This is my first post to this list, and I'm trying to help rather than asking questions. This must be a first!
By far the best book - the bible if you want - on working with digital audio is Mastering Audio by Bob Katz (1). It's written for mastering engineers, but the concepts it covers (and there's a lot of them!) are equally valid for mix engineers. It could do with a new edition, however, and the equipment it discusses is mostly way out of the budget of most home studio engineers.
It also doesn't cover recording. To be honest, home studios setups are each so unique it would be pointless to write a general book on the subject. The manual for your interface and your DAW's documentation are your friends here.
For general recording techniques, like how to point microphones at things, it's more just a matter of practise, listening, and experimenting. Don't blow money on a book for this, because it's all subjective. Eg, one book will tell you to record an acoustic guitar by pointing a Fig-8 mic at the 12th fret, another one will tell you to point a cardioid behind the bridge and a dynamic at the fretboard, etc, etc... Having said that, I would recommend Joe Gilder's Home Studio Corner blog (2) and its archives, where he covers a lot of this stuff.
If you don't understand what "Fig-8" and "cardioid" means (I'm assuming nothing here), they're mic polar patterns. I learned that kind of stuff from the Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook (3) but I wouldn't recommend it. It's for live engineers, and it's very dry. More of a manual, not fun to read. That kind of technical stuff I'm sure would be covered on Google, probably even on mic manufacturers' websites.
The Master Handbook of Acoustics recommended previously is very dry as well. I'm the kind of audio nerd who enjoys that sort of thing, and every time I dip into it I find something new and fascinating, but it is very, very technical, even math-heavy in places. You have been warned.
Alan Russell
ajrussellaudio@xxxxxxxxx
On 11 January 2012 17:49, Moshe Werner <moshwe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Chris,
I know it's not exactly what you're looking for, but let me say that I got a lot of useful information in the field of recording acoustics (and acoustics at all) from the "Master Handbook of Acoustics" by Elton Everest. It's not exactly a guide to starters but it's extremely valuable when you want to get deeper knowledge of what you're doing.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
MosheOn Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 4:37 PM, Chris Metzler <cmetzler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
_______________________________________________
Hi. The thread from my previous questions, which arose from
researching what audio interface to get, evolved into a
possibly-off-topic Q&A on more general (that is, non-linux-related)
audio and recording stuff. To avoid posting more off-topic stuff into
the mailing list, I'm wondering if folks could offer their
personal recommendations on educational sources (books, websites, etc.)
about (home) recording, pro audio for relative neophytes, etc. I am
familiar with the "PC Home Recording for Dummies" book and very little
else. I've found other stuff by googling; but I'm curious as to what
people here particularly recommend.
Thanks much,
-c
--
Chris Metzler cmetzler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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"As a child I understood how to give; I have forgotten this grace since
I have become civilized." - Chief Luther Standing Bear
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