage from my recording space and processes. The sections about setting up monitors in a room (with example pics), approaches to absorbing/diffusing sound and standing waves, and the general tips on working with computer-based DAW's were great. There is also plenty of useful info on sitting instruments in a mix based on frequency, panning, and reverberation.
Cons:
More than $40 is too much for a recording reference book that is not even hardcover.
The scope is so large that it does not dive too deep into any one facet of recording. To the author's credit he encourages you to use the web for more in-depth material (but I wanted that material in a book).
The book is verbose. All the practical and useful tips are buried between pages, and there is no decent summary of the really important items at the start or end of each chapter, which is frustrating for note-takers. Blue text is used to highlight special ideas or points on each page, but it is abused so much that the emphasis fails. 35% of the words could have been cut from the book while still retaining the same ideas and principles.
A more concise version of the most important recording principles can be found in McLan's 1997 "Using Your Portable Studio" which is old, but presents the same amount of timeless practical recording knowledge in far fewer pages.
Other thoughts:
Would have gotten 4-5 stars if it was more condensed, and spent more pages on real-world recording scenarios and applications (like specific trade-secrets from big-name engineers, or case studies would have been great additions).
I have been looking for a book containing real-world step-by-step recording practices and processes written like a recipe book, but I have discovered that such a narrow approach is better suited to a website. So, for more advanced and specific how-to's on techniques in mastering, mixing, midi sequencing, and the like, take the author's advice and search the web.

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We have entered an exciting age in audio production. Conventional limitations in recording have subsided or vanished entirely, making it possible to create and record your own music in ways that few ever dreamed possible. This expanded, up-to-date edition of Modern Recording Techniques can help guide you through the process of creating, understanding and mastering the professional and project studio. The tips, tricks, and tools in this best-selling book will enable you to record music in new and innovative ways that'll help you express your talents to their fullest potential. This definitive guide to audio covers the latest audio technologies, and includes expanded and enhanced sections on the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), plug-ins, looping, groove tools, studio techniques, surround sound, mastering and more. Accompanied by an interactive companion website (www.modrec.com) featuring a searchable audio glossary, this dynamite book/website combination leaves no recording question unanswered, while offering you the chance to share ideas, get tips, and seek out advice when and where you need it.With Modern Recording Techniques, 7th ed., you can: * Explore the tools for getting better results in both the professional and project recording studio * Gain in-depth insights into digital audio technology, the digital audio workstation (DAW), surround sound production, electronic music and MIDI, synchronization, analog and digital console technology, mixing, console automation and more * Master the basics of dynamics, noise reduction, and other forms of signal processing in both the analog and the digital domains * Learn practical microphone placement techniques, monitoring fundamentals, CD mastering and important tips on getting your music to market * Check out new developments in new media, desktop audio and music technologies for the Web
*THE go to resource providing tips and techniques for getting the best results from music recording, be prepared with the know how required when working in the recording studio*Includes over 500 technical diagrams, screenshots and product illustrations, makes information accessible and aids understanding*Companion website provides tutorials and video content, with practical examples of the principals- clarifying how they work

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