Practical Recording Techniques, Second Edition [Paperback]

Bruce Bartlett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0240803175 | ISBN-13: 978-0240803173

Practical Recording Techniques, Second Edition is a hands-on, practical guide for beginning and intermediate recording engineers, producers, musicians, and audio enthusiasts--anyone who wants to make better recordings by understanding recording equipment and techniques. The book prepares the reader for work in a home studio, small professional studio, or an on-location recording session.

The book offers up-to-date information on the latest recording technology, such as digital tape recording, hard-disk recording, keyboard and digital workstations, SMPTE, and MIDI. It also guides the beginner through the basics, showing how to make quality recordings with the new breed of inexpensive home-studio equipment.

Other topics include:
Choosing and operating recorder mixers based on cassette, Mini-Disc, and hard disk;
Hum prevention;
The latest monitoring methods;
Microphone selection and placement;
Audio-for-video techniques;
Troubleshooting bad sound; guidelines for good sound.

With its step-by-step approach and easy-to-read format, this is the ideal book for anyone who wants to create professional sound recordings.

- Step-by-step approach to professional audio recording
- Covers the latest techniques for pro studio, home studio, and on location
- Completely updated--extensive information on the latest advancements in MIDI and digital audio

Editorial Reviews

Review

"appreciate clear explanations"

"It is packed with well-illustrated graphics and pictures and gives extensive guidance on everything from studio and location recording techniques through to publishing your sounds on the web."
James Eade, Lighting and Sound International --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

The book offers up-to-date information on the latest recording technology, such as digital tape recording, hard-disk recording, keyboard and digital workstations, SMPTE, and MIDI. It also guides the beginner through the basics, showing how to make quality recordings with the new breed of inexpensive home-studio equipment. Other topics include: choosing and operating recorder-mixers based on cassette, Mini-Disc, and hard-disk; hum prevention; the latest monitoring methods; microphone selection and placement; audio-for-video techniques; troubleshooting bad sound; guidelines for good sound. With its step-by-step approach and easy-to-read format, this is the ideal book for anyone who wants to create professional sounding recordings. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (July 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240803175
• ISBN-13: 978-0240803173
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,323,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical Recording Techniques, June 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Practical Recording Techniques, Second Edition (Paperback)

Here's a useful and comprehensive introduction to professional audio recording aimed primarily at the beginning and intermediate level recording engineer, but useful also for people like me doing home recording. It covers all aspects of equipment, sound, techniques and procedures. In addition to what you'd expect (it's recent enough to cover digital applications), there are sections on spoken word recordings, on-location recording, hum prevention (the electrical, not the oral, variety), how to judge sound quality, and a short but interesting chapter on how an engineer can learn to listen to the art, and not just the sound, of the music being recorded. The Bartletts offer sound advice for how to mic various instruments (well, how would *you* go about micing bagpipes or a hammered dulcimer?). It contains a very useful guide for analyzing and correcting bad sound. Additionally, there are appendices covering the technicalities of dB, SMPTE and a suggested reading list. The glossary is excellent. For someone like me, it filled in all sorts of gaps in my knowledge - now I'm familiar with the Fletcher-Munson effect, I know exactly what an ORTF mic placement is and how to go about clearing up muddy sound. There is little or no input about specific brands or models of gear, but at 458 pages, there's not much room for that, and it's not that kind of book anyway. Thumbs up.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT INTRO to home audio recording, editing and mixing, January 27, 2009

By 

A. Williams - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Practical Recording Techniques, Fifth Edition: The Step- by- Step Approach to Professional Audio Recording (Paperback)

I am new (just a few weeks) to home recording, DAWs, and all the hardware, software and terminology that goes with it. I saw this book in the store and quickly fell in love with it. FYI, I am the kind of person who will read a book cover to cover when I am trying to learn something new, as long as it is easy to read and techincally sound. This book is both, and covers much more than just recording as stated in the title.

It starts out with some basic terms and concepts, which make the rest of the book easier to follow.

It then discusses the following topics (not a complete list and not necessarily in this order):
- studio equipment, connections, speakers, mics, and other components
- different microphone types and how they might be placed in different recording situations
- bit rate and sampling rate recommendations
- an explanation of when and how to use various SW effects (equalizers, reverb, compressors, limiters, delays, etc)
- and tips for mixing and mastering for newbies

This book was JUST what i needed when i needed it. It may not be for anyone who already has experience or knowledge in the field though. Before i got this book, I tried to read Mixing Audio by Roey Izhaki. That book was very highly recommended (by online reviews), but was difficult for me to read just starting out. I will try to read that one again in a week or so and see if this one has better prepared me. (Another review to come, hehe).

Happy recording/editing/mixing/mastering/etc !!! :-)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars techniques for your personal studio, February 1, 2011

By 

Abztrakt - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Practical Recording Techniques, Fifth Edition: The Step- by- Step Approach to Professional Audio Recording (Paperback)

Just by looking at the cover you already want to dive into this book that covers practical techniques to get your personal music station going. It covers step by step putting together your own audio work station, from microphones down to the XLR cables. Tips for mixing down your music, what mixers, microphones, studio monitors to use. All in all, this is not a book you would want to check out at the library. I highly recommend that you invest in buying this unique guide that will come in handy later on down the road. Thank You