Routledge Music's Handmade Electronic Music
In Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking Second Edition ($34.95), Nicolas Collins takes circuit-bending and hardware construction from the beginning. Starting with the tools and materials you'll need and general hacking tips, the book's 30 chapters cover everything from how to solder and Ohm's Law for dummies to how to build mixers and power amps on a budget. Copious illustrative videos (87) and audio examples (20) from more than 100 hackers and composers populate the accompanying DVD. The author is professor of sound at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has worked with many masters of modern music, including John Cage, Alvin Lucier and David Tudor.
Backbeat Books' Behind the Glass Volume II
In this sequel, Behind the Glass Volume II ($24.99) from Backbeat Books (backbeatbooks.com), veteran journalist, engineer and producer Howard Massey comes up with 40 exclusive in-the-trenches interviews with top producers and engineers from control rooms around the world. These free-ranging interviews cover day-to-day minutia, philosophical concepts and best practices from forefathers such as Bruce Swedien, Daniel Lanois and T Bone Burnett to up-and-coming hit-makers like Mark Ronson, Darryl Swann and Patrick Stump. You'll find their thoughts on such topics as the state of the music industry, what constitutes the perfect amount of low end and how to coax the right vocal inflections from a lead singer.
Focal Press' Pro Tools 8
Pro Tools 8: Music Production, Recording, Editing and Mixing ($44.95) by Mike Collins aims to be the definitive guide to Pro Tools for both professionals and new users. It takes a real-world approach to building the Pro Tools system that meets your needs and then delivers a host of tips and tricks to speed your workflow. Chapters detail working with time, tempo and key signature; MIDI in Pro Tools; recording; editing; and mixing. Essential knowledge is augmented with tutorials and real-world examples. Find the book at your local retailer or order it directly from Focal Press at focalpress.com