2 comments about Advanced Phase-Lock Techniques (Artech House Microwave Library).

1. The book starts out with a broad view of the phase-lock concept, pulling together perspectives from signal processing, estimation theory, and traditional circuit theory. It presumes some prior familiarity with the PLL subject. It has an excellent treatment on loop filters, well beyond what has been published before. The treatment on delta-sigma based fractional-N synthesis is particularly good as it starts with the historical patent record and takes the reader through all of the basic concepts up through important caveats to stay clear of. The final chapter is an in depth examination of PLLs used for bit sychronization and clock recovery. The books thorough treatment plus the inclusion of all the Matlab code used in preparation of the text makes this an excellent technical reference worth adding to one's personal library.



2. True to its title, this is not an introductory text, but it contains an amazing amount of information on PLLs of various kinds (including fractional-n synthesizers with sigma-delta modulators) and on their applications in systems. The material is well organized and reads smoothly in spite of the inclusion of substantial mathematical developments. The author provides mathematical background with apparent ease and rigor but also offers practical recommendations and a large collection of useful formulas and graphs. The work is well illustrated and most graphs are referenced to the MATLAB® scripts (included on CD) that produced them. The availability of the scripts and extensive references facilitate further pursuit of the material covered. The author has taken the care to provide an errata, and also as a complete table of contents, on his web site, which I found by searching for his name with the book title. This is an excellent reference for engineers who work with phase-locked loops.

1 comments about The Rock Synthesizer Manual: A Revised Guide for the Electronic Musician.

1. Both editions of The Rock Synthesizer Manual, written in 1983 and 1986, are the very finest sources of information if you're working with synthesizers that were built in the '80s. Written by a guy who's been writing for Electronic Musician magazine since its first issue, they see the future so clearly that they've never gone out of date

5 comments about Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing Piano (The Complete Idiot's Guide).

1. I bought this book in hopes that I would be playing the piano as soon as I began reading the book. This did not happen. The first seven chapters were getting me familar with the piano world -good but not at this point in my learning. I also found I didn't need the wit or the side bars. All I was looking for when I bought the book was a logical step-by-step method of playing the piano. The books' material is good but not for me, and that is why I feel I am still an Idiot.



2. I bought three books on learning to play the piano, and this was easily the weakest of them. The book is wittily written, but it is very short on actual pieces of music to play. The first time you put your fingers to the keyboard is in chapter 7, on p.48. Then there's another very short practice piece. Then there's a whole chapter on sharps, flats and fingering, with no practice at all. The first six chapters, instead of getting you started, cover things like the history of keyboard instruments and how a piano works--fascinating, but not what you expect from a book entitled "Guide to Playing the Piano".

   I think the intention is to very simply explain what all the notation means, and in fact the text does a reasonable job. However, if you're interested in actually playing the piano and having fun this is a very frustrating book. Even the practice pieces aren't songs; it's fun to play things you know, even if it's only "Row, Row Your Boat" and "Frere Jacques". The first practice piece in this book that is clearly an arrangement of a song is "Fly Me to the Moon", on p.103. This is almost halfway through the book!

   I should add that Hill has included some chapters that are not in the other books I bought which are interesting. These include notes on buying a piano, maintaining it, and on things like what classical music to try and how to stay motivated. There's also a section on MIDI and home music studios. However, if you're primarily interested in getting to the point where you can have fun with songs you know, this is not the right book for you.




3. This book has a lot of information on the piano and keyboard, but it does very little to actually teach one how to play either of them. It does a decent job of teaching the individual notes, but the section on chords is not very good at all. The book also does not contain nearly enough practice pieces. Most of the book is just about the history of pianos and stuff like that. Buy this book only if you want to learn all about the piano and keyboard but not how to actually play them.



4. This book is accceptable for those who have no idea how to play piano, read music, or understand anything about musical theory. Usually, I'll be a bit generous with my reviews, but this book is not for anyone except for a genuine piano "idiot". :)

   What Mr. Hill does cover is adequate for getting started: History of the instrument, how to sit, hand position, etc. You'll be taught how to read sheet music, what the notes are (quarter, half, whole notes, etc), scales, chords etc. Right and left hand technique, harmony and keys. But, I'm talking real basic stuff here. That's the first half of the book. 130 pages!

   The second half (Master Class???) covers a little more about notation, such as triplets, slurs, legato, etc. How to use music charts and fake books (honest) and some discussion on classical pieces. Using the pedals, some practice and technical tips. The book closes out with some coverage on purchasing a piano or electronic keyboard, and some maintanence and repair discussion. This spans roughly 100 pages.

   Now, granted, that's some pretty expansive ground to cover in one book. So, you get basic and informative information throughout.

   My biggest criticism echos the previous reviewers. There is way too much talk, including plenty of the side remarks that are typical of the Idiot and Dummy series of books. I find them distracting and annoying. Finally, there is far to few musical pieces to play, and far too few practice exercises. Personally, I find that inexcusable since those are the necessary componants that will take someone from a beginner to the intermediate stages of development. That's what beginning books are for, correct?

   This book falls substantially short in musical pieces and especially practice exercises.

   Since I already play intermediate level guitar, 75% of this book is pretty much useless to me. To become proficient on a musical instrument, you must put in substantial amounts of practice time. Personally, I think they should have dropped the history, construction, purchasing, maintanence/repair, electronic/synth, and classical music discussions and tripled the amount of exercises.

   I reccommend this book for someone who knows nothing about music, or pianos/keyboards at all. It'll push your rowboat off the shore, but that's as far as you'll go. I'm being generous with the three stars too.

   - Alleyrat




5. I must agree with the negative criticisms other reviewers have made of this book, but I would rate it even lower. The eager beginner will want to get his/her fingers on the instrument as soon as possibly, not sit around reading all day! (reading text, not even music at that) The information that is covered in this book is not particularly essential to the beginner. Worse, most of the book feels like padded-out fluff, with the many different kinds of sidebars cumbersome distractions.
   
   Don't be fooled by the complete idiot's ploy. This book is just a cash-in on the Idiot's/Dummies market with no real substance. Instead, get in touch with a piano teacher, and see what books he/she recommends, even if you don't want or can't afford to take lessons (Although lessons would be the most sure-fire way to obtain results.)

2 comments about Synthesizer Basics.

1. In this easy to read reference, Brent Hurtig takes you through the basic concepts and parts of the basic monophonic analogue synths of the 60's and 70's. This book is a wonderful introductory guide into the world of eletronic music and its origins. Just after reading the first few chapters out of a copy I got from the local library, I can now tell what makes an analogue synth tick. It also gives you a look at MIDI basic principles and the invention of digital synthesis.This book has sparked my imagination about electronic music and made me want to get out there and make some noise. My only negative comment is that it's a little out of date, but if your looking for information on modular synthesis, Moogs or analogue basics, this is the place.



2. This old book is a series of articles primarily from the 1970's on synthesizers that were written back when the technology was young. However, at a little more than 130 pages it is a very readable introduction to the world of musical synthesis that still has some value. Chapter one introduces the subject in a general way. Chapter two is a great introduction to how synthesis works both from an electronic block diagram standpoint and from a musical one. Chapter three explains the MIDI standard brilliantly in a few dozen pages. Chapter four, on sound systems and components, shows its age more than the first three chapters. However, it has some interesting points to make on the signal processing that takes place in a synthesizer. Chapter five on recording electronic music is pretty much obsolete at this point, but is well written and interesting from a historical perspective. If you have a firm foundation in music and would like an accessible read on the subject of synthesis before diving into the more complex books on the subject, this is a great start, especially considering the low price. I would normally give it five stars, but I felt I had to subtract one star because of the age of some of the material. If you like this book, you might want to pick up another old favorite next - "Musical Applications of Microprocessors" by Chamberlain. It is much more technical than this book.

5 comments about The Art of Digital Music: 56 Visionary Artists and Insiders Reveal Their Creative Secrets.

1. Kelli Richard's and David Battino's The Art of Digital Music is a journey into the minds of great artists and experts in the field of digital music. The information presented is very concentrated representing years of industry and creative experience. It offers insight into the evolution of music trends, the technologies that support them and an understanding about the mindset required to be successful in this challenging industry.
   
   Learn how it is to work with Madonna or Britney Spears or what it takes to think like Herbie Hancock! Realize making music is an art facilitated by new technologies that can enhance an artist's ability to express their talent to the world without depending on a major label.
   
   Once started you cannot put this book down as you discover each unique story within. It is amazing how much you can learn about digital music from just reading the interviews!
   The Art of Digital Music is a great resource to have at home whether you actively produce music or not and makes a splendid gift for those who aspire to enter the music industry. If you ever had a song playing in your mind that you would like to bring into the world but you don't know how - this book is for you!



2. Kelli Richards and David Battino have done a tremendous job bringing in the masters of this space to reveal where we are and we are going in this revoloutionary time.
   On a personal level, and as an artist/producer in this space, I found great take aways from people I have studied, admired and in some cases, worked directly with over the years including Herbie Hancock, Todd Rundgren, Don Was, Thomas Dolby and Brian Eno.
   I highly recommend this insightful and inspired writing. 5 stars!!



3. Honestly I'm surprised by most of the reviews I see here giving this book 5 stars. Most of the people in the book, I personally don't hold in the highest regard. They all seem "past their prime" and many sound like they are remeniscing on how it used to be. In terms of the books title "Insider reveal their creative secrets." .. I find this laughable. I've read through the entire book, and there are very few concrete, CLEAR ideas on how to improve your musical craft. If you're a person that likes to learn through explicit instruction, then this book is definitely not for you. If you simply want to read interviews from some semi-relevant people that were in the music biz at one time, then this book may be for you. I would highly recommend going to your local bookstore and scanning through a few pages before spending your money.



4. I liked this book quite a bit; not because it gave me step-by-step instructions on how to create music using digital technology, but more to the point because it didn't. Any book on music technology can become dated quite quickly, but when one concentrates instead on hearing a very wide variety of artists, producers, technologists and industry executives talk about how they *think*, then you have something that if not timeless is at least fresh and interesting for some time. Knowing how Todd Rundgren approaches producing or songwriting is way more valuable than knowing which button in ProTools does pitch correction.



5. This was a valuable primer for me even long after I started producing my own records with digital technology. It always helps beginning and mid-level musicians and producers to get real-world insights into how the pros are using the tools, and this book is dedicated to providing those "snapshots." A great addition to any home recordists' library.

No comments about Intermediate Blues Keyboard: The Complete Blues Keyboard Method.

5 comments about Using Your Portable Studio.

1. Anyone interested in engineering and producing their own recording will find a wealth of information regarding techiniques and implementations for microphone, guitar, bass, keyboards, midi drum kits....including how to develop a "true" mix.

   Concepts provided within are ideas you will only hear from someone who has lived it!!

   This book is a great resource to help you start your projects armmed with knowledge and understanding of key studio practices.




2. Man, I've read 'em all and this is the champ home studio guide. I used to think it was McLan's first-"The Musician's Guide to Home Recording", but he's outdone himself on this one. I love it.



3. If I hadn't just read 'Musician's Guide to Home Recording', another book from Peter McIan and co-author (Larry Wick?), I would have liked this title better. This book just expands on a small portion of 'Musician's Guide'. 'Musician's Guide to Home Recording' contains almost all of the info in this book and a whole lot more. If you gotta pick one over the other, get 'Musician's Guide'. Best advice is to get 'em both, but be sure to read this title first, it makes a good primer for the other.



4. I have a lot of experience in live sound but just about zilch in recording. This book has helped me in such ways that it has even improved on my live sound by making you think about what you're doing before you do it, ie., micing acoustic instruments or setting up for an 'unplugged' session with vocals to different ways to mic a piano.
   
   I would recomend this book to anyone who want to learn more about recording. Whether at home doing it, or at the pro studio on the other side of the console, this book can answer some questions before you start.
   
   As far as some thinking that this book is dated, not everybody can afford to fork out $1000 or $2000 dollars for a decent digital console/hard disc system. I can't. I still have and use and original TASCAM 488 Portastudio, that came very reasonable by the way, so the sections on portable studios is very helpfull to me.
   
   Overall, I give it five stars. If you want to record at home for fun or for yourself, this is a must read!



5. If you know nothing or very little about recording, thie is THE book to get. Psychedelic Tunesmith asked the appropriate question: were you thinking of getting another book?
   
   What I particularly like about this book is that McIan writes for an audience with a severly limited budget. There are many magazines and books that write about recording as if their readers have thousands of dollars to spare.
   Secondly, McIan teaches recording from a conceptual standpoint. In other words, he teaches from the stance that the idea of recording is an old princple and all technologies are forms of this principle: capture the sound waves on an impressionable medium; to retrieve the archive, reverse the process
   There is an emphasis on cassette-tape portable studios but I think that has to do more with when the book was published. Even those working with digital mediums can benefit from this. Besides, years from now, digital mediums will be discussed as a dated, old-fashioned technology.
   
   McIan constantly stresses that you should do the best with what you can get your hands on and that knowledge can often compensate for mediocre equipment. If you only have enough money to buy one book on recording, this is the one to buy.

5 comments about Instant Keyboard Instruction (Instant).

1. I wish more publishers would appreciate that music is something that takes effort and dedication. You can work hard and learn it the proper way or just play by position and not learn any note reading at all. The book is ok for someone who already knows how to read music. But if you want to learn note reading, or something serious, forget it.



2. If you're a beginner, then I don't recommend this book. It has plenty enough pieces to play, but the book does a terrible job of explaining the notes and chords and how to read music. Don't buy this book unless you just want a lot of practice pieces and don't need any information on the notes and chords and how to read music.



3. I BOUGHT THIS BOOK IN (...) ITS REALLY HELPFUL
   FOR JUST STARTING OUT. EXACTLY AS AT IT SAYS FOR THE IMPATIENT
   STUDENT. I'VE TOLD OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THIS BOOK. I ALSO
   LIKE THE STICKERS FOR THE NOTES THAT REALY HELPED I STARTED
   PLAYING RIGHT AWAY. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THIS BOOK.



4. this book was better then I thought it would be, thank you for the fast great service.



5. See this link for a picture of what the music notation, called EZ-Play Today, looks like. The link is to the publisher Hal Leonard and if you search their site for 'music notation guide' you can see pictures of each of their various styles of notation, each tailored for specific skill levels.[...]
   
   The author, Gary Meisner, does exactly what he says on the cover of this book. He gets the impatient student playing recognizable melodies very quickly. He explains how the various parts of your typical stand-alone keyboard work (single finger chords and accompaniment). It will serve as a good teaser for those wanting to go deeper. The publisher has around 400 different titles that use this notation style so if you are a beginner who has no interest in learning to sight read music there is a wealth of music at your disposal using this style. Using this style is "probably" going to result in bad habits should you try to switch notation styles later but if you enjoy playing and want to get into things quickly it is hard to beat.
   
   If you want to learn how to sight read at the same time you learn to play the keyboard then I'd go for another series of books by the same publisher and author(plus another co-author) called the 'Fast Track Keyboard' series. It uses a more standard notation, with recommended fingerings.
   
   This would be a great book to give someone when buying them a keyboard if they have no previous experience. It sets a goal and I think it achieves it well. I can't give it a lower rating because of how I think it "may" lead to improper technique later. It says it will get the impatient student playing fast which it does. The notation style used, if used, will not keep you isolated in what you can learn to play later since there are tons of books written in this form.
   
   I am docking it one star because it assumes the reader is using a stand alone keyboard with auto accompaniment and rhythm sections. It does not acknowledge a lot of new players are getting started with playing around on Apple's Garage Band with an inexpensive MIDI controller keyboard that makes no sound, it only triggers the sounds from the software. These controllers don't have single finger chords and other "helper features" which could lead to some confusion in new students.

3 comments about Synthesizer Technique (Personal Computing Series).

1. This book is made up largely of reprints of columns from Keyboard Magazine.

   Although old, these are still relevant, especially given the revived interest in analogue synthesis.




2. all the info is really broken down to the essentials making it easy to understand. great for beginners and experienced synthesists. Written by some of the greats...including Bob Moog.



3. Amazon.com doesn't give a real description for this book, so here it is.
   
   There are three chapters in this book (descriptions directly from the back of the book):
   
   1: Recreating Timbres - String tone simulation; vocal sounds; timbre of the acoustic piano; bass voicings; percussion sounds; processed noise effects; note shapes; timbral complexity; simulating plucked timbres; pitched struck instrument timbres; tips on recording synthesizers; recording string synthesizers.
   
   2: Pitch-Bending, Modulation, and Expression - Pitch-bending; pitch-bending exercises; pitch-bending embellishments; vibrato; clangorous sounds; amplitude and ring modulation; filter modulation and phase shift; oscillating filter modulation and waveform modulation; frequency modulation; oscillator modulation; voltage control; playing the front panel; automatic improvisation; phase relations in composition; sequence and pitch dependent functions.
   
   3: Soloing and Orchestration - Synthesized orchestration; keyboard stacks; voicing for your keyboard stacks; building lead lines; solos: the motif method; constructing a solo; lead synthesizer.
   
   "With contributions by Bob Moog, Tom Coster, George Duke, Roger Powell, Patrick Gleeson, Craig Anderton, Jim Aikin, Tom Darter, and the editors, designers, and staff of Keyboard Magazine."
   
   This information is old, but still an essential beginning for everybody who is involved with synthesis and anything synthesizer.

No comments about Propellerhead Reason 4 Tips and Tricks.