About the Book
Practical Recording Techniques covers all aspects of recording, perfect for beginning and intermediate recording engineers, producers, musicians, and audio enthusiasts. Filled with tips and shortcuts, this hands-on, practical guide gives advice on equipping a home studio (whether low-budget or advanced) and suggestions for set-up, acoustics, effects, choosing mics and monitor speakers, and preventing hum. This best-selling guide also instructs how to mike instruments and vocals, judge recordings and improve them, work with MIDI and loops, do mastering, and put your music on the web. Two chapters cover live recording of classical and popular music.
New in the seventh edition:
Complete update of all types of recording equipment, plug-ins, and recording software
Increased focus on current industry and classroom trends like DAW signal flow and operation (during recording and mixdown), while still covering analog fundamentals
Updated organization to focus and break up topics
Updated tips on optimizing your computer for multitrack recording – for both Windows and Mac
New sections on streaming audio, mobile-device recording, live recording with digital consoles, and psychoacoustics
Listen Online boxes highlight where audio samples on the website relate to chapter discussions
Updated companion website with audio examples, articles, and suggested activities, plus expanded and more user-friendly links to the best sites for videos and articles, recording techniques, equipment, and other learning resources. Instructors can download figures from the book, the audio files, and a test bank
Table of Contents:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1: A Basic Overview of the Recording Process
CHAPTER 2: Sound and Psychoacoustics
CHAPTER 3: Studio Acoustics
CHAPTER 4: Signal Characteristics of Audio Devices
CHAPTER 5: Equipping Your Studio
CHAPTER 6: Monitoring
CHAPTER 7: Microphones
CHAPTER 8: Microphone Technique Basics
CHAPTER 9: Microphone Techniques for Instruments and Vocals
CHAPTER 10: Equalization (EQ)
CHAPTER 11: Effects and Signal Processors
CHAPTER 12: Mixers and Mixing Consoles
CHAPTER 13: Digital Audio
CHAPTER 14: Computer Recording
CHAPTER 15: DAW Signal Flow
CHAPTER 16: DAW Operation
CHAPTER 17: Judging Sound Quality with Critical Listening
CHAPTER 18: MIDI and Loops
CHAPTER 19: Session Procedures
CHAPTER 20: Mastering and CD Burning
CHAPTER 21: On-Location Recording of Popular Music
CHAPTER 22: On-Location Recording of Classical Music
CHAPTER 23: Web Audio, Streaming, and Online Collaboration
APPENDIX A: dB or Not dB
APPENDIX B: Optimizing Your Computer for Multitrack Recording
APPENDIX C: Impedance
APPENDIX D: Phantom Power Explained
APPENDIX E: Legacy Recording Devices
AUDIO GLOSSARY
INDEX
About the Author :
Bruce Bartlett has been a recording engineer, audio journalist, and microphone engineer (www.bartlettaudio.com) for over 30 years. He has written more than 1000 articles on audio topics for magazines and websites including ProSoundWeb, Live Sound International, L2Pnet, Recording, and the Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, as well as 9 books, including Recording Music on Location, 2nd edition (Focal Press). A member of the Audio Engineering Society and SynAudCon, he holds a degree in physics and several patents on microphone design. He is also a musician and runs a commercial computer-based recording studio.
Jenny Bartlett is a freelance technical writer.
Review :
"[This] is a comprehensive text, written clearly so concepts are easy to understand and apply. It is a good resource for my students both for the class and afterward, as they pursue their careers. Although I hadn't used the companion website before, now that I've looked at it more closely, I already plan to incorporate it into my classes.” -- Tom Wolfe, University of Alabama School of Music
"Bartlett's book covers all the major areas for my Recording 1 students with simplicity and just enough depth, taking a logical approach to everyday recording applications. It's a solid stepping-stone and excellent guide to start your recording career." -- Jeremiah Slovarp, Faculty & Technical Director, School of Music at Montana State University and Emmy Award Winning Sound & Recording Engineer
"Bartlett’s 7th edition carries on its reputation of handling the fundamentals of sound recording with reader-friendly writing, helpful illustrations, and the expertise that’s made it a classic in audio education for so many years." – Stanley R. Alten, Syracuse University
"I have used this text (and previous editions of this text) as I find it well written, easy to understand/accessible to new learners and is available at a moderate cost to the learner.Great Job!" -- David Haggadone, Lansing Community College
"I like that the language is accessible to beginners, and I think the breadth of topics is great for an intro course. The companion website also makes my job as an instructor easier" -- Colleen M. Clark, Salisbury University
"I’ve been teaching with Bartlett’s Practical Recording Techniques since the 4th edition because it is accessible to all of my students, who really run the gamut when it comes to prior knowledge and/or experience. It also covers both studio and concert hall approaches -- both of which I deal with in various classes throughout the year. The 7th edition not only taught me some new things but also gave me fresh ideas and perspectives for further utilizing it in my classes.” -- Kevin Harbison, recording engineer, Technical Director of Grusin Music Hall, University of Colorado Boulder
"Whether you are recording others or capturing your own muse, this book can help you find your way. Bartlett combines an expert's knowledge and an aficionado’s love of music, and he's produced a book and accompanying online materials that both seasoned professionals and absolute newbies can learn a lot from." -- Flawn Williams, Georgetown University Department of Performing Arts
