This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

Book Description

A fascinating exploration of the relationship between music and the mind—and the role of melodies in shaping our lives

Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life—even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Music unravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature, including:
• Are our musical preferences shaped in utero?
• Is there a cutoff point for acquiring new tastes in music?
• What do PET scans and MRIs reveal about the brain's response to music?
• Is musical pleasure different from other kinds of pleasure?

This Is Your Brain on Music explores cultures in which singing is considered an essential human function, patients who have a rare disorder that prevents them from making sense of music, and scientists studying why two people may not have the same definition of pitch. At every turn, this provocative work unlocks deep secrets about how nature and nurture forge a uniquely human obsession. BACKCOVER: “I know Dan to have a deep musical knowledge and strong intellect combined with a warm spirit and a big heart. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music . . . He is a fine writer and has the ability to make difficult concepts very clear.”
—STEVIE WONDER

Customer Reviews:

any impressario, non-performer, non-musician, lacks credibility.......2007-10-03

For a musicican, for one trained as a musician, this is a heady intellectual book. However, it often misses the point - entirely, aesthetically, and in practical terms. For instance, a piece practiced a 1000 times, according to the author, should be peerless. Obviously, this is not true. The native talent of the performer is paramount, and, most of all, the piece may be practiced WRONGLY 1000 times, of which, as a non-performer, the author is clearly unaware. The author also almost completely ignores the influence and insight of professional classical performers. The author is an administrator and impressario of rock and probably rap bands. The author has no training in musicology, and probably never talked to a musicologist. I admire the intent, but there are no breakthroughs here in understanding, or enjoying music, and no great insights into music's magic.

Music For The Brain?.......2007-10-01

Certainly well documented and written for those in the know. It tends to be somewhat boring on some occations but you have to continue on the read to hear the music!

Very interesting.......2007-09-30

Being a musician, I was suprised at how little I actually knew about sound. The book was very interesting and well written. If you're at all curious about the phycology of sound, check out this book.

Absolutely perfect marriage of music, psychology, and neurology.......2007-09-13

This was an amazing read that I absolutely could not put down. This is exactly the book I have been waiting years for. It is written for people with a deep interest in both science and music; I believe that many "engineer/scientist by day and musician by night" types will love this book. Best of all, it does not require a deep understanding of music, psychology, or neurology (although one of Levitin's premises seems to be that we ALL have a deep understanding of music, whether we know it or not!)

Levitin starts out with a chapter or so on his background and music theory. As many reviewers have mentioned, the music theory presented here (and throughout the book) may not be new material for practicing musicians, but it does lay a good groundwork for many of the definitions and ideas that Levitin uses throughout the text.

Moving on to the rest of the book, Levitin has an interesting style that I found riveting. The book is not highly dense with ideas - it is not a textbook. It often takes several pages to come to a point. However, in these pages, Levitin is either giving historical information about how the current theories have come about, telling anecdotes related to the topic, or explaining laboratory results that have shed light on the topic.

Please do not misunderstand the intent of this book . . . it is not a thesis, a textbook, a journal article, etc. It should not be used as a primary source for information on any of the topics presented. And Levitin lays this out in the forward. This book is geared toward a much broader audience.

not written for a musician.......2007-09-07

Although i was personally quite disappointed with the book, I have given it a rating of 3 stars because it perhaps serves a role educating younger readers looking for a few interesting ideas or a general overview of music psychology.

As for me, I found myself skimming the pages as rapidly as possible, occasionally saying out loud in frustration, "Get to the point!" The few interesting ideas (such as that professional musicians tend to transfer activities from the right brain to the left) I had already picked up elsewhere.

I have nothing against the author. He seems friendly and nice enough, and has obviously spent a lot of time and effort researching the subject, coming to reasonable and well-supported positions. However, I do think a lot more (or better?) editing was called for, so that ideas were presented in a more organized way, and a lot of fluff and unnecessary repetition removed.

In summary, this could be an introduction to the subject if you have never thought about it before, but if you are a musician, and have thought at all about the psychology and evolution of music, even casually, and especially if you have kept up with the general media's coverage of new scientific research, this will not have anything to offer you. In addition, if you like writing to be dense with ideas and information (Oliver Sacks is a good example), this will be particularly frustrating.

Average customer rating:

Class didnt reflect his own textbook.
not helpful
Considerably out of date in some places
counterbalance to the "bites my..." review
This is the Book if You want to Know the"Whats" of Sound!

Physics of Sound, The (3rd Edition)
Richard E Berg , and David G Stork
Manufacturer: Benjamin Cummings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131457896

Book Description

This book incorporates the developments in digital audio technology, including consumer products, into a firm foundation of the physics of sound. No knowledge of physics, mathematics, or music is required. Includes updated information on musical synthesizers. Provides recent information on the ear, including new advances in cochlear implant technology. Updates material for modern technology, particularly MP3. Features abundant examples, including discussion of demonstration experiments. Includes historical discussion of musical temperaments and instruments. Offers videotapes of musical demonstrations on topics discussed in the book, available from author. A useful reference for musicians or anyone interested in learning more about the physics of music.

Customer Reviews:

Class didnt reflect his own textbook........2007-03-29

Whats better than taking a course where the professor actually wrote the book. Well I did just that and was disappointed. The class had many visual demonstrations but the book had very few pictures which made me wonder why his teaching style did not reflect the textbook.

not helpful.......2006-05-17

Did they even have an editor for this book? I took a class with Dr.Berg and his class was interesting but the book was not helpful nor was it well organized.

Considerably out of date in some places.......2003-12-21

Acoustics is an interesting subject, at all levels, and very important of course due to the human love for music and the need for high fidelity sound reproduction. This book is written for a readership that does not have expertise in physics or mathematics beyond the high school level. The authors do an excellent job, and the book could be used in classes on music theory or a class in physics for the humanities. The audiophile reader will gain a greater appreciation of the physics behind quality sound reproduction. Heavy use is made of demonstrations to illustrate the properties of sound, and most of these are easily set up in the classroom. I have used most of these demonstrations in the classroom, and can highly recommend their use to reinforce the understanding of the physics of sound.

The book opens, appropriately, with a discussion of simple harmonic motion, with the properties of this type of motion related to sound waves. The nature of simple harmonic motion as periodic, in contrast with noise, which is nonperiodic, is pointed out very early on. To introduce the concept of resonance, in particular the concept of coupling resonance, the author use the coupled pendulum system. This demonstration is easily constructed for classroom use and very effective in illustrating coupled resonance. Lissajous figures, which arise in the study of the relationship between two waves, is discussed in some detail.

The difference between longitudinal waves, which sound waves are, and transverse waves (such as light), is illustrated in chapter 2. To reinforce the difference between sound and light, the authors use the "bell in vacuum" demonstration. A demonstration for measuring the speed of sound is also described. Ripple tanks are used to demonstrate Huygen's principle, interference, and parabolic reflectors. The origin of beats, so important in music theory, is discussed, along with a very detailed overview of the Doppler effect. Ultrasound, very important medically, is treated also. A very brief discussion of infrasonic waves is given. Infrasonic waves, which are outside the range of hearing since they are below 20 Hz, are only experienced as vibrations. They have recently been discussed in the popular press as being explanations behind "haunted" houses. The anxiety felt in some old houses is thought of as being due to infrasonic waves.

The origin of the overtone series, so very important in music theory, is discussed in chapter 3. The three laws of Mersenne, which govern the fundamental frequency of stretched wires, are also treated. The Kundt's tube demonstration is used to describe the properties of longitudinal standing waves, and the famous Chladni plates are used to demonstrate standing waves in two dimensions. All throughout the chapter the properties of standing waves are related to music and musical instruments.

Fourier analysis and synthesis, which is typically very formidable mathematically, is presented in chapter 4 in a manner that is very understandable to the targeted readership. The Fourier synthesis of triangular, square, and sawtooth waves, along with a pulse train, is discussed. After a treatment of Fourier spectrum of these waves, the authors discuss the factors contributing to tone quality.

In chapter 5, the authors turn to more practical considerations, wherein they discuss how to create electronic music. Analog synthesizers, although very antiquated by modern standards, are used to illustrate how to combine waves to obtain special sounds or effects. The authors then immediately turn to digital synthesizers and keyboards. They discuss the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), but the equipment they illustrate in the chapter is considerably out of date.

The anatomy and physics of the human ear and voice tract are discussed in chapter 6. The diagrams they include are useful, and they discuss the "place theory of hearing" , which is based on the correlation of sound frequency with position of response along the basilar membrane. The critical band, just noticeable difference, and the limit of frequency discrimination are all discussed in the context of this theory, with several different experiments proposed to illustrate these concepts. Most interesting is the discussion on periodicity pitch, which musicians seem to have a knack for. Also interesting is the treatment of vocal formants, which are frequency regions in which harmonics have large amplitudes. Due to the element of subjectivity in hearing and listening, the connection of the material in this chapter to "psychophysics" and "psychoacoustics" is readily apparent.

Most of the next chapter is out-dated since the authors discuss sound reproduction using LPs and tape recorders. However, the authors do discuss how this is done using compact disks, which though are themselves on their way out, due to the rise of the Internet, MP3 formats, and digital music files. Chapter 8 is timeless though, as the authors discuss the acoustics of auditoriums and rooms, detailing the most important acoustical characteristics that contribute to a pleasant musical experience, and some of the problems that arise in acoustical design. The last section of the chapter gives a fairly good overview of what is involved in setting up a home listening room.

In chapter 9, the authors take the plunge into music theory, discussing temperament and musical pitch. The history behind these concepts is detailed, emphasizing in particular that an ideal temperament is not available, its choice being dictated by the musical requirements at hand. Arithmetic descriptions of the Pythagorean, just, mean-tone, Werckmeister, and equal temperaments are given.

The last five chapters are specialized to the principles behind woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments, and the piano. The discussion is purely descriptive, but some of the physical principles studied in the first chapters of the book are applied here to give an understanding of the acoustical and musical properties of these instruments.

counterbalance to the "bites my..." review.......2002-02-02

Haven't read the book, but Mr. "bites my wacker" shouldn't be allowed to lower the average score.

This is the Book if You want to Know the"Whats" of Sound!.......1999-04-09

The Physics of Sound is a great book for both musicians and nonmuscians alike. Its not a book for anyone who is afraid of a little mind work. I recommend Physics of Sound because immediately upon after reading it I gained a whole new perspective and deep appreciation for the fundamental elements,and principles that govern this wonderful phenomena we call "SOUND".

Ever wondered how fast sound travel? What about how various sound frequencies react to each other,and in rooms? What exactly is sound? All these questions and more,are answered here. Physics of sound even gives you basic formulas that allow you to manipulate sound in the real world.

Book Description

From the producers of the acclaimed Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars comes an inside look at the secrets behind the saga’s artful models and sculptures. Lorne Peterson, model and sculpture designer for the entire Star Wars saga, takes us on a journey through the intricate process of crafting and sculpting the models from sketch to screen and the artistry behind the dazzling results.
Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop features more than 300 full-color photographs and illustrations from the Lucasfilm archives, models from all six films, interviews, images and text with concept sculptors, an overview of the ILM model shop from 1976 through today and numerous gatefolds of the most loved models.
ILM virtually redefined visual effects and blazed a trail into the digital realm, follow behind the camera and into the rarely seen workshops and an amazing look at the creation of movie magic. Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Modelshop takes readers behind-the-scenes for the first in-depth look at these amazing models and the process behind their creation, punctuated by Lorne Peterson’s exuberance and dedication to craft.
This unique visual treat is a must-have for any Star Wars fan.

Customer Reviews:

for the fans.......2007-10-04

The book is great for star wars fans. It has loads of reference photos in a variety of production areas. If you want a good present or inspiration to sculpt this would do it.

Giant coffee table book...mostly a retread.......2007-08-02

For those who have purchased the series of "Art of Star Wars" books, as well as "Star Wars: Sketchbooks" et cetera, this tome is impressive but not novel. Many photos from those earlier books are reused here. The problem is that they have been blown up for this larger format. Consequently, the blown-up recycled photos are slightly blurry. There are some wonderful photos of star destroyer details that have not been seen before...but is that enough to merit this huge new book? That decision is up to you, but I expected heretofore unseen, crisply focused photographs.

Great Content, Defective Copy.......2007-08-01

The actual content of the book is top notch, with many great shots model shots. I also enjoy the accompanying stories, from behind the scenes. The problem is, the binding was already coming apart when I received it. A beautiful book, marred by a crappy binding.

I received a copy of this book as a present, that was purchased on Amazon.

Un livre indispensable à tout fan de Star Wars.......2007-07-19

Le département Maquettes d'ILM est devenu Kerner-Optical, mais le savoir faire n'a pas été dispersé grace à Lorne Peterson.
Ce livre montre en détail toute cette expérience acquise depuis plus de 30 ans, ce livre donne des astuces pour tout maquettiste en herbe.
Un très bon ouvrage.
Bonne lecture

star wars fan.......2007-07-05

If you are a either a fan of star wars or a model builder this is the book for you. It is full for close up pictures not only of the ships but also creatures and settings.

Average customer rating:

It implies mathematical background...
Good book on the mathematics of acoustics for engineers
An excellent textbook
Not an introductory text
OK, but better texts available

Fundamentals of Acoustics
Lawrence E. Kinsler , Austin R. Frey , Alan B. Coppens , and James V. Sanders
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471847895

Book Description

The classic acoustics reference! This widely-used book offers a clear treatment of the fundamental principles underlying the generation, transmission, and reception of acoustic waves and their application to numerous fields. The authors analyze the various types of vibration of solid bodies and the propagation of sound waves through fluid media.

Customer Reviews:

It implies mathematical background..........2007-06-16

This book is full of math and it is for scientist or engineer. If you are looking for good introduction into acoustics, get this Acoustics for producer and musician, includes SoundsAcademy Certification and it will put you on the track (literally). This book should be named "Mathematical foundation of acoustical science" or something of this sort. Because the name it bears is misleading for most of the shoppers.

Good book on the mathematics of acoustics for engineers.......2007-04-28

This book is aimed squarely at engineering students who want to learn the mathematics of acoustics. There is very little in the realm of standing back and asking "So what does this all mean?". From the very first chapter the author dives into deriving equations that use calculus, Laplace transforms, the Fourier series and transform, circuit analysis, digital filters, and the Z- transform as well as some differential equations. There are few examples in the book, but there are problem sets that expect you to understand the theory and math well enough to apply it numerically with more intuitive knowledge than is presented. It can be done, but you'll have to read carefully when doing the exercises to figure out how to get from A to B. If you are interested in acoustics this is probably an essential reference pertaining to the mathematical aspects of the science, but you'll need other books to get the big picture. I'd recommend the old Schaum's Outline of Acoustics by Seto as a companion to this book since it has lots of examples. Unfortunately, it is out of print and you'll probably have to hunt for it.

An excellent textbook.......2004-12-06

This is a classic engineering text on acoustics for upper division college students. It first appeared in 1950. And now it is back fifty years later in a fourth edition. In the meantime, the original two authors have passed away. However, Coppens and Sanders have done a fine job in keeping the book up-to-date.

Plenty of exercises have been added, and answers to many odd-numbered problems are in the back of the book. I think it is an excellent introduction to the field (yes, I expect you to have studied calculus and differential equations as an underclassman). It's my favorite of the classic engineering acoustics textbooks.

Two new chapters have been added in this edition, one on nonlinear acoustics and the other on shock waves. That's a very good idea. If I were teaching an acoustics class with an earlier edition of the book, I'd refer students to Landau Volume 6 (Fluid Mechanics) to get some of this missing information.

Actually, I wish the authors had added a couple more chapters, one on ultrasonics and another on instruments of music. That still would not cover all of acoustics, but I feel these topics are fairly important.

Anyway, I really like the book, and I'd be happy to teach a class using it.

Not an introductory text.......2004-06-17

This text in not an introductory work, it is geared toward upper division college or graduate level engineering work. By this I am referring to the math level in the book. If you are not willing to work with partial differential equations, integrals, dot products, cross products and dell operators stay away from this book, it is intended for engineering students and not for audio, broadcast, or film students looking for a greater understanding of sound/acoustics.

Here is a list of the chapters:
Fundamentals of vibration; Transverse motion - the vibrating string; Vibrations of bars; The two-dimensional wave equation: vibrations of memberanes and plates; The acoustic wave equation and simple solutions; Transmission phenomena; Absorption and attenuation of sound waves in fluids; Radiation and reception of acoustic waves; Pipes, cavities, and waveguides; resonators, ducts, and filters; Noise, signal, detection, hearing, and speech; Environmental acoustics; Architectural acoustics; Transduction; Underwater acoustics.

OK, but better texts available.......2003-04-30

Personally, I was disappointed by the fourth edition of this venerable text, for it has become increasingly mathematical and problem oriented. If you like sitting down and whiling away your afternoon with a problem set -- this is the text for you. But if instead you wish to study acoustics through a pedagogical method that is more verbal and graphical in nature -- better texts are available.

Indeed, in my opinion, prior editions (1950, 1962, 1981) of this same text are superior, particularly the second edition. Although these too have their share of integral calculus and complex algebra, the quantity is more appropriate for a discipline that is mostly science and engineering but with aspects of art to it as well.

Bear in mind that aside from a few specialized areas -- like ultrasonics and its use in non-destructive testing, or the use of digital processing in sound generation and analysis -- little new has come about in the field of acoustics since World War II. Thus unlike with most fields of science, there is no necessity to have the most modern texts to gather a wholly modern understanding of the field.

Indeed, I recently examined almost every text relating to acoustics contained in the circumferential stacks of the Barker Engineering Library under the Great Dome of M.I.T. (and sadly, there aren't as many texts as one might hope). I was surprised both at the age of most volumes in the collection -- and the fact that most had not been checked out of the library in years.

Indeed, from the "Date Due" slips in the back, you could see the field was very popular in the 1960's and 1970's, but popularity seemed to wain in the early 1980's -- approximately contemporaneously, curiously, with the introduction of the digital CD format of audio recording.

By the mid-1990's, at M.I.T., at least, interest in acoustics among faculty and students seem to have declined precipitiously, if the popularity of library texts and the quantity of student theses published in the field is any indication.

Of all the general texts on acoustics that I examined -- to me, one clearly stood out above the others. It was published in 1957 by the lead acoustical scientist at the RCA Research Laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey, Harry F. Olsen, Ph.D. It is entitled, "Acoustical Engineering", although it contains all the fundamental science as well. This text was reprinted in 1991 and is currently available.

Olsen's work is surely a magnum opus, comprising 736 pages and 567 illustrations. It has its fair share of math, but the concepts are often additionally explained through well-crafted line drawings, showing, for example, wave forms drawn in progressive fashion in serial graphs, some of which are designed so that one can even mentally rotate the graphics to gather a three-dimensional perspective. Furthermore, the graphs are often supplemented by equivalent mechanical and electrical analogs, to further assist in understanding.

Best of all, Olsen explains virtually everything acoustical you would ever want to know, from theories of acoustical wave propagation, to an enormous variety of loudspeaker designs, to the mathematical reasoning behind Johann Sebastian Bach's tempered tuning of musical instruments, an artistic practice that is almost universal today.

Book Description

The most comprehensive book on the market, SIGHT SOUND MOTION/APPLIED MEDIA AESTHETICS describes the major aesthetic image elements--light and color, space, time-motion, and sound--and how they are used in television and film. Zettl's comprehensive coverage of aesthetic theory and how that theory can be successfully applied place this text in a class by itself. This edition is richly illustrated with visuals that often draw on traditional art forms, such as painting, sculpture, and dance.

Customer Reviews:

5 stars.......2005-10-10

The book is totally new and under very good condition, and the dilievery time is much earlier than i expected.

Best in field.......2004-12-28

This text thoroughly explains the intricacies of applied media asthetics in a concise and completely accessible way. It is a well organizied text that ehances its presentation through the use of many illustrations. I believe that this is the best text on the subject and that it has been since its first edtion.

motion graphics professor.......2002-06-04

"Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics explains the WHY of film and video production. If you're looking for HOW then turn to another book."

I would disagree with the above review. Only by learning WHY first, can we learn HOW later. This book is more than a cookie cutter approach to film and video. If you want to "click and drag" your way through an editing program, then true, this book is not for you. Add this to your collection if you want a book that teaches how to see and create film. Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics has staying power.

Fundamental book on the theory of the moving image.......2001-05-20

This was the assigned textbook for my digital video 2 class, and it is simply wonderful. Zettl is a very knowledgable man on the subject of creating images for film, video, and even new media. (Zettl's text Video Basics 3 was used in my digital video 1 class as well) This book lays a solid foundation for the theory behind how and why the viewer perceives the moving image, and how the filmmaker and video producer can create more pleasing and coherent productions.

While the biggest complaint I've heard about this book is it's over-reliance on theory, it still does a good job of contextualizing theory into practical application. Thus the title of the book: APPLIED Media Aesthetics. Although I haven't read any of Eisentien's theories behind filmmaking, I suspect that Zettl's treatment would compete rather well, and is probably more accessible for a modern reader.

This book covers all the bases from color and light, time and space and structuring audio to image. Zettl succintcly deconstructs the intelligent mind behind the images and sound of our cultures film and television productions.

Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics explains the WHY of film and video production. If you're looking for HOW then turn to another book.

The Filmmaker's Bible of Aesthetics or What Works and Why.......2000-11-04

This is probably the most important textbook a film production student can have on his/her shelf. NOT for how to work with actors or how to light a scene, but for understanding the underlying reasons of why things work due to our learned aesthetics and Western sensibilities.

Professor Herbert Zettl has written the most concise manual on why we has film viewers percieve things the way we do. He explains in detail (and layman's terms) how our aesthetics have been formed to interpret the dynamic medium of film and television.

How editing of action from shot to shot creates the illusion of continuous motion. How stagelines work so not to give the effect that your actor is jumping around from one side of the scene to the other. How to crop your shot BETWEEN the bodies natural cut-off points (i.e. neck, elbow, waist) to prevent the actor from looking like a disembodied head or torso.

This book is cover-to-cover insights into what we as viewers take for granted when we watch a good filmmaker's work, but may not consider when faced with the daunting task of mounting a film production and the on-set "reality" problems that dominate the filmmaker's mind when shooting a film.

I first read this book when I was in film school twenty years ago. Since then I have directed many professional film productions and I still review it before starting a new one to refresh myself.

Book Description

The most comprehensive way to learn Adobe Audition 2.0!

Classroom in a Book, the best-selling series of hands-on software training workbooks, helps you learn the features of Adobe software quickly and easily. Classroom in a Book offers what no other book or training program does--an official training series from Adobe Systems Incorporated, developed with the support of Adobe product experts.

Adobe Audition 2.0 Classroom in a Book contains thirteen lessons and a bonus CD with lesson files. The book covers the basics of learning Adobe Audition, and countless tips and techniques to help you quickly become an Audition expert. You'll learn how to work and edit in a multitrack mixing environment, create audio effects and original soundtracks with loops, restore poor-quality audio, export to CD and MP3, and more. You'll also learn about Audition 2.0's new features, including low-latency mixing with unlimited tracks, ASIO support, audible scrubbing, analog-modeled Multiband Compressor, recordable parameter automation with external hardware support, and more. You can follow the book from start to finish or choose only those lessons that interest you.

Customer Reviews:

Lots to learn in Auditon 2.......2007-03-09

A great book and cd of data. Because of not the greatest help files and no tutorials that came with Audition 2.0 this program while very powerful can be quite intimidatiing. Classroom in a book is very helpful in getting started and learning how to use the program.

. . . for the cautious.......2007-02-18

Could be considered a waste of time by many who are more experienced with applications of this sort. The difficult part is sticking to the tutorials and not wandering off on your own. Everything covered here can be accessed via the help files and user guide. Adobe might want to consider putting a little more effort into features such as a midi sequencer than reiterating itself.

EXASPERATING BUT INDISPENSIBLE.......2006-09-21

Above all, make sure the version of Audition 2.0 Classroom in a Book IS FOR YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM. Also understand that you must have the program to make sense of the manual.

Classroom in a Book is a good guide, but it has two omissions.

Anyone is in their rights to expect that a guide of this sort would have at least a few passages about live recording---but there is exactly one passing sentence in the entire manual about live recording. In Multitrack View the tracks have a panel wherein (among a great many other virtual dials and buttons and such) there is an "M" button, a "S" button, and an "R" button. "M" is for mute, which is explained more than once (even more than twice over the course of the book). "S" is for "Solo", which is also explained to its death over and over again. But as for the "R" button there is only one sentence regarding it.

"R" is "Armed for Record".

Now, maybe someone with a background in audio-editing software knows full well what "Armed for Record" means. Even for a rank beginner like me it wasn't that hard to figure out, I'll admit, but still for a book to go on and on about the other two buttons and to just mention the third term without any further comment seems to me a fundamental lapse. In my case it made for the beginning of a series of exasperating stumbles.

Going at it blind, I simply clicked on "R" and got a message informing me that the best recording was achieved by switching to ASIO. I knew that ASIO meant "Audio Stream In/Out" and had something to do with the new sound card that I had installed. The old sound card that had originally come with the computer was still in there, but apparently from what the message said I would only get mediocre results if I didn't switch by going to Edit and clicking on Audio Hardware Set-Up and following instructions from there on. Needless to say, this was easily done, and in seconds I had switched the program to my new audio card, which any intermediate or advanced user would have known to do from the get-go. Why install the card and not make sure the program was set to it? Ordinarily I would not even admit to anybody that I had to be told to do this; it's embarrassing; but still Audition is a very involved program; there's a lot to learn; and I was just very new to this whole business.

Anyway, I switched, and that should have been the end of it, but sadly the minute I switched my "R" buttons went gray and became inoperable! What's that? Maybe there's no problem on a Mac; I wouldn't know. All I know is that I'm a Windows XP Home Edition guy as I write this; and I lost my "R" buttons!

To say this upset me and got me mad is an understatement. The next morning I was in a better frame of mind and logically went over the steps and saw that there was a pattern to what was happening. For some reason switching to ASIO will gray out the "R" buttons, but if you close the program and go back to it you'll have your "R" buttons back and still be in ASIO.

It's that simple, but there's no mention of it in the book.

Of course, "Armed for Record" must be followed up by clicking on the circular red button on what is called the "Transport Panel" at the bottom of the screen. You're left to guess this, but anyone who has operated a ghetto blaster or a VCR knows what that red circle is; but still it would nice for Adobe to spell this out for us intimidated newbies.

The other big omission gets back to the same lapse as the other one. The book does not bother to point out that switching to ASIO in Multitrack View will not carry over to Edit View. It may not seem like a big deal, but I freaked out when my stuff sounded so weak in Edit View. I couldn't figure it out. The louder I got it in Edit View the more obnoxiously deafening it became in Multitrack View because the two "views" were coming at me through two entirely different sound cards!

Finally I realized what the problem was. Duh . . .

On the positive side in the last analysis it's actually very nice that the two windows can have different settings to let me know how the same file will sound on different computers. My thing with this will be podcasting, and podcasting is about posting on the Net, so one should be aiming at a happy medium that accommodates ordinary cards and quality cards alike. I'm getting better and better at it. The quality will never be a sound stage level thing, but I'm fast approaching the same smoothness of an FM radio commercial.

So go with this book, yes, but keep my comments in mind as you go.

Average customer rating:

Title may be misleading
A book for the advnaced
Good book
A recording studio masterpiece
Have you got time?

Master Handbook of Acoustics
F. Alton Everest
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071360972

Book Description

The goal of this book is to apply the principles of acoustics to the audio arts. This involves serving as an interpreter of major trends and the literature for students and practitioners in the audio field. Along with covering the more theoretical aspects of acoustics, the book applies the theory to the design of specialized audio spaces such as the home listening room, the control room, and the multi-track-recording studio.

Customer Reviews:

Title may be misleading.......2007-07-25

There are two common definitions of the word "acoustics." The most general is "an area of physics dealing with sound and sound waves" and the second is "the qualities of a room that determine audibility and fidelity of sound in it." This book is a very good reference for the latter, but if you're looking for the former, look elsewhere. Also, I'm not sure I would describe it as a Handbook, but rather as a reference text.

It is good for what it does cover and is relatively easy to read.

A book for the advnaced.......2007-07-09

A great book, but can be too advanced for some. A lot of physics is included - which is great - but perhaps some previous knowledge or some side reading is a good idea.

Over all, excellent book, and a goldmine to buy.

Good book.......2007-05-11

It is nice REFERENCE book for practicing sound engineer. If you in a process of setting up your home studio and need quick and meaningful start get Acoustics for producer and musician, includes SoundsAcademy Certification and it will take you inside the subject fast and straight to the point.

This book addresses room acoustics and in this regard is superb reference but many music related aspects of acoustics aren't there. For room acoustics treatment this book is very useful though.

A recording studio masterpiece.......2006-04-27

OK, so this does not cover ALL acoustincs. If one is interested in recording or playback acoustics, this is THE BEST. As an engineer and producer who has been involved in the construction of a dozen studios, I have the clients and architects read this before we start hard design parameters. For lay listeners, the chances are good your audio budget is better spent on acoustic treatment rather than a more exotic cable. For all of the above, this book will explain the what, why and how to get results. For professionals, it explains how to obtain designable results. I find it an easy read, and I refer to it occasionally, particularly when discussing room acoustics with neophyte "sound men" and audio engineers. I'd read it if I were you.

Have you got time?.......2006-03-27

Despite its title, this book should better be called Master Handbook of Room Acoustics, as it is primarily and almost solely dedicated to the acoustics of enclosed rooms. With its over 600 pages you will need a large hand, and plenty of time to read. But the information you gather when reading the main text, could have been presented in less than half the number of pages. Despite - or is it because - the abundance of words and excursions into anecdotes, the explanations are sometimes missing the clue. The last few chapters have been written by others authors, and are more to the point. Besides, these co-authors use the SI system, while the main text is using American units. A bit out of time, I would say.

Average customer rating:

Not finished yet.
A fairly practical book for a complex topic
Best intro to acoustics for engineers especially
Wonderful Book
Excellent text and reference

Fundamentals of Physical Acoustics
David T. Blackstock
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471319791

Book Description

AN AUTHORITATIIVE, UP-TO-DATE INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ACOUSTICS

Easy to read and understand, Fundamentals of Physical Acoustics fills a long-standing need for an acoustics text that challenges but does not overpower graduate students in engineering and physics. Mathematical results and physical explanations go hand in hand, and a unique feature of the book is the balance it strikes between time-domain and frequency-domain presentations.

Fundamentals of Physical Acoustics is intended for a two-semester, first-year graduate course, but is also suitable for advanced undergraduates. Emphasis on plane waves in the first part of the book keeps the mathematics simple yet accommodates a broad range of topics: propagation, reflection and transmission, normal modes and simple waveguides for rectilinear geometries, horns, inhomogeneous media, and sound absorption and dispersion.

The second part of the book is devoted to a more rigorous development of the wave equation, spherical and cylindrical waves (including the more advanced mathematics required), advanced waveguides, baffled piston radiation, diffraction (treated in the time domain), and arrays. Applications and examples are drawn from:

Atmospheric acoustics
Noise control
Underwater acoustics
Engineering acoustics
Acoustical measurements

Supplemented with more than 300 graphs and figures as well as copious end-of-chapter problems, Fundamentals of Physical Acoustics is also an excellent professional reference for engineers and scientists.

Customer Reviews:

Not finished yet........2007-08-23

Having only got through the first few pages I can say that it is well written and written in a style that explains everything clearly.
No complaints at all.

A fairly practical book for a complex topic.......2006-12-07

I knew I liked this book when I read section C of the introduction:

"How is the wave equation derived? Three common physical systems that carry waves - the electrical transmission line, the flexible string, and the compressible fluid - are considered in this section."

I needed a practical book to help me when I somehow volunteered myself to perform some acoustic experiments at work. They kind of said "Hey, you're a physicist. Can you do this?" And then I said "Uh... sure." I read through what I could find in Halliday and Resnick, a book I like for its simplicity. But then I needed something more complicated, so I bought Morse and Ingard, which was way too much. Then I found this book.

And its a good thing I did. The book uses the wave equation to solve each of these problems, and if you pay attention, you can assemble a nice, general approach to solving problems of this nature, and you'll have a list of analogous variables when you're done. The whole book is written like this. It's not an ASM Handbook by any means, but it is more practical than Morse and Ingard, has more drawings and diagrams, and I was surprised to find one of the cleanest, simplest descriptions of Bessel functions I've seen yet. The book addresses the complex problems without doing endless integrals, and it whenever possible it works through the problem and doesn't rely on phrases like "the reduction of step X to step Y is left as an exercise for the student" in its derivations. I appreciate this - it makes the book more friendly as a reference text.

Also, when I was a graduate student I never paid attention to literature references in text books because I (naively) considered them to be outdated. But a literature search is one of the best tools I have available to me in the working world - if you have access to a literature database, you will find the literature references at the end of some chapters to be very useful.

Consider it a useful reference text, and probably a practical textbook as well.

Best intro to acoustics for engineers especially.......2006-12-05

This book is geared towards graduate and upper undergraduate students in physics and engineering. The first nine chapters of the book are restricted to plane waves. Thus the first half of the book introduces the reader to a wide variety of acoustical concepts such as propagation, reflection, transmission, refraction, normal modes, horn theory, absorption, and dispersion. All the while, the first half of the book keeps mathematical complexity to a minimum. The second half of the book relies more on advanced mathematics and is a survey of advanced topics dependent on the reader understanding the first nine chapters of the book. For the second half of the book, it will be helpful if you know calculus as well as differential equations. Each chapter has plenty of exercises so you can practice what you've learned.

Although the coverage is not as broad as Kinser's book on acoustics, this book does a much better job of explaining the foundations of acoustics including the math, which can get quite involved. I really love how Blackstock makes use of figures when explaining concepts and adding in the mathematics to the figure explanation in a way that you will remember the material. My advice is that if you are looking for a good introduction to acoustics, this is the book to read. Once you conquer this and you want something broader that goes into such topics as nonlinear acoustics and underwater acoustics, you probably want to look at Kinsler's "Fundamentals of Acoustics". The following is the table of contents:

1. Introduction
2. Detailed Development of the Acoustical Wave Equation.
3. Reflection and Transmission of Normally Incident Plane Waves of Arbitrary Waveform.
4. Normal Incidence Continued: Steady-State Analysis.
5. Transmission Phenomena: Oblique Incidence.
6. Normal Modes in Cartesian Coordinates: Strings, Membranes, Rooms, and Rectangular Waveguides.
7. Horns.
8. Propagation in Stratified Media.
9. Propagation in Dissipative Fluids: Absorption and Dispersion.
10. Spherical Waves.
11. Cylindrical Waves.
12. Waveguides.
13. Radiation from a Baffled Piston.
14. Diffraction.
15. Arrays.

Wonderful Book.......2005-04-27

I think this is one of the best books on Physical Acoustics.
I would recommend this book to anyone starting to learn acoustics. This statement does not mean that advanced students should not go for this book, as it also covers advanced materials.

My opinion about the book can resumed as follows:

- Clear and concise
- Very good presentation
- Relatively easy to follow
- Very good for self-studying (plan to study the book is recommended by the author)
- There is a derivation (or instructions on how to get) to almost every equation in the book.
- Not too theoretical. Many practical interpretations of the mathematical results are given. (percentage of mathematics well balanced)
- The author makes apparently difficult material simple!

From this book one can jump to more advanced texts (Theoretical Acoustics by Morse and Ingard and Acoustics - An Introduction to its Physical Principles and Applications by Pierce).

Fundamentals of Acoustics by Kinsler et al is also a good book for a beginner, but I think this one is much better.

Moral of the story, I really like this book!

Ps: This is an opinion of a beginner on Physical Acoustics more interested in air applications, that never had lessons about this topic. I don't know if my opinion will change as my knowledge on this field increases:) I doubt it!

Excellent text and reference.......2000-06-13

I find this book clear and concise. This is the reference I use most often at work when I want insight into the physics behind a noise or vibration problem.

Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science

Average customer rating:

Very useful - but not gospel truth.
Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science
Excellent introduction to mastering
The next step.
the art and the science

Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science
Bob Katz
Manufacturer: Focal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0240805453

Book Description

Mastering Audio explains leading-edge audio concepts in an easy-to-grasp, holistic manner, including an ear-opening investigation of the mysteries of jitter, dither and wordlengths, high sample rates, distortion, headroom, monitor calibration, metering, depth perception, compression and expansion, equipment interconnection and much more. Mastering Audio is for everyone who wants to increase their mastery of digital and analog audio: musicians, producers, A&R, mastering, recording and mixing engineers, and students.

*Outlines the steps taken in producing a compact disc, from creation to final pressing
*Provides insights to equipment, training, and the business of mastering
*Answers questions most frequently asked by audio engineers

Customer Reviews:

Very useful - but not gospel truth........2007-06-14

Bob Katz knows his stuff. I thought I was an experienced engineer and knew quite a bit already, but Bob goes into details here that I have hitherto not explored. However, Bob is a little on the snobby side when it comes to his opinions (which are never stated as such) on certain technologies. So take what he says with a grain of salt.

I think this book is meant for advanced engineers, and will likely confuse those who are amateurs or just getting started in the audio engineering field. It's chapter order is somewhat random, and he doesn't quite seem to know just who his audience is. He assumes different levels of prerequisite knowledge on different subjects... The man is obviously more an engineer and less an educator and writer.

It contains very valuable knowledge - just be prepared to tread water occasionally. :-)

Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science.......2007-06-08

The title says it all. The book is superb.

Excellent introduction to mastering.......2007-05-14

Clearly written book on the role and basic techniques of mastering audio. More of an introduction than an advanced text, so very accessible and written with some humor and personality. Good emphasis on monitoring, philosophy, goals, and techniques instead of the gadgets. Recommended.

The next step........2007-02-15

Even if you never plan to master your own recordings this is an awsome book to get. It truely is the next book to get after "the recording engineers hand book". Gets deeper into compression, mixing, micing, phase, etc.

I'd get it if I were you;)

Dave

the art and the science.......2007-01-10

I have been wanting to purchase this book for quite some time now because I have heard such good things. When I finally made the purchase I was amazed. This book is full of so much great information. Bob tells it in a clear and understandable way, even though the content is advanced. In the end, he never forgets about the art and music as the reason for all of the science. If you are an audio engineer and want to further your knowledge on mastering and/or advanced audio concepts, this is the book for you.

Average customer rating:

A real page-turner...
Terrible
Lots of Problems
A good elementary textbook
Toned down math, but still pure sound

The Science of Sound (3rd Edition)
Thomas D. Rossing , F. Richard Moore , and Paul A. Wheeler
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805385657

Book Description

The Science of Sound is widely recognized as the leading textbook in the field. It provides an excellent introduction to acoustics for readers without college physics or a strong background in mathematics. In the Third Edition, Richard Moore and Paul Wheeler join Tom Rossing in updating The Science of Sound to include a wide range of important technological developments in the field of acoustics. New exercises and review questions have been added to the end of each chapter to help readers study the material.

Customer Reviews:

A real page-turner..........2006-12-09

An abundance of writing and grammatical errors do not make the already confusing explanations in this book any easier to grasp. I got bogged down in technical mistakes before I could begin to use the provided formulas. This is one of the worst textbooks I've ever read, and taking a supplemental course from one of the authors only added to one of the worst experiences of my college career.

Terrible.......2006-02-03

This book is terrible for beginners. It doesn't explain things well. The graphs and diagrams are hard to understand and it doesn't give enough examples to help you do the exercises at the end of the chapter. Also, there are a lot of typos and errors. For instance I tried to look up "attenuation of sound" in the index and the word was there with no page number. And I found a graph where the graph didn't match the descrpition. I have the advantage of having one of the authors of the book as my professor, and I still have a hard time understanding this book. It's horrible.

Lots of Problems.......2000-10-01

This book should have been a classic introduction to musical acoustics. Instead, it tries to hard, is convoluted, often in error, and confuses musicians.

When I taught from this book, I and the class found errors in equations, references to equations, and calculations. When undergraduates are struggling to learn, this is a very bad context.

The book is so concerned with a level of comprehensiveness, that measured clarity is left out. At the same time, for the expert, it is too little. Therefore, it appeals to neither the introductory level nor the more advanced level.

I gave up using this book.

A good elementary textbook.......2000-08-09

I have used this book as the primary textbook for an introductory course in the physics of music. It is at a somewhat higher level than some of its competitors (e.g. "The Acoustical Foundations of Music" by Backus) but still suitable for non-science majors with weak math backgrounds. It is the most thorough and informative book I have seen at this level. However, the students complained that it was somewhat dull. Also, the section on electronic reproduction of music is out of date--relatively little on CD's etc., and nothing on mp3 and related technologies. Still, I plan to use it again.

Toned down math, but still pure sound.......2000-06-13

I have taught a course entitled "Acoustics for Musicians and Recording Engineers" to Engineering, Music, and Film majors using Rossing's THE SCIENCE OF SOUND. He has toned down the equations enough that the students aren't groaning, yet he's remained true to the interdisciplinary nature of acoustics as a pursuit of physics, psychology, math, and engineering. The structure of the book provides a wonderful outline for the course and it has been an invaluable resource for both me and the students who have wished to continue with their study of acoustics.

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