No comments about Programming Synthesizers (The Keyboard magazine library of electronic musicians).

4 comments about Keyfax The Omnibus Edition (Mix Pro Audio Series).

1. A very good referance book for those interested in vintage synths. Has good overview's and statisics on many of the classics. Not as indepth as Vintage Synthesizers by Mark Vail and features some questionable "Top 100" synthesizer choices (Roland MT-32 but not Jupiter-6??). However, most Top 100 entries feature photos of instruments (although many are overly cropped), but if you're into vintage synths then it's a must read. I enjoyed it. Plus if you keep it in the bathroom, each synth overview will cover a sitting, allowing it to be enjoyed for a full 100 sittings! - And that doesn't count the synth manufacturer profiles and extensive buyer's guide index.



2. Keyfax Omnibus is a must have item for electronic musicians looking for those increasingly hard to find bargains in the world of used synthesizers.

   Each review has pertinant information like how many units of a particular instrument were sold, what the asking price was when the item was originally sold and what it was when this edition was compiled (1996 prices). Of course there have been fluctuations, but the guide prices are all pretty valid.

   This has reviews and many pictures for just about anything that you'll find, so it may save some money in the long run, and help to identify bargains. Julian has a hot 100 which most people will agree with. Strongly recommended.




3. There is no other way to get all this information on vintage synths in one lifetime. Yeah, I kept mine in the bathroom at first, but now its next to the computer so I can check the minimal synth descriptions at the Ebay and Amazon auctions. Most recently, it convinced me to buy the Oberheim Matrix 1000, new in the box, a great synth. If you want data (and some knowledgeable opinions) rather than photos and memoirs, this is the book. (It does have some photos, small but informative.)



4. An excellent reference-work, this sets out to give details on every synth ever made from 1968 until 1996, with a big directory at the back of the book, and lengthy reviews of 100 of the most interesting at the front. Rather than being simply a collection of reviews from the other, hard-to-find Keyfax book, the whole book has been written from scratch. Julian Colbeck has a knack for writing that is informative and friendly without appearing smug, and the constant references to hopelessly untrendy bands that he has worked with add to the charm. His selection of 100 great synths covers the obvious bases and includes plenty of bizarre, interesting things that you have probably never heard of - the Gleeman Pentaphonic and the Octave-Plateau Voyetra Eight are new to me. Omissions are a matter of taste, but it seems odd to have both the Jupiter 8 and MKS-80 in separate entries, and it would have been nice to see the JX-10 as well. There is single black-and-white photograph for each synth (oddly, the one for the Kurzweil 250 seems to focus on the back of the machine), and a few interesting images in the directory. Given that the synth market has thrown up some interesting things in the last four years, here's hoping that there's an updated reprint in the wings, hopefully with a CD of old synth sounds attached to the front.

No comments about Alfred's basic chord approach to electronic keyboards: A beginning method for all instruments with automatic rhythms & chords.

4 comments about Arranging Techniques For Synthesists.

1. This book is an excellent introduction to the theory and application of arranging techniques, geared to the synthesist. It contains chapters on melody, percussion, harmony, strings, and vocals. It comes with a CD that plays the examples in the book - really helpful, IMHO.



2. Had this book for several years and keep opening it up for the breath of intelligent simplicity that breaks me out of bad habits I might be developing. Contains excellent gems about not overwriting, about keeping clarity of line, about writing realistically. Also has a thousand handy charts and diagrams on such things as part-writing, vocal ranges, counterpoint, basic instrument techniques, basic brass voicings...
   Should not be the only book you own...but might be the only one you pack on a vacation where you mean to get a little composing in.



3. The book starts with Music theory basics: Rhythm, Styles, Melody, Harmony, Advanced Harmony Substitution and voice arrangement, etc. Then It takes a structured look at the different sections of the band (Rhythm, Brass, Woodwinds, Strings) Explaining how each works, instrument ranges, how to write parts for each, etc. I have had this book for several years, and although I consider myself an accomplished musician/arranger, I refer to it often, especially when it comes to unfamiliar instruments/ensembles. This book is a must for beginning/aspiring arrangers.



4. I bought a whole stack of books on arranging, every one I could find. This is the only one I found remotely helpful. If what you want are chapters on orchestral instrument ranges, then there are truckloads of books on that. Anyone can write one of those books, because all you'd have to do is copy the info from one of the tiresome pile of books already out there. It's also one of those things you can figure out yourself, without even going to music school. But to actually deal with the problem of making a good sounding song, there is a BIG difference between "discussing" a subject, and giving you USEFULL info. The more books I read, the more I realize anyone can write a book on any subject and actually get away with it. And there will always be someone who thinks it's brilliant. Most books are like the 'Windows' help files - tell you everything you can figure out yourself, and would have had to figure out to get as far as finding and opening them, then leave you standing there, wondering WHY IS THERE NEVER AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL? There only seems to be "incredibly stupid beginner" level, and "Doctorate degree advanced level". Anyway this book actually throws in a little intermediate level stuff. There is more I'd like to know, but for the price, it's well worth it.

No comments about Playing Synthesizer: A Beginners Guide (Keyboard Magazine Library for Electronic Musicians).

No comments about The Complete DX7.

1 comments about Digital Pll Frequency Synthesizers: Theory and Design.

1. CMOS phase locked loop design is a hot topic in RF(Radio Frequency) design. This book has very important information for Rf designers in Electrical Engineering.The tone of the book is very user-friendly.I wish if this book were on the market again.

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.

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 Frequency Synthesizers: Theory and Design.

1. Mannessivitch's landmark text is a milestone in the synthesizer design community. For the first time, a clear and concise explanation of synthesizer theory and design is put to paper and is presented in a manner which transcends time and technology. His treatment of the impact of synthesizer performance on system degradation is well-thought and complete. Finally, the presentation of various technologies (both analog and digital) can be used for years to come. A must-have



2. Don't need say much...it is the best book in Frequency Synthesis...period!