"I am 38 years into learning how to play the saxophone and frankly don't have time to sit through long-winded, badly written, unimaginative manuals. Once again, Mike Collins writes about using Pro Tools in easy-to-understand, dynamic and creative language aimed at those of us who have lots of other things on our plates. Mike brings this process to life in a way that, more than once, has made me put my horn down and try something out on Pro Tools that I hadn't tried before! Bravo Mike."
US Saxophone 'star' Kirk Whalum has recorded and performed with Quincy Jones, Nancy Wilson, Al Jarreau, Barbara Streisand and on several movie soundtracks including Whitney Houston's "The Bodyguard".
"Recording to tape is no longer practical for most producers and musicians, many of whom still don't understand the language of digital recording. This book, written by a musician, uses language that music professionals will understand. It will really help people like me to get up to speed with Pro Tools 8 so we will be much better prepared to achieve our goals in the studio.
One of the biggest problems with recordings made this century is that they don't sound as good as those from the previous 50 years because they are totally lacking in dynamics: the music has stopped 'breathing'. The mixing chapter in this book will help you to understand how to retain that vital essence of dynamics in your music, so that tomorrow's recordings can 'breathe' again."
Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick is the producer and leader of Jazz/Funk/Soul band Incognito who has also produced albums for George Benson, Maysa, Terry Callier and others.
"Anyone starting out with Pro Tools or who wants to expand their knowledge of the software will find this book very beneficial. The mixing chapter is most impressive. It covers every aspect from setting up your monitoring to lining up outboard gear, to when you grab the faders and look at the meters - and what those meters mean! All the new features of PT8 for music production are covered in detail. The book also includes lots of timesaving shortcuts that will help on busy sessions."
John Leckie, one of the UK's most successful record producers, has worked with bands and artists as diverse as Radiohead, Simple Minds, Baaba Maal and Dr. John.
"Mike has done it again, producing a very readable book, full of insights and tips, written in his usual clear and never dull style. I particularly love the notes in grey boxes: practical observations representing Mike's distillation of several decades spent producing, composing, arranging, editing, mixing and performing music. How lucky we are that he has written this book for the rest of us!"
Dario Marianelli is one of he UK's leading film composers with an Oscar to his credit for 'Atonement' and an Oscar nomination for 'Pride & Prejudice'.
Pro Tools 8 for Music Production is the definitive guide to the software for new and professional users. Extensively illustrated in colour and packed with time saving hints and tips, it is a great reference to keep on hand as a constant source of information. The book takes a real-world approach, explaining the hardware components and options in full so that you can choose the right system for your particular needs. Detailed chapters on the user interface, the new MIDI and scoring features, recording, editing, signal processing and mixing blend essential knowledge with tutorials and practical examples from actual recordings. New and updated materials include: *Pro Tools HD systems explained in detail *Pro Tools 8 software described in detail *Details new MIDI and Score Editors *Full colour screen shots and equipment photos Pro Tools 8 for Music Production is a vital source of reference, for the working professional or serious hobbyist looking for professional results.
