Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well written, but more focused on history, December 12, 2008
I will say first that this book is very well written, and the author has put a tremendous amount of effort into its production. I would caution, however, that there may be better books out there for you, depending on what you are interested in learning about analog synthesis.
This book does a good job at covering the components of analog synthesizers, and how an analog synth creates sounds. However, this topic is covered regularly in other (less expensive) sources, and I'm not sure that the author has any special insight into this well worn area.
However, where this book really shines is in its discussion of the history and development of analog synthesizers. The author covers all of the notable figures involved in the development of this technology, including musicians and the figures involved in engineering, production, etc. It talks about the developments in the US, Europe, and Japan of the technology and the musicians who utilized them at different times. The book also describes the features and functionality of a wide array of vintage synthesizers, so if you are looking for a resource that might help you decide which one to buy, this could be your book.
I don't think this book does a great job of discussing synth programming, however. I know this topic can be difficult to describe, due to the varieties of equipment out there, but there are other books that I think have a more interesting approach to the topic. Especially since these days most people are likely to encounter "analog" synthesis using a virtual software instrument. This is the only thing that keeps this book from being a "one-stop" guide to analog synths in my opinion.
If you are interested in learning about how this technology was developed and the people involved, you can't do better than this book. However, if you are more interested in the practical aspects of understanding synthesis and getting cool sounds from your synth, I would look at some of other titles, especially given the relatively high price of this book.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Historical tour de force, not a usage guide, December 24, 2008
This book is a great reflection on the history of synths, who used them, and when. If you want to know what the first synth was the John Michael used, or which one ELP used to create Lucky Man, then this is your book. All types of info on who used what brand and model. But it does damn little to inform the reader of how to perform on them, or how to buy them. If you bought a synth and want to know how to operate it, this is NOT your book. If you want to reflect and glow in the knowledge that the machine you're touching was a piece of history for artist X or Y, then pick this one up.
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!, July 11, 2008
This is an excellent read for anyone wanting an insight into the world of analogue synths, be it virtual or good old hardware. The author clearly knows his stuff and puts it all across in an highly readable style. Definitely money well spent if you like your synths!
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