Mon, 31 Oct 2005
Sound Recording
Bruce and Jenny Bartlett, Practical Recording Techniques:
The step-by-step approach to professional audio recording, Focal Press
I haven't looked at one of these sorts of books for a while, not
since an early edition of John Borwick's Sound Recording Practice
which I'll have to look at again some time. Times have changed quite
a lot since then. Nowadays, through computers and software, quite
reasonable recording facilities are available to most everyone.
Going for broke will still cost a small fortune. Just a proper
sound-deadened, accoustically treated room would frighten most
bank managers especially when you need to keep out wandering
bass frequencies.
This book is aimed squarely at the home or small studio
market and does a very good job of that. Nicely, the first topic is
about the joy of music and what it is and does. There's no
doubt at all that having a feel for music will help anyone
trying to record it, and while mentioning it certainly won't
give it, it's a help.
The book looks at the recording chain, sounds and signals, studio
accoustics, equipping the studio, monitoring, microphones and
their techniques, digital recording, effects and DSP, mixers,
computers, session proceedures, and a whole lot more including
a section on surround sound. There's even a little bit about putting your
music on the web.
It's all presented in an accessible way and there's an accompanying
CD with all sorts of audio examples. If there any criticisms, they relate
to places where a little more depth might be useful. In the computer
section, for example, there is only a basic sketch of what a
minimum setup might have and really, in that world, things are very
software oriented. If you want to be semi-pro, you will need to be able
to swap files with Pro Tools and Logic users, and you'll need to
know the software. And if swapping doesn't
matter much, it's worth mentioning some of the Linux applications
which could be an absolute boon to someone who wants to get started
say, recording their own band, and doesn't have much cash floating about.
If you are interested in the Linux option you can check out my article
at O'Reilly's on the subject.
Anyway, that is a little beside the point. This book takes you
through the basics very well and its real strong point is that it
shares numerous nuggets gleaned from experience to do with all
sorts of little things that become quite big things when you're
faced with a problem.
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pre Dec 04 reviews are here