Creating Digital Music and Sound: An inspirational introduction for musicians, web designers, animators, videomakers, and game designers

Description

– Write and record music. Learn studio techniques. Record location sound. Make your own podcasts and Internet radio shows. Add music and sound to videos, movies, and animations. Make music on your cellphone. 'Creating Digital Music and Sound' is an illustrated introduction to the creative challenges and techniques of making music and recording sound digitally, for anyone interested in making, sharing, or publishing music and sound across any media. From the basics of setting up a home studio and using a variety of software and hardware, to practical hints, tips, and creative strategies for adding soundtracks to videos, collaborating online in real time, and making and sharing podcasts and Internet radio shows, this unique book will instruct but also entertain and inspire. 'Creating Digital Music and Sound' also demystifies the technologies and features interviews with top musicians, studio engineers, filmmakers, DJs, Web designers, and videomakers. The book offers a unique insight into the immediate future of music and sound-making, from making music on mobile phones, to digital rights, media players, file formats, and Blu-Ray disks and HD-DVDs. This feature-packed book offers a creative introduction to music and sound making on Mac, PC, Linux and non-computer platforms, from budget tools and freeware to the most comprehensive studio suites.

Table of Contents

Introduction All about sound Soundwaves (amplitude; decibels; velocity; wavelength; dynamic range; phase; envelopes; harmonics) Analog recording Digital recording (sampling; sample rates; bit depth; latency) The computer in your studio Macs, PCs, Linux: specifications; issues; maintenance; file management External music hardware: controllers Soundcards and external interfaces Multitrackers, workstations, and control surfaces Audio and recording terms Audio and recording terms Synthesis Audio and data connectivity The studio in your computer Timelines and sequencing Sequencers that record audio Integrated suites: Pro Tools MIDI basics Music-only tools Loops and beatmatching Editing audio and MIDI Effects and processors: time based Effects and processors: dynamic Plugins; plugin formats; virtual instruments Recording the real world Designing a space Mics: types and polar patterns Mic usage Recording and manipulating voices The virtual guitarist Mixdown Monitors and monitoring Mixing concepts Mixing strategies Mixing with dynamic effects Multiple levels Mixing with reverb EQ hotspots The anatomy of a remix Interview: Hakan Lidbo Mastering and remastering: by Andrew Walter, Abbey Road studios File formats for audio, the Web, and multimedia Disk formats, burning, and storage Blu-Ray and HD-DVD compared Internet audio and mobility Internet audio FAQs and tips Media players Internet radio: creative strategies and technology choices Podcasting: creative strategies and technology choices Generative music for the Web Interview: Tim Didymus, generative music composer Make and mix music on your cellphone Interview: Tim Cole, double BAFTA Award-winning software developer Digital rights, publishing, and sharing Online music collaboration software Building a sound toy in Flash: Paul Farrington workshop Music and sound in Flash Depeche Mode sound toy Audio for video and movies Music and sound in movies and videos Sound in video software (including soundtrack software) Location sound: creative strategies and technology tips Interview: Simon Fisher Turner, movie soundtrack composer Music for low-budget movies and videos Sound design for movies Interview: Kant Pan, Academy Award nominee Synching sound to video Surround sound creative strategies and technology choices Abbey Road surround sound tips VJing: D-Fuse interview Useful URLs Glossary Index CD-Rom contents Software: Ableton Live v.5.03 Propellerhead Reason v3.04 Propellerhead ReCycle Koan Pro Koan X Koan Album Player miniMIXA (various versions) Audio/Media Content: 60MB M-Audio loops and samples Studio Tonne soundtoys (with samples): Bip Hop; CircleSound; DMR Sequencer; Unit OS9 Tim Didymus generative music compositions Tim Cole generative music compositions