Real World Digital Audio

Real World Digital Audio

by Peter Kirn
Released November 2005
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780321304605

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Book description

No matter what part of the musical spectrum you come from—whether you’re playing in a band, composing, or DJing—if you’re using a computer (or wondering whether you should be), to get the results you want from your digital studio you’ll need reliable information.

Real World Digital Audio is a comprehensive resource—a book and DVD combo—that offers practical advice on making great music with modern technologies—a valuable reference whatever your musical genre or preferred audio application. You’ll learn how digital sound works, and then apply that knowledge to getting your music to sound the way you want. From recording, mixing, and producing CDs, musical scores, and video soundtracks, to performing live with your laptop, this is the definitive guide to the art of creating digital music.

Real World Digital Audio will show you how to

  • Choose the right software and hardware to fit your musical direction—and your budget

  • Optimize your setup for maximum recording quality and reliability

  • Choose and strategically place microphones for different recording situations

  • Use loops and grooves to create backing tracks, DJ, and enhance live performances

  • Master MIDI and audio editing techniques to make expressive, polished tracks

  • Create dynamic sounds with audio effects, synthesizers, and soft synths

  • Generate publication-quality notated scores on your desktop

  • Mix, master, and share professional recordings, online music, and video soundtracks

    • The DVD included with this book is a cross-platform data DVD compatible with both Mac and Windows computers. The DVD contains over two gigabytes of sound content, instruments, and software tools that you can use immediately in your music, and to explore topics in the book.

    Companion Web site at www.realworlddigitalaudio.com includes interviews with audio professionals, updated information, and more.

    "Writing about digital audio is like shooting at a moving target. But Peter Kirn has managed to score a bullseye with Real World Digital Audio."
    —Ernie Rideout, Editor-in-Chief, Keyboard magazine

    Table of contents

    1. Table of Contents (1/2)
    2. Table of Contents (2/2)
    3. Introduction (1/2)
    4. Introduction (2/2)
    5. Chapter 1: Understanding Digital Sound
      1. How Sound Works
        1. Dimensions of a Sound Wave
        2. Sine Waves and the Geometry of Sound (1/2)
        3. Sine Waves and the Geometry of Sound (2/2)
      2. Sound and Perception
        1. How We Hear Musical Pitch (1/2)
        2. How We Hear Musical Pitch (2/2)
        3. How We Hear Loudness
        4. What Sound Looks Like in Software
      3. Sound in Digital Form
        1. Transducers
        2. Analog and Digital Audio
        3. Quality in the Digital Domain
        4. Digital File Formats
        5. MIDI
        6. Putting It Together
    6. Chapter 2: Choosing Your Tools
      1. Inputs and Outputs
        1. Recording and Playback: Transducers
        2. Computer Audio Interface
        3. Controller Input Devices
        4. Hybrid Devices
      2. Choosing the Right Computer
        1. Choosing an OS
        2. Configuring Your Computer
      3. Music and Sound Production Tools
        1. Software Capabilities
        2. Building a Software Studio (1/2)
        3. Building a Software Studio (2/2)
        4. Adding Hardware to Your Studio
      4. Going Shopping
    7. Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Equipment
      1. Setting Up Your Workspace
        1. Ergonomics
        2. Sound Isolation and Sound Treatment
        3. Speaker Placement
      2. Connecting Physical Hardware
        1. Connector Types
        2. Mono, Stereo, and Multichannel Connections
        3. Voltage Levels
        4. Noise and Hum
        5. Balanced and Unbalanced Connections
        6. Digital Connections
        7. Get the Hook-up: Real-world Examples (1/2)
        8. Get the Hook-up: Real-world Examples (2/2)
    8. Chapter 4: Preparing Your Computer for Audio
      1. Connecting Your Virtual Studio
        1. Installing and Configuring Audio Hardware
        2. Audio Drivers and the OS
        3. Configuring Your Interface
        4. Installing Plug-in Effects and Instruments
        5. Where the Plug-ins Go
      2. Maintaining Your Virtual Studio
        1. Copy Protection and Dongles
        2. Maintaining Storage
        3. Optimizing for Audio Performance (1/2)
        4. Optimizing for Audio Performance (2/2)
    9. Chapter 5: Quick Songs with Patterns and Loops
      1. Patterns and Loops
        1. Is It a Pattern, or Is It a Loop?
        2. Pitch/Tempo Independence
        3. Musical Uses
      2. Create a Backing Track (GarageBand)
        1. GarageBand at a Glance
        2. Optional Hardware
        3. Tutorial 1: Start a Song and Choose Loops
        4. Tutorial 2: Create a Basic Arrangement
        5. Tutorial 3: Develop a Song Structure
        6. Tutorial 4: Mix and Record
        7. Share Your Work: iTunes
        8. Getting More Advanced with GarageBand
      3. Make a Groove Box (Kinetic)
        1. Kinetic at a Glance
        2. Optional Hardware
        3. Tutorial 1: Patches, Patterns, and Grooves
        4. Tutorial 2: Build Up a Set of Grooves
        5. Tutorial 3: Ready for the Dance Floor
        6. Getting More Advanced with Kinetic
    10. Chapter 6: Recording Instruments and Sound
      1. Microphone Characteristics
        1. Mic Patterns
        2. Mic Type and Construction
      2. Recording Applications
        1. Mic Placement Strategies
        2. Miking Common Instruments (1/3)
        3. Miking Common Instruments (2/3)
        4. Miking Common Instruments (3/3)
      3. Digital Recording
        1. Setting Levels
        2. Monitoring
        3. Recording Methods
    11. Chapter 7: Processing and Effects
      1. Basics of Signal Processors
        1. What Is a Signal Processor?
        2. Digital Signal Processing
        3. Destructive versus Nondestructive Editing
        4. Using Non-realtime Effects
        5. Signal Routing with Real-Time Processors (1/2)
        6. Signal Routing with Real-Time Processors (2/2)
      2. Equalization
        1. EQ Shapes
        2. EQ Filter Tools (1/2)
        3. EQ Filter Tools (2/2)
      3. Dynamics Processors
        1. Compressor
        2. Limiter
        3. Expander
        4. Noise Gate
        5. Combining Dynamics
        6. Envelope Follower
        7. Envelope Shaper
      4. Time-Related Effects
        1. Delay/Echo
        2. Reverb
      5. Specialized Processors
        1. Distortion
        2. Modulation (1/2)
        3. Modulation (2/2)
        4. Pitch Correction
        5. Noise Reduction/Restoration
        6. Utilities
    12. Chapter 8: MIDI: Notes, Rhythms, and Physical Control
      1. Ins, Outs, and Thrus of MIDI
        1. Sending, Receiving, and Sequencing
        2. Connecting Instruments and Devices (1/3)
        3. Connecting Instruments and Devices (2/3)
        4. Connecting Instruments and Devices (3/3)
        5. Configuring Sequencers and MIDI Software
      2. How MIDI Models Performances
        1. MIDI Specification and Implementation
        2. Notes, Pitch, and Velocity (1/2)
        3. Notes, Pitch, and Velocity (2/2)
        4. Adding Expressivity (1/2)
        5. Adding Expressivity (2/2)
        6. Programs and Banks
        7. System Messages
      3. Recording Performances
        1. Tempo and Roll
        2. Overwrite and Merge
        3. Splits
        4. Step Entry
        5. QWERTY and Onscreen Keyboards
      4. Editing and Manipulating Performances
        1. Editing Views and Methods
        2. Quantization (1/2)
        3. Quantization (2/2)
        4. MIDI Effects
        5. Using Control Surfaces (1/2)
        6. Using Control Surfaces (2/2)
    13. Chapter 9: Synthesis and Software Instruments
      1. Basic Types of Synthesis
        1. What Is Synthesis?
        2. Where You’ll Find Synthesizers
        3. Elements of a Synthesizer Patch
        4. Basic Methods of Synthesis (1/2)
        5. Basic Methods of Synthesis (2/2)
        6. Other Synthesis Methods
      2. Samplers and Sample Playback
        1. Soundware Libraries
        2. Building Presets with Samples (1/3)
        3. Building Presets with Samples (2/3)
        4. Building Presets with Samples (3/3)
      3. Synthesis Building Blocks: Virtual Analog Techniques
        1. Basic Waveshapes and Timbre (1/2)
        2. Basic Waveshapes and Timbre (2/2)
        3. Envelopes
        4. Mixing Oscillators (1/2)
        5. Mixing Oscillators (2/2)
        6. Filters and Subtractive Synthesis (1/2)
        7. Filters and Subtractive Synthesis (2/2)
      4. Modulation and Effects
        1. What Is Modulation?
        2. Modulation Routing
        3. LFOs
        4. Effects
        5. Next Steps
    14. Chapter 10: Put It Together: Arrange, Mix, and Master
      1. Arranging
        1. Mix Project Files
        2. Arrangement View and the Timeline
        3. Slices and Beats in Audio
        4. Regions
        5. Markers and Grids
        6. Tempo Track
        7. Arrangement Markers and Reordering
      2. Mixing
        1. The Mixer Fader and Channel Strip
        2. Mixing Strategies
        3. Spatialization (1/2)
        4. Spatialization (2/2)
        5. Mix Automation and Envelopes (1/2)
        6. Mix Automation and Envelopes (2/2)
      3. Mixdown, Mastering, and Sharing
        1. Reference Mix: Beta Testing for Audio
        2. Effects for Mastering
        3. Bouncing and Exporting
        4. Dithering and Export Quality
        5. Sharing Your Work (1/3)
        6. Sharing Your Work (2/3)
        7. Sharing Your Work (3/3)
    15. Chapter 11: Producing Printed Scores
      1. What Notation Software Does
        1. DAWs vs. Dedicated Notation
      2. Getting Started with a Score
        1. Templates and Quick-Start Features
        2. Entering Notes (1/2)
        3. Entering Notes (2/2)
        4. Assembling Your Score
      3. Print, Play, and Share Your Score
        1. Page Layout
        2. Scores and Parts
        3. Playback and Rendering
        4. Sharing Files
    16. Chapter 12: Music and Sound for Video
      1. Synchronization, Tools, and Formats
        1. Matching Sound and Image
        2. Video Capabilities in Audio Software
        3. Managing Video Files
        4. Time, Frames, and SMPTE
      2. Music for Video
        1. Spotting and Hit Points
        2. Adjusting Tempo
        3. Timing and Notation
        4. Performing with Live Musicians
        5. Exporting Audio for Video
      3. Recording for Video
        1. Separately Recorded Film/Video and Audio
        2. Recordings and Time Reference (1/2)
        3. Recordings and Time Reference (2/2)
        4. Recording Formats
        5. Postproduction: Capture and Synchronization
        6. Dialog
    17. Chapter 13: Playing Live
      1. Digital Audio Onstage
        1. Live Instruments (1/2)
        2. Live Instruments (2/2)
        3. Arpeggiators and Patterns
        4. Live Effects
        5. Real-Time Control
        6. Synchronization (1/2)
        7. Synchronization (2/2)
      2. Live Arranging and Clips
        1. Prerecorded Arrangements
        2. Arrangements on the Fly: Live Audio and MIDI Clips (1/2)
        3. Arrangements on the Fly: Live Audio and MIDI Clips (2/2)
        4. Live Sampling
      3. DJing and the Live Remix
        1. DJ Mixers
        2. DJ Software
        3. Scratching with a Computer (1/2)
        4. Scratching with a Computer (2/2)
      4. Custom Performance Software
        1. Choosing the Right Interactive Tool
        2. How to Learn the Tools
        3. Futuristic Interactive Music
    18. Appendix: What’s on the DVD
      1. Tools and Extras
      2. Soundware
    19. Index
      1. A
      2. B
      3. C
      4. D
      5. E
      6. F
      7. G
      8. H
      9. I
      10. J
      11. K
      12. L
      13. M
      14. N
      15. O
      16. P
      17. Q
      18. R
      19. S
      20. T
      21. U
      22. V
      23. W
      24. X
      25. Y
      26. Z

    Product information

    • Title: Real World Digital Audio
    • Author(s): Peter Kirn
    • Release date: November 2005
    • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
    • ISBN: 9780321304605