About the Book
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.
Table of Contents:
Foreword by Roger Nichols
Preparation:
No Mastering Engineer is an Island; Connecting It Together; An Earientation Session; Word lengths and Dither; Decibels for Dummies; Monitoring
Mastering:
Putting the Album Together; Equalization Techniques;
Macrodynamics; The Downward Processes; The Lost Processes; Noise Reduction; Other Processing
Advance Theory and Practice:
Monitor Calibration; The K-System; Analog and Digital Signal Processing; How to Achieve Depth and Dimension in Recording, Mixing and Mastering; High Sample Rates, Is This Where It's At?; Jitter--Separating the Myths From the Mysteries; Tips and Tricks
Out of the Jungle:
Education, Education, Education; At Last
Appendices
About the Author :
Bob Katz played the B flat clarinet from the age of 10, and his lifelong love of sound and music led him to become a professional recording, mixing and mastering engineer (since 1971). Three of his recordings have garnered the GrammyT award and many others have been lauded in publications such as Stereo Review, Audio, and Stereophile. He has written over one hundred articles for audio and computer publications, and is an inventor and manufacturer with processors and support gear in use at mastering studios worldwide. His most recent patent-pending inventions, the K-Stereo and K-Surround Processors, fill a missing link in the mastering and post- production pantheon. He has been a workshops, facilities and section chairman of the AES and has given lectures in several countries. Currently, Bob runs Digital Domain Studios just north of Orlando, Florida.
Review :
In the books 22 chapters and 13 appendices, Katz presents a text that is clear and easy to understand with just enough mathmatics and "technical jargon" to explain the technology behind the theory, philosophy, and methodology of the mastering processes, but without overwhelming the reader." - Ron Streicher, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
"The definitive work on mastering...an indispensable resource for anyone working with audio... If you only buy one book on audio, this has to be it - it should be required reading for anyone involved with recording, producing or mastering music."
Sound on Sound magazine
"Bob is a master of the technology changeover from analog to digital. His book covers areas that none other have touched." --George Massenburg,
producer/engineer, Nashville, TN
"Mastering Audio is one of those rare books where everything comes together perfectly: great information, beautifully presented, easy to understand, and satisfying to read." --Greg Simmons
Editorial Director, AudioTechnology magazine
"The first piece of equipment [you] should buy is Bob Katz's Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science." --Roger Nichols
"This book is sure to become the 'Industry Bible' on mastering audio. Highly recommended."
Christopher Hambly, www.audiocourses.com
"A terrific book... Bob Katz clearly knows his subject inside out and is a patient, enthusiastic teacher... The things I have learned in this book will immediately affect the way I work with audio right from recording, to editing, mixing and, of course, mastering."
Amazon.co.uk customer review
"...all you wanted to know about mastering in a well-written volume."
Lighting and Sound Magazine
"...what sets this book apart is the liberal inclusion of practical tips, real-world experiences, and knowledge gained from others during the course of a career dedicated pretty much to mastering. It is one of those rare books that manages to be authoritative without being didactic, and clearly indentifies opinions as opposed to verifiable facts...Even if you already do mastering, this book will help you do it better. And if you anticipate getting into mastering - start here."
EQ magazine
"...essential reading for anyone hoping to produce commercial music."
Music Tech magazine
"If you want to know what goes on behind the scenes in creating the music you enjoy, and learn more about digital audio, this comprehensive, insightful, and accessible book is without peer."
Absolute Sound Magazine, Oct. 2006
