I saw this Attack Magazine book on sale today. It looks cool and full of graphics / pictures. I’m just afraid it might be too basic. If I, for example know how to side chain well and do M/S eq well, would this be too elementary for me? I’m hoping for more advanced info. Thanks!
I haven’t read it. But I’ve often been surprised by reading basic mixing tutorials and finding one nugget of gold amongst the mud that can then be added to my arsenal. If it’s cheap and you want to approach it with an open mind, go for it.
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I tricked my roommate into buying it for me,. It seems more focused on beginner level stuff, like plug these notes on teh grid to make tech house type thing.
I think they have another book/pdf thats more focused on mixing/engineering that might be more helpful for an intermediate, though I’ve not read it.
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I have a copy and it makes a good coffee table / idea / haven’t tried that sort of book.
One annoying thing is that they don’t really focus on one chunk of software, so there’s lots of stuff that doesn’t apply to your DAW when it comes to hands-on ideas, though.
I gave my son a copy, too, and he liked it.
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Really enjoy mine , lots to dip in and out of . I’d get a copy
Its a good book! It has lots of useful tricks for getting interesting sounds out of each element used in house/techno.
It makes a nice reference if you want to say try something different with your snare/clap.
Also a great coffee table book (doesn’t really fit on a book shelf) if you have music making friends over.
Get any or all “published books” on music production. They are bound to have some useful information, even if it’s just stuff you forgot about.
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I think at the end it is more important “what you want to tell” rather then “how to do music”. Knowing too much about the principles and techniques can ofter narrow your creativity
I had this book in 1997. Yes, really.
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1445489311819121548
Yeah, I totally realize it’s not the same book, but I immediately “OMG… are they still updating it?!” and had to track it down.
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I’ve got it but it mainly focuses on producing in a DAW and since I don’t use a computer I found it pretty useless for me so hardly looked at it.
I have this book and have read it several times.
I’ve been in the synth game less than a year so it’s been great for me. When I started the notion of kick and bass competition, sidechaining, compression, etc were all foreign concepts to me. The book helped me a ton.
I strongly disagree with this sentiment. Knowing techniques is what leads to creativity. Does an architect just draw up buildings (with intent to implement of course) at random without any knowledge of infrastructure, engineering and physics?
Learning a technique can be a springboard to other techniques, and creativity is nothing but craft applied broadly and deeply.
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Exactly my thoughts. Most of the greatest artists of all time were masters in their fields then CHOSE to ignore the rules. Not knowing the rules to begin with doesn’t somehow give you a path to creativity. At that point you’re essentially relying entirely on luck.
Veering off topic here but to try keep it on - I think this book looks great but haven’t read it myself. From what I’ve seen it covers the fundamentals and has enough to keep it relevant beyond beginner level
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i was there.
then i discovered that telling what you want requires some knowledge of language, otherwise it will remain untold, or (optimistic scenario) misunderstood.
of course, there is an option to invent new language, but without a background, it’s doomed to be nothing more than „experimental“ „music“ with 1.5-dozens audience.
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I think the book is fantastic and regulaly refer to it. It’s designed to be used by absolute beginers, so i’m sure you’ll find a lot of it you already know, but it has enough information to be a reliable tool, especially given that it’s only about £20. Sure all the information is probably availible online, but i find it a great reference tool to have next to me when working
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Dennis DeSantis’ book Making Music: Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers is also pretty useful and can be downloaded free. More strategic and less technical, but it might be all you need to get into creative flow.
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Yeah I was a bit too narrow with a statement, I agree that knowing the “tools” is important, and as JPM said very well, also important to have guts to ignore the rules or allow yourself to discover things your own way.
I just want to expose the trap that if you “learn” one method (not tool) as “good” the outcome will be probably that method. Comparing with pottery, I think that learning the material properties and techniques is great, but learning what shape is beautiful and what not might narrows your outcome.
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Not dance music but has anyone read this? I found a copy on a stoop yesterday.
https://www.abebooks.com/9781931140089/Creative-Music-Production-Joe-Meeks-1931140081/plp
Haven’t read the book in question, but Joe Meeks was a madman. I picked up a lot of discarded library books on audio production, mostly from the 90’s. Most had never been opened and some of the tech info is now obsolete, but there’s a wealth of applicable knowledge in such books, and most of the methodology still applies. And little gems arise that perfectly match your present situation. For me it was being in a far from ideal recording room, yet learning about the beauty of dynamic mics as opposed to trying to work with condensers and only end up frustrated, likewise with micing the sound hole of acoustics with lavalier mics, and how great a dry signal through a transformer DI can be.
Mostly the knowledge encouraged my own creative action, instead of bitching about the situation and procrastinating.
Also great for momentary lulls of inspiration. Take what you want, leave the rest.
Ex-teacher here, so I’ll always say get the book.
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I can’t speak for your reference but the following one is really good and concise: The Process For Electronic Music Production: The path to finishing release quality songs consistently in any style by Jason Timothy | Goodreads