General Books - Page 3

Critical Listening Skills for Audio Professionals

F. Alton Everest

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General AAS
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Recording & Sound

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Audio productions are made or broken by the quality of the recording engineer's ears. The ability to properly discern sounds, identify subtle problems, and act accordingly to apply the necessary fix makes all the difference in the quality of the final tracks and master. The good news is that these crucial skills can be learned. The ability to instantly identify frequencies, hear hidden distortions, and instinctively reconcile conflicts in the EQ of instruments, audio elements, vocals and more are traits of those who have mastered the art of audio production. The best engineers have trained their ears to immediately recognize audio problems that the consumer and those new to recording arts would likely not hear, but that, if left unresolved, would result in an amateurish final product. For more than two decades, students of F. Alton Everest's Critical Listening and Auditory Perception courses have rapidly developed these skills by using the intense lessons found in this book and on the CD. Unfortunately the books and CDs included with the course were usually too expensive for aspiring engineers to purchase and were often available only in colleges, universities, or school libraries. Now for the first time these indispensable training sessions are available with this release of Critical Listening Skills for Audio Professionals. Through hundreds of illustrations and an accompanying disc containing high-resolution MP3 files with nearly five hours of narration of the entire course, you can acquire the audio discernment skills of a seasoned recording engineer by studying this course at your own pace, in your own home.

How to Do Everything with Your Zune

Rick Broida

Amazon Price: $16.49 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $13.79

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Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Digital Photography
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> Zune
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Get into the Zune zone and find out how to get the most out of this versatile digital media player. How to Do Everything with Your Zune shows you how to acquire, play, and organize music, videos, and photos. You'll discover how to share content with other Zune users, tune in to FM radio, stream music throughout your home, and even connect your Zune to your Xbox. You'll also learn to navigate the Zune Marketplace and build a diverse music library.

• Install the Zune software, modify the interface, and add media
• Connect your Zune to your PC or Xbox
• Buy individual songs from the Zune Marketplace or subscribe to Zune Pass
• Rip songs from CDs and cassettes
• Create and manage playlists
• Copy DVDs to your Zune and convert and load recorded TV shows
• Download YouTube videos and podcasts to your Zune
• Add pictures and create slideshows
• Share content with other Zunes
• Listen to FM radio on your Zune
• Maintain and troubleshoot your Zune

iPod: The Missing Manual

Jude Biersdorfer, David Pogue

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Pogue Press Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $10.15

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> iPods
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> iTunes
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> MP3

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With iPod touch, Apple's sleek little entertainment center has entered a whole new realm, and the ultimate iPod book is ready to take you on a complete guided tour. As breathtaking and satisfying as its subject, iPod: The Missing Manual gives you a no-nonsense view of everything in the "sixth generation" iPod line. Learn what you can do with iPod Touch and its multi-touch interface, 3.5-inch widescreen display and Wi-Fi browsing capabilities. Get to know the redesigned iPod Nano with its larger display and video storage capacity. It's all right here. The 6th edition sports easy-to-follow color graphics, crystal-clear explanations, and guidance on the most useful things your iPod can do. Topics include: Out of the box and into your ears. Learn how to install iTunes, load music on your iPod, and get rid of that dang flashing "Do not disconnect" message. Bopping around the iPod. Whether you've got a tiny Shuffle, a Nano, the Classic, or the new Touch, you'll learn everything from turning your iPod off and on to charging your iPod without a computer. Special coverage for iPod owners with trickster friends: How to reset the iPod's menus to English if they've been changed to, say, Korean. In tune with iTunes. iTunes can do far more than your father's jukebox. Learn how to pick and choose which parts of your iTunes library loads onto your iPod, how to move your sacred iTunes Folder to a bigger hard drive, and how to add album covers to your growing collection. The power of the 'Pod. Download movies and TV shows, play photo slideshows, find cool podcasts, and more: this book shows you how to unleash all your iPod's power. iPod is simply the best music player available, and this is the manual that should have come with it.

Amazon Exclusive:
VIP Tips and Tricks for iPod Users
iTunes Store Tip: Future Shopping
Many people use Amazon’s Wish List feature for tagging items they want to remember to buy at a later date--and you can do the same thing with music and videos for sale in the iTunes Store. To get started, make a new playlist in iTunes by pressing Control-N on Windows or Command-N on a Mac. Name the new playlist "Wish List" or something memorable like "My Next Paycheck." If you want to keep it extra handy (and on top of all your other playlists), add an "@" symbol to the beginning of the name so the wish list stays on top of the alphabetical pile of playlists in your iTunes window. When you browse the Store later and find a song or video you want to eventually buy, drag its 30-second preview snippet right out of the iTunes Store window and onto the new wish-list playlist you made. Those 30-second snippets will hang out there as a reminder that you want to buy the song or video; if you change your mind, select the track and hit the Delete key to remove it. But if you do want to follow through and make the purchase, you just have to click that big BUY SONG or BUY EPISODE button next to the title to get transported back into the Store to seal the deal.

iPod Audio Book Tip: Adjusting the Speed of the Read
The iPod is great for listening to audio books, and both Audible.com and the iTunes Store offer thousands of them for sale. But if you find a particular book’s narrator is talking too slow or too fast for your personal liking, you can adjust the pace of the reading. Just go to the Settings menu on the main iPod menu screen and select Audiobooks. On the next screen, you can opt to make the playback speed slower or faster than normal. And you can do this without affecting the pitch of the voice and making it sound either like the book is being read underwater or recited by a chipmunk. If you want to adjust the playback speed while you’re listening to the audio book file itself, press the iPod’s center button a few times. On most models, the audio book speed controls will appear on screen after a few taps and you can change your reading speed on the fly.

iTunes Tip: Grooving Out with the Visualizer
If you’ve been working hard all day and want to take a little music break at your desk, give your eyeballs and treat and let your mind wander with the iTunes Visualizer. This swirling laser-light show is built right into iTunes itself and you can turn it on by going to the View menu and choosing "Turn On Visualizer" (or by pressing Control-T in Windows or Command-T on a Mac keyboard). With the Visualizer turned on, choreographed bursts of color accompany your music as it plays. If you want to adjust the size of the Visualizer window — or even make it take over your full computer screen — pop into the iTunes preferences box by pressing Control-comma (Windows) or Command-comma (Mac). In the Preferences box, click the Advanced tab and choose the size of your visuals from the options at the bottom of the box, then click OK. And if you want to get even deeper into the Visualizer, press the question mark keys on the computer keyboard next time you’re chilling out to the light show. A hidden menu of other Visualizer configurations and commands appears on screen for you to play with.

Little Digital Video Book, The (2nd Edition) (Little Book)

Michael Rubin

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General AAS
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Web Development -> Web Design -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

One of the more frustrating aspects of buying a new digital video camera for consumers is trying to discover not only how it works, but how to shoot good movies with it right away. For most of us, we just want to turn on the camera and go, without spending too much time sorting through dense jargon and video editing software manuals. Here to guide the troubled newcomer to the exciting world of digital video is The Little Digital Video Book, 2e. This friendly, approachable guide will teach users the basics of shooting, organizing, and editing their own footage, with short examples so they can practice the techniques as they read through the book. This revised edition of the bestselling book on digital video is now in full color and completely updated for the modern beginning videographer. Users get a thorough grounding in the basics of digital video, but without all the jargon. Michael Rubin explains in under 200 pages all users need to know to get great shots, add sound, organize the footage, and use basic editing techniques. They will learn how to start and actually finish that video project they had in mind--in less than a day.

Pro Tools All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Jeff Strong

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $16.15

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General
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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> Pro Tools

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

When you add Pro Tools to your home recording studio, you have the software used to create hit records. Throw in Pro Tools All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies, Second Edition and you get the insight you need to capture your sounds, edit your tracks, create a mix, and master your songs for the world to hear. Add a generous helping of your own talent and you have the perfect recipe for music stardom.

This fantastic eight-books-in-one package introduces you to Pro Tools audio- and MIDI-recording software and clues you in on basic multitrack recording techniques. You'll get wise to Pro Tools' many features and functions and find out how top recording studios use them to create the biggest hits on the planet. This do-it-now handbook also gets you up to speed on the essential audio-engineering skills you need to make ultra-high-quality recordings. Discover how to:

• Navigate the Pro Tools windows and menus
• Save hours of experimenting and spend more time recording
• Master microphone placement and other home recording basics
• Edit errors out of your tracks
• Equalize (EQ) tracks and add effects
• Work with midi instruments
• Blend your sounds into a stunning final mix
• Assemble and release an album

Don't spend big bucks and many months taking classes in audio engineering and Pro Tools. Get eight quick-reference guides for one great price with Pro Tools All-In-One Desk Reference For Dummies, Second Edition and start recording your breakthrough album right away!

Apple Pro Training Series: Final Cut Pro 6 Beyond the Basics

Michael Wohl

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Apple -> Final Cut
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Good book but borrows from others 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I found this book very useful and have only one minor point to comment on that I disliked, and that was the recycling of chapters from other Peach Pit books. In particular the one on Advanced Compositing was almost straight from the book on Effects and Color Correction.

That aside I found some very useful tips and tricks and a little more explanation of the audio filters than other books; most of which seem to say - hey use Soundtrack Pro it has better effects - which is true, but I find there are times I need to just quickly sweeten the audio and dont' want to bounce in and out of Soundtrack to do this - now I can finally get my head around the compressor/limiter effect in FCP and use it successfully.

Oh, and there is a small error on page 257 applying filters chapter with labelling images for "auto select" - they are around the wrong way.

All up, I'm glad I bought the book as it helped fill in a few gaps, as well as clarify things and would recommend it for FCP users who have mastered the basics and seek to do more.

Editorial Review:

In this Apple-authorized training book, director and filmmaker Michael Wohl teaches advanced skills that editing professionals need to know most Each chapter presents a complete lesson in some aspect of video editing or finishing, with hands-on projects for readers to complete as they go. Michael Wohl shows how to master advanced trimming techniques, make polished transitions, work with nested sequences, edit multi-camera projects, create fantastic effects, color-correct your video, and composite like a pro. This text also covers Soundtrack Pro, shows you how to manage your clips and media, and throughout the book he offers dozens of helpful tips on improving your editing workflow
The book’s DVD offers plenty of professional footage and project files for you to use as you work your way through each book’s lesson.

My New Mac: 52 Simple Projects to Get You Started

Wallace Wang

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Apple -> Mac OS X
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

You finally took the plunge and bought a Mac. Whether yours is a MacBook, Mac Pro, Mac mini, or iMac — it's still a Mac, and it runs the Macintosh operating system, Mac OS X.

But what do you do with your Mac after you turn it on? Do you even know how to turn it on and off properly or put it to sleep? You need a book like My New Mac to make everything easy.

Wallace Wang, author of the best-selling Steal This Computer Book, will show you, step-by-step, how to use tools like iPhoto to organize your photos, track birthdays with iCal, and clip and save information from the Internet so you can find it again. You'll find simple projects that will show you how to:

• Organize your files and folders by color and keyword
• View stocks, flights, and the weather
• Set up and manage parental controls to limit your children's computer and Internet access
• Play and burn CDs and DVDs
• Transfer photos from your digital camera to your computer
• Share songs, images, and documents wirelessly between Macs

Don't put off learning how to use your new computer. Let Wallace Wang show you the ropes with My New Mac.

iPod and iTunes Pocket Guide, The (4th Edition)

Christopher Breen

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> Software Engineering -> Information Systems
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> iPods
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> iTunes

Editorial Review:

Here is your essential companion to the iPod nano, touch, classic, and shuffle and to iTunes. The iPod & iTunes Pocket Guide, Fourth Edition, steers you through how to:

• Import songs into iTunes, assemble playlists on your own or using the iTunes Genius, and burn CDs.
• Find music, movies, HD TV shows, videos, games, and audiobooks in the iTunes Store and see recommendations, discover new artists, and send gift certificates.
• Buy music from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and sync songs with your computers.
• Use your iPod to keep contacts, view events, and store files.
• Make your iPod even more useful (and awe your friends) with fascinating tips and tricks.
• Fix common problems and learn what to do in you can't fix them yourself.
  

Acoustic Design for the Home Studio

Mitch Gallagher

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> General
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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Recording & Sound

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With the advances in digital technology, musicians can now produce their own music at home. Over the years the gear has gotten much better, and musicians have learned a great deal about recording. So why do so many musicians and engineers have difficulty getting truly professional-sounding results? One reason? Acoustics. If the room you're working in has poor acoustics, it will be extremely difficult -- if not impossible -- to produce excellent results. You can't capture a true sound if the microphones don't hear the instruments and vocals correctly. You have to be able to hear what's truly going on with your tracks to make the proper decisions about editing, equalizing, processing, and mixing them. Acoustics can be a complex, math-laden science, but treating a room to make it sound great and function optimally as a recording studio needn't be difficult nor require hours in front of a calculator or computer screen. Improving a studio's acoustics can be simple and inexpensive -- all you need is some guidance. Acoustic Design for the Home Studio focuses on creating a greatsounding home or project studio in an existing room. It teaches the basic principles of acoustics that affect you in your home or project studio and how to solve any acoustical problems you may have without laying out much (or any) money. Whether you're converting a bedroom, a garage, a basement, or a corner of the living room, this book will help you improve the sound of the environment in which you're making music. The principles are easy to understand and the materials used for treating a room are readily available. Diagrams and photos of actual rooms created with the designs are included to illustrate concepts. Whether you want to pursue a no-cost solution, use "off -the-shelf" acoustic materials, or even splurge with an unlimited budget, you'll learn how to put your room together easily and effectively.

Professional iPhone and iPod touch Programming: Building Applications for Mobile Safari (Wrox Professional Guides)

Richard Wagner

Amazon Price: $26.39 List Price: $39.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wrox Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $18.97

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Home Computing -> Internet -> General AAS
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> General
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

ok but not great 3 out of 5 stars.
10 of 12 people found this review helpful.

This book contains quite some materials from the book you can also find them in Apple's documentations. It also has quite some details on Joe Hewitt's iUI framework. But generally speaking, it lacks more detailed explanation (on CSS, AJAX, JavaScript). Here's the dilema: if you are an experienced CSS and JavaScript developer, you will find it lacking the depth. It barely scratches the surface of what real AJAX-powered iPhone applications can do. If you are somewhat a newbie developer, you will need more explanation on the subject. Unfortunately, this book falls in-between the above 2 scenarios.

After all, this is the first and only book on iPhone programming, it's a nice start for anyone that's interested.

Editorial Review:

The Safari-exclusive applications for iPhone and iPod touch assemble various elements, and this book shows you how to integrate these elements with key design concepts and principles in order to develop a highly usable interface for the touch screen. You’ll learn to use existing open-source libraries in your code, imitate the overall look and feel of built-in Apple applications, and migrate existing Web 2.0 apps and sites to this new mobile platform. By the end of the book, you’ll feel untouchable as you create a custom mobile application from scratch.