Book description
The Audio Expert is a comprehensive reference book covering all aspects of audio, with both practical and theoretical explanations. It is written for people who want to understand audio at the deepest, most technical level, but without needing an engineering degree. The Audio Expert explains how audio really works in much more depth than usual, using common sense plain-English explanations and mechanical analogies, with minimal math. It uses an easy to read conversational tone, and includes more than 400 figures and photos to augment the printed text.
However, this book goes beyond merely explaining how audio works. It brings together the concepts of audio, aural perception, musical instrument physics, acoustics, and basic electronics, showing how they’re intimately related. It also describes in great detail many practices and techniques used by recording and mixing engineers, including video production and computers. This book is meant for intermediate to advanced recording engineers and audiophiles who want to become experts. There’s plenty for beginners too.
One unique feature is explaining how audio devices such as equalizers, compressors, and A/D converters work internally, and how they’re spec’d and tested, rather than merely describing how to use them. There’s plenty of myth-busting and consumerism too. The book doesn’t tell readers what brand power amplifier to buy, but it explains in great detail what defines a good amplifier so people can choose a first-rate model wisely without over-paying.
Most explanations throughout the book are platform-agnostic, applying equally to Windows and Mac computers, and to most software and hardware. Many audio and video examples are included to enhance the written text.
The new edition offers many updates and improvements throughout. New sections on coding an equalizer, comparing microphone preamps, testing results of loudspeaker isolation devices, new online video content on music theory, plus incorporated chapters on MIDI basics, computers, video production, plus new myth-busters, and much more!
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Introduction
-
Part 1 Audio Defined
-
Chapter 1: Audio Basics
- Volume and Decibels
- Standard Signal Levels
- Signal Levels and Metering
- Calculating Decibels
- Frequencies
- Graphing Audio
- Standard Octave and Third-Octave Bands
- Filters
- Phase Shift and Time Delay
- Comb Filtering
- Fourier and the Fast Fourier Transform
- Sine Waves, Square Waves, and Pink Noise—Oh My!
- Resonance
- Audio Terminology
- The Null Test
- Summary
- Chapter 2: Audio Fidelity, Measurements, and Myths
-
Chapter 3: Hearing, Perception, and Artifact Audibility
- Fletcher-Munson and the Masking Effect
- Distortion and Noise
- Jitter
- Audibility Testing
- Dither and Truncation Distortion
- Hearing Below the Noise Floor
- Frequency Response Changes
- Ultrasonics
- Ringing
- Aliasing
- Phase Shift
- Absolute Polarity
- Ears Are Not Linear!
- Blind Testing
- Psychoacoustic Effects
- Placebo Effect and Expectation Bias
- When Subjectivists Are (Almost) Correct
- Summary
- Chapter 4: Gozintas and Gozoutas
-
Chapter 1: Audio Basics
-
Part 2 Analog and Digital Recording, Processing, and Methods
-
Chapter 5: Mixers, Buses, Routing, and Summing
- Solo, Mute, and Channel Routing
- Buses and Routing
- Console Automation
- Other Console Features
- Digital Audio Workstation Software and Mixing
- The Pan Law
- Connecting a Digital Audio Workstation to a Mixer
- Inputs and Outputs
- Setting Record Levels
- Monitoring with Effects
- The Windows Mixer
- Related Digital Audio Workstation Advice
- 5.1 Surround Sound Basics
- Summing
- Gain Staging
- Microphone Preamplifiers
- Preamp Input Impedance
- Preamp Noise
- Clean and Flat Is Where It’s At
- Summary
-
Chapter 6: Recording Devices and Methods
- Recording Hardware
- Analog Tape Recording
- Tape Bias
- Tape Pre-Emphasis and De-Emphasis
- Sel-Sync
- Tape Noise Reduction
- Tape Pre-Distortion
- The Failings of Analog Tape
- Digital Recording
- In the Box versus Out of the Box
- Record Levels
- The Myth of Low Levels
- Recording Methods
- Specific Advice on Digital Audio Workstations
- Copy Protection
- Microphone Types and Methods
- Micing Techniques
- The 3-to-1 Rule
- Microphone Placement
- DI = Direct Injection
- Additional Recording Considerations
- Advanced Recording Techniques
- Vari-Speed
- Summary
-
Chapter 7: Mixing Devices and Methods
- Volume Automation
- Editing
- Basic Music Mixing Strategies
- Be Organized
- Monitor Volume
- Reference Mixes
- Panning
- Getting the Bass Right
- Avoid Too Much Reverb
- Verify Your Mixes
- Thin Your Tracks
- Distance and Depth
- Bus versus Insert
- Pre and Post, Mute and Solo
- Room Tone
- Perception Is Fleeting
- Be Creative!
- In the Box versus Out of the Box—Yes, Again
- Using Digital Audio Workstation Software
- Slip-Editing and Cross-Fading
- Track Lanes
- Normalizing
- Editing and Comping
- Rendering the Mix
- Who’s on First?
- Time Alignment
- Editing Music
- Editing Narration
- Re-Amping
- Backward Audio
- Mastering
- Save Your Butt
- Summary
-
Chapter 8: Digital Audio Basics
- Sampling Theory
- Quantization
- Sample Rate and Bit Depth
- The Reconstruction Filter
- Oversampling
- Bit Depth
- Pulse-Code Modulation versus Direct Stream Digital
- Digital Notation
- Sample Rate and Bit Depth Conversion
- Dither and Jitter
- External Clocks
- Digital Converter Internals
- Bit-Rate
- Digital Signal Processing
- Latency
- Floating Point Math
- Early Digital
- Digital Audio Quality
- Digital Timing
- Summary
- Chapter 9: Dynamics Processors
- Chapter 10: Frequency Processors
- Chapter 11: Time Domain Processors
- Chapter 12: Pitch and Time Manipulation Processors
- Chapter 13: Other Audio Processors
-
Chapter 14: Synthesizers
- Analog versus Digital Synthesizers
- Additive versus Subtractive Synthesis
- Voltage Control
- Sound Generators
- Modulators
- Filters
- MIDI Keyboards
- Beyond Presets
- Alternate Controllers
- Samplers
- Software Synthesizers and Samplers
- Sample Libraries
- Creating Sample Libraries
- Key and Velocity Switching
- Sampler Bank Architecture
- FM Synthesis
- Physical Modeling
- Granular Synthesis
- Prerendering
- Algorithmic Composition
- Notation Software
- Summary
- Chapter 15: MIDI Basics
-
Chapter 5: Mixers, Buses, Routing, and Summing
- Part 3 Video Production
-
Part 4 Transducers
- Chapter 17: Microphones and Pickups
-
Chapter 18: Loudspeakers and Earphones
- Loudspeaker Basics
- Loudspeaker Driver Types
- Loudspeaker Enclosure Types
- Subwoofers
- Enclosure Refinements
- Crossovers
- Active versus Passive Speakers
- Room Acoustics Considerations
- Loudspeaker Impedance
- Loudspeaker Isolation
- Loudspeaker Polarity
- Earphones
- Loudspeaker Specs
- Accurate or Pleasing?
- House Curves
- Summary
-
Part 5 Room Acoustics, Treatment, and Monitoring
- Chapter 19: Acoustic Basics
- Chapter 20: Room Shapes, Modes, and Isolation
-
Chapter 21: Acoustic Treatment
- Acoustic Treatment Overview
- Buy or Build?
- Flutter Echo
- Absorb or Diffuse?
- Rigid Fiberglass
- Absorption Specs
- Material Thickness and Density
- Acoustic Fabric
- Wave Velocity, Pressure, and Air Gaps
- Bass Traps
- DIY Bass Traps
- Free Bass Traps!
- Diffusers
- Treating Listening Rooms and Home Theaters
- Bass in the Place
- Front Wall Absorption
- Treating Live Recording Rooms
- Hard Floor, Soft Ceiling
- Variable Acoustics
- Treating Odd Shaped Rooms
- Treating Large Venues
- Room Equalization
- Summary
- Chapter 22: Room Measuring
-
Part 6 Electronics and Computers
-
Chapter 23: Basic Electronics in 60 Minutes
- Ground
- Volts, Amps, Watts, and Ohms
- Electronic Components
- Capacitor Upgrades
- Inductors
- Power Ratings
- Solenoids
- Transformers
- Acoustic Impedance
- Switches
- Diodes
- Parasitic Elements
- Active Solid-State Devices
- Amplifier Damping
- Negative Feedback
- Power Supplies
- Passive Filters
- Amplifiers
- Slew Rate
- Understanding Op-Amps
- Active Filters
- Digital Logic
- Wiring
- Practical Electronics
- Splitters and Pads
- Phone Patch
- Schematics and PC Boards
- Summary
- Chapter 24: Test Procedures
- Chapter 25: Computers
-
Chapter 23: Basic Electronics in 60 Minutes
-
Part 7 Musical Instruments
-
Chapter 26: Musical Instruments
- Instrument Types
- Sympathetic Resonance
- The Harmonic Series Is Out of Tune
- Equal Temperament
- “Wood Box” Instruments
- Bowed Instruments
- The Bow
- The Stradivarius
- Plucked Instruments
- Amplification
- Solid Body Electric Guitars
- Blown Instruments
- Flutes
- Single Reeds
- Double Reeds
- Brass Instruments
- Percussion Instruments
- The Piano
- Mozart, Beethoven, and Archie Bell
- Summary
-
Chapter 26: Musical Instruments
- Index
Product information
- Title: The Audio Expert, 2nd Edition
- Author(s):
- Release date: December 2017
- Publisher(s): Routledge
- ISBN: 9781351840064
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