MIDI, Mixers, etc. Books

How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records

Frank Broughton, Bill Brewster

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> MIDI, Mixers, etc.

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

DJs have gone from being underpaid live jukeboxes to becoming premier entertainers, producers, businessmen, and musicians capable of commanding admiration from thousands and earning serious money. Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton's Last Night a DJ Saved My Life was the definitive history of the DJ. Now they gather their mastery of the artistic and technical aspects of being a DJ into a clear, accessible, and entertaining guide. How to DJ is the perfect guide -- from the most basic keys to establishing a music collection and a distinctive sound, to elementary record-spinning, to the complex skills of scratching, hot-mixing, and beat-juggling, as well as the inimitable art of creating an evening of sound that is perfectly timed, balanced, and unforgettable. Diagrams throughout illustrate phrases, beat timing, and song structure with no reliance on music theory, and resource lists recommend everything from which songs are best (and most fun) to learn with, to good sources for building a library of disks, CDs, and MP3s. For those who want to turn pro, the authors give sage advice on the vagaries of the club and music business. Short quotes, anecdotes, and photos of famous DJs such as Grandmaster Flash and Derrick Carter are featured.

Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools. toys and techniques

Rick Snoman

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Dance
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Recording & Sound

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

So you want to learn the ins and outs of creating dance music and looking to improve your production? Then this book is just for you. No matter what genre you are interested in- trance, techno, garage, chill out, house or what tool you are working with- Abelton, Reason, Reaktor or Absynth, Snowman covers every aspect of dance music production- from sound design, compression and effects to mixing and mastering to help you improve your music. No matter what you level of experience the Dance Music Manual is packed with sound advice, techniques and practical tips to help you achieve professional results.

The CD provides demo tracks showing what can be achieved when applying the advice contained in the book, including examples of the quality difference before and after mixing and mastering. The CD also contains free software demos for you to download.

For even more advice and resources, check out the book?s official website www.dancemusicproduction.com

* Covers every aspect of music production, enables you to achieve professional results using any music software
* CD includes MIDI files, samples and example tracks, shows you what you can achieve when applying the techniques discussed in the book
* Rick Snowman has remixed for high-profile artists including Madonna, Moby and Massive Attack, learn from one of the best in the field

Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> History & Criticism

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

Editorial Review:

The groundbreaking mix CD that accompanies this book features Nam Jun Paik, the Dada Movement, John Cage, Sonic Youth, and many other examples of avant-garde music. Most of the CD's content comes from the archives of Sub Rosa, a legendary record label that has been the benchmark for archival sounds since the beginnings of electronic music. (For a complete list of audio credits, see below.)

If Rhythm Science was about the flow of things, Sound Unbound is about the remix—how music, art, and literature have blurred the lines between what an artist can do and what a composer can create. In Sound Unbound, Rhythm Science author Paul Miller aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid asks artists to describe their work and compositional strategies in their own words. These are reports from the front lines on the role of sound and digital media in an information-based society. The topics are as diverse as the contributors: composer Steve Reich offers a memoir of his life with technology, from tape loops to video opera; Miller himself considers sampling and civilization; novelist Jonathan Lethem writes about appropriation and plagiarism; science fiction writer Bruce Sterling looks at dead media; Ron Eglash examines racial signifiers in electrical engineering; media activist Naeem Mohaiemen explores the influence of Islam on hip hop; rapper Chuck D contributes "Three Pieces"; musician Brian Eno explores the sound and history of bells; Hans Ulrich Obrist and Philippe Parreno interview composer-conductor Pierre Boulez; and much more. "Press 'play,'" Miller writes, "and this anthology says 'here goes.'"

Contributors: David Allenby, Pierre Boulez, Catherine Corman, Chuck D, Erik Davis, Scott De Lahunta, Manuel DeLanda, Cory Doctorow, Eveline Domnitch, Frances Dyson, Ron Eglash, Brian Eno, Dmitry Gelfand, Dick Hebdige, Lee Hirsch, Vijay Iyer, Ken Jordan, Douglas Kahn, Daphne Keller, Beryl Korot, Jaron Lanier, Joseph Lanza, Jonathan Lethem, Carlo McCormick, Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid, Moby, Naeem Mohaiemen, Alondra Nelson, Keith and Mendi Obadike, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Pauline Oliveros, Philippe Parreno, Ibrahim Quraishi, Steve Reich, Simon Reynolds, Scanner aka Robin Rimbaud, Nadine Robinson, Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), Alex Steinweiss, Bruce Sterling, Lucy Walker, Saul Williams, Jeff E. Winner.

On the CD:

1. RadioMentale and Matthew Herbert, "Cool Noises"
2. Martyn Bates/Allen Ginsberg, "Once Loved/A Footnote to 'Howl' (DJ Spooky Remix)"
3. Jean Cocteau, "Le buste (DJ Spooky Remix)"
4. Sun Ra, "Imagination"
5. Mikhail/Gertrude Stein, "Untitled in CoF Minor/A Valentine to Sherwood Anderson (DJ Spooky Remix)"
6. DJ Spooky vs. Rob Swift, "Scratch Battle"
7. Marcel Duchamp/The Master Musicians of Joujouka/RadioMentale, "The Creative Act/Interview with George Heard Hamilton/Boujeloud (Solo Drums)/I Could Never Make That Music Again"
8. Raymond Scott, "The Paperwork Explosion"
9. Alter Echo/Pamela Z, "Perpetual Next/Pop Titles 'You'"*
10. Liam Gillick/ RadioMentale and Aphex Twin, "Sarah (Los Angeles Soundtrack)/I Could Never Make That Music Again"
11. James Joyce/Erik Satie, "Eolian Episode/Gnossiene (DJ Spooky Dub Version)"
12. Steve Reich, "Reed Phase"
13. Shukar/RadioMentale/Raoul Hausmann, "Cika-Laka/Cool Noises/Bbb"
14. Augustos de Campos/Bill Laswell/To Rococo Rot, "Dias Dias Dias (Spoken by Caetano Veloso)/Above the Earth/Contacte"
15. John Cage, "Rozart Mix"
16. Antonin Artaud, "Pour Finir avec le Jugement de Dieu (To Have Done with God's Judgment) (DJ Spooky Remix)"
17. DJ Spooky, "One Laptop Theme"
18. Susan Deyhim, "The Spilled Cup (DJ Spooky Remix)"
19. Raymond Scott, "General Motors: Futurama (Interstitial)"
20. Marcel Duchamp/George Lewis and Aki Takase, "Erratum Musical (Score for Three Voices)/Voyage for Three"
21. Bill Laswell/René Magritte, "Ghost Dub/Le Surréalisme et les Questions"
22. Anthony Braxton and Evan Parker/Pauline Oliveros, "The First Set— Area 4 (Solo)/A Little Noise in the System (Moog System)"
23. Bora Yoon, "// (DJ Spooky Remix)"
24. Pierre Schaeffer, "Cinqétudes de bruits: Étude violette"
25. Daniel Bernard Roumain and Ryuichi Sakamoto, "The Need to Be"**
26. Phillip Glass, "Music in Fifths"
27. Edgard Varèse, "Poème électronique"
28. Iannis Xenakis, "Concret PH"
29. Ryoji Ikeda, "One Minute"
30. Sonic Youth, "Audience (DJ Spooky Remix)"
31. Alter Echo/Ge-te Do-pe, "Aftermath of Creations Dub (in Three Parts)/Dong Lim"
32. Terry Riley/Alter Echo, "Dorian Reeds/Aftermath of Creations Dub (in Three Parts)"
33. Luigi Russolo/DJ Spooky, "Corale/FTP > Bundle/Conduit 23"
34. Fanfare Savale/Vladimir Mayakovsky, "Rumba Lu Georgel/I Know the Power of Words"
35. Droma/Trilok Gurtu and Bill Laswell, "Pilgrim's Song (Trala Shepa)/Kala"
36. Nam Jun Paik, "Hommage à John Cage"
37. Morton Subotnick/DJ Spooky, "Mandolin/Acid Bassline"
38. The Master Musicians of Joujouka/Hans Arp, "Mali Mal Hal M'Halmaz/Boujeloud (Solo Drums)/Dada-Sprüche"
39. Sub Swara/Kurt Schwitters, "Koli Stance/Anna Blume"
40. Walter Ruttmann/Troupe from Taschingang, "Week End/Ache Lhamo"
41. Raymond Scott, "Bendix 1: The Tomorrow People"
42. Martyn Bates/Trinlem, "I Can't Look for You/The Palaces of Gesar's Family (DJ Spooky Remix)"
43. Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky, "Incantation for Tape"
44. Carsten Nicolai, "Time ... Dot(3)"
45. William S. Burroughs and Iggy Pop with Techno Animal, "The Western Land"

*From Pamela Z's A Delay Is Better CD released by Starkland (www.starkland.com).
**"The Need to Be" is from DBR's album etudes4violin&electronix released on Thirsty Ear Recordings.

Special thanks for Editorial Assistance to Roy Christopher.

Electronic Projects for Musicians

Craig Anderton

Amazon Price: $27.95 List Price: $27.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Music Sales Corp. Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $15.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

The projects work, but you won't learn a lot 3 out of 5 stars.
18 of 31 people found this review helpful.

Most of the projects in the book will work fine, but you are not going to learn very much from building them besides how to solder. I had worked as an electronics assembler before upgrading to technician and I can solder, all modesty aside, much better than "the guys" (the mostly male technician pool) but working with audio design is a little new to me.

Vacuum tubes, which is where most of the interest from guitar players is today, aren't covered in this book, but neither are discrete transistors with their biasing and multi-pole filters. To be honest, I get the idea that Mr.Anderton regards the reader as having the technical ability of twelve-year-olds.

The projects do work though, so if you just want a constructon exercise or to save money (if you already have a electronics bench of gear-you need a scope, bench supply and generator to do this,regardless of what he says) I can't criticize.

Editorial Review:

How to build pre-amps, tone controls, ring modulators, mixers, and many other inexpensive electronic accessories. Written in simple language, with hundreds of clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions.

Reason 4 Ignite

Matt Piper

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A good Reason to exercise your knowledge 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

If you are starting or even you are an expert with synths, this is a very nice an helpful book to be always with you.Very comprehensive guide, will introduce you in the art of making music using Reason 4.The author did a very good work here because he teaches and makes you exercise, almost all the major features in Reason's software.
So add it right now in your shopping cart....you won't regret it.

Editorial Review:

Reason 4 Ignite! helps you get up to speed in Reason quickly by dropping you right into the action with the author’s guidance so that before you know it, you are really in the Reason groove! This book is not hard work. You will not find long lists of features and difficult theoretical explanations to wrap your head around. Instead, in each chapter you will immediately be led through relatively short groups of simple, foolproof steps. At the end of each short exercise, you’ll hear the results of your work -- instant gratification! You will experience in real time what it feels like to make Reason work for you, and your understanding will grow. You’ll learn to take control of the synths, such as Thor, Malström and Subtractor; the NN-19 and NN-XT samplers; and all the effects and other devices that make up this incredible music-making program. Screenshots and step-by-step instructions guide you through the various new features of Reason 4.

iPod: The Missing Manual

Jude Biersdorfer

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

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

With iPod and iTunes, Apple's gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos. One thing they haven't delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from your sleek little entertainment center. Enter "iPod: The Missing Manual," 5th Edition-a book as breathtaking and satisfying as its subject.

Our latest edition thoroughly covers the redesigned iPod Nanos, the video iPod, the tiny Shuffle and the overhauled iTunes 7. Each custom-designed page 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 how to get rid of that dang, flashing "Do not disconnect" message. Bopping around the iPod. Whether you've got a tiny Shuffle or a big-screen model 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, 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.

Logic Pro 8: Tips and Tricks

Stephen Bennett

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Although Logic Pro 8 introduces many features which improve the program's accessibility and ease of use, it remains a powerful and complex piece of software.

Often, there are many ways of achieving the same ends, some more complex than others and some which are not obvious. This book contains hundreds of useful tips to help you obtain the results you desire. It describes how to perform standard studio techniques such as drum editing and replacement and parallel compression as well as tips to improve your workflow.

With the help of Logic Pro 8 Tips and Tricks, you'll soon be whizzing around the program and utilizing to the full the amazing potential of Logic Pro 8.

These tips and tricks are culled from the author's long familiarity with Logic in music production, multimedia work and audio restoration, from his columns for several music technology magazines and from the results of research arising from the many questions he receives from Logic users.

Logic Pro 8 Tips and Tricks will help you utilize the software to the max.

Ableton Live 7 Tips and Tricks

Martin Delaney

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Create a Live template for performance/studio

Work with Live's software instruments

Create complex instrument and effect chains

Control Live via wireless

Audio editing workrounds within Live

Prepare a Live set for performance

Use Live with other music software

Ableton Live is the cross-platform software which has rocked the music world - gathering ardent fans in a way usually associated with performers rather than software. Musicians, DJs, remixers, composers, and producers alike have embraced Live, and it's fast becoming the universal software studio.

This book will give Live novices an insight into working methods that otherwise would take months to discover. For the more experienced user it promises a quick catch-up with Live's latest developments (including new software instruments, complex instrument and effects chains, the phenomenal audio slicing, and full video functionality), and a new perspective on some of Live's more established features.

The book does not duplicate the Live user manual, it expands upon it, and introduces creative concepts, workflow enhancements, and workrounds for common objectives and problems. It also includes interviews with high-profile Live users in a variety of musical genres, passing on their real-world experiences to you.

Although the Live interface is remarkably simple, there's a lot of power under the surface. This book will show you new ways to access that power.

The Musician's Guide to Pro Tools

John Keane

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Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Computer Science -> Software Engineering -> Information Systems
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Digital Music -> Pro Tools
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Games & Strategy Guides -> Strategy Guides -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This is a great book.......... 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I've used a number of these and this one seems to get down to the practical things that you need to know in dealing with recording with Pro Tools. It's been a while since I've recorded so this was sort of like starting over. This book takes you step by step in set up and gives good pictures and illustrations of what you're doing. It comes with some files you can load but it recommends that you create some of your own. I found that to be very helpful. It took me from hooking up any instruments, drum boxes, or whatever to recording something to work with. It made it more "real world" instead of just following a file you've been given.

It's truly a book from a musician to a musician. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get down to recording!!!

Doug

Editorial Review:

"I'd recommend this book to anyone, whether beginner or expert." --From the Foreword by Peter Buck of R.E.M.

"Because everything is explained so concisely, you spend less time wading through pages and more time recording music." --Sound on Sound magazine

"An excellent book for any engineer or home recordist just getting into Pro Tools." --Tape Op magazine

Sibelius: A Comprehensive Guide to Sibelius Music Notation Software

Thomas Rudolph, Vincent Leonard

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $17.03

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

no longer lost 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 17 people found this review helpful.

As a new user of Sibelius and someone who is not real computer savy, I was so happy to hear about this book!! It was the only real comprehensive guide that I've found, and it has done wonders!!! It makes using the program not only easy, but fun! I bought this program so I could get my creative ideas down on paper and now I can! I highly recommend this book for any Sibelius user!!!

Great teaching companion 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

extremely well written book. great format and sequence. absolutely great companion for learning sibelius.

Sibelius..A comprehensive guide to Sibelius software 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This book is an excellent addition to the original Sibelius manual. The original manual that comes with Sibelius is extremely well written and is very effective at explaining the software. The authors do not try to replace, but to clarify the Sibelius manual and add additional shortcuts and illustrations to help all Sibelius users more quickly learn how to use the software.

Editorial Review:

Master Sibelius music notation software step by step with the most complete how-to guide available. Designed for both novice and experienced musicians, composers, producers and arrangers, it contains a variety of examples, from single-line melodies to complex scores. Written by two proven experts, trainers and authors in the field of music notation software, this book will be a constant reference for all of your Sibelius questions and needs.