Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools, Toys, and Techniques [Paperback]

Rick Snoman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0240521072 | ISBN-13: 978-0240521077 | Edition: 2

Whatever your level of experience, the Dance Music Manual is packed with sound advice, techniques and practical examples to help you achieve professional results. Written by a professional producer and remixer, this book offers a comprehensive approach to music production, including knowledge of the tools, equipment and different dance genres.
Get more advice and resources from the books official website, www.dancemusicproduction.com.

* Included in the new edition are sections on recording instruments alongside new chapters covering more dance music genres. * Examines all aspects of music production, from sound design, compression & effect to mixing & mastering to publishing & promoting, to help you become a better producer. * The companion CD provides sample and example tracks, demonstrating the techniques used in the book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In short, Snoman knows what he's talking about...Snoman guides you through the daunting tasks of not only making it sound good but also getting it to the ears of the public." - Remix

"An exceptionally well-written and researched book combining both the art and science of dance music production...All in all it adds up to quite a package, which deserves a place on any aspiring dance music producer's desk." - Music Tech

From the Back Cover

Whatever your level of experience, the Dance Music Manual is packed with sound advice, techniques and practical examples to help you achieve professional results. Written by a professional producer and remixer, this book offers a comprehensive approach to music production, including knowledge of the tools, equipment and different dance genres. Get more advice and resources from the books official website, www.dancemusicproduction.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 2 edition (October 27, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240521072
• ISBN-13: 978-0240521077
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Acoustics & Sound
  • #4 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Recording & Sound

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As good as, sometimes better than, the 1st edition, December 15, 2008

By 

Mark Alsip (Kentucky, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools, Toys, and Techniques (Paperback)

I own the first edition and used it so much the book literally fell apart, partly due to cheap binding but mostly the repetitive flipping back and forth to dozens of bookmarked pages with useful technical info. I'm not a musician but as a computer programmer for 20+ years I have read more books of a technical nature than the law should allow, and on that basis I can honestly say this is the best tech book I have ever read. It's been a fantastic introduction to electronic music production, with clear enough explanations of concepts that I never felt intimidated or "talked down to" but more than enough in-depth material that I could take my newfound obsession with music production just as far as I wanted. The included CD was particularly helpful, with a full track in each of the genres covered by the book, with the author breaking in with at least 20 minutes of narrative on each, explaining the tools and methods used in production of the track. This was crucial to me because I don't think it's possible to learn music by simply reading words. Being able to listen to "before" and "after" versions of a compressed kick loop gelled perfectly with the compression tips and tricks discussed in the book.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holy cow, this book rocks, March 16, 2009

By 

A.C.E. (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools, Toys, and Techniques (Paperback)

First off, the title of this book is a little (okay, a lot) misleading. From the title, you would think it would be a light-hearted, casual intro to dance music. This is not the case. This book is like a massive compendium of every single concept you would ever want to know about dance music, or anything like unto it. The first pages are all about sculpting sounds from waveforms, and it's not easy reading! As a matter of fact, that's my only criticism of this book - so much of it was over my head. But what the author lacks in his ability to explain concepts to complete newbie/morons (like me), he more than makes up for with his vast amount of knowledge, and the breadth of the subjects in the book. This really is EVERYTHING you could ever want to know about dance music - how audio works, how synth programming works, dance music trends, effects, etc.

And the author doesn't just tell you the "how", he tells you the "why". It's a book for both artists and techies alike, which is a hard line to straddle. I really have enjoyed this book, and will no doubt read it again as soon as I'm done. It's opened my eyes to soooooo much!!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for any Dance Music Producer, November 10, 2008

By 

Travis J. Basso "Blacklite" (NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dance Music Manual, Second Edition: Tools, Toys, and Techniques (Paperback)

Rick Snoman is a Dance music GOD! This book is a must must have for anyone who intends to write/remix/compose/produce dance music in any capacity. It is written generally with a novice in mind but those of us with more experience will benefit from having it as a reference. It offers an in-depth look into the major genres of dance music and covers everything from how to tweak the knobs of your synth to drum machine programming and musical analysis all the way to remixing, sampling, mastering and promotion! It is a very wide scope of information and it covers it all very well and very informatively. Anyone from beginner to pro can definitely benefit from buying this book. IF YOU ASPIRE TO WRITE DANCE MUSIC DO NOT WAIT; BUY THIS BOOK! It is like the textbook for dance music.