A Programmer's Guide to Sound (Paperback)

by Tim Kientzle (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"I just wish this book had been available years ago." -Bobby Prince, composer and sound designer for computer games including Doom and Duke Nukem 3D "This is the kind of book that will stand as one of the defining works in the specialization of audio programming." -Gene Turnbow, senior programmer and game designer for Sound Source Interactive, Inc. "I'm amazed at the breadth and depth of Tim's coverage." -George Wright Information Systems, Loyola College, Maryland

Product Description
An all-in-one introduction to implementing sound, this guide provides a comprehensive practical resource for programmers. Tim Kientzle, technical editor of Dr. Dobb's Journal, presents the basic principles of sound and sound processing, together with concrete implementation details for a variety of sound file formats and algorithms. The CD-ROM includes royalty-free sound libraries and a rich collection of utilities.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (October 27, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201419726
• ISBN-13: 978-0201419726
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #106,733 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An introduction with a good c++ framework, August 7, 1998

By	W. A. Norris (Laramie, WY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

WHAT THIS BOOK DOES WELL:

* Explains audio signals, frequency, pitch, and Fourier transforms at a level suitable for anyone who understands trig, and in a highly readable way

* Explains file formats (WAV, AU, AIFF, MPEG formats, MIDI, MOD formats, etc.), and compression schemes, complete with tested implementation code

* Explains basic frequency filtering (with code)

* Implements readable, usable c++

WHAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS BOOK:

* In depth DSPs, physics, acoustics, or mathematics

* More complex transforms, like pitchbending without changing the length, noise reduction, adding reverb, flanging, etc.

* Highly optimized numerical algorithms

IN SHORT: if you need an introduction to the subject or just want a royalty-free code base for file format handling, this is an excellent book. If you already know all the basics, you won't learn very much.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed that recording is not covered!, June 29, 1999

By A Customer

I am SO disappointed in this book! I am a programmer who wants to record .wav files, and from the title you would think this would get at least cursory coverage! But be warned, this book has NOTHING, absolutely zero, about recording!

I am keeping the book because of its information on Fourier Transforms, but am back to square one in search of a true programmer's reference book on sound!!

Amazon, warn your potential buyers, please!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good book, bad publisher, November 6, 2005

By	Christopher Fowler - See all my reviews

This book is pretty decent, pretty much what I was expecting, except the publisher, Addison-Wesley, has stopped shipping the book with a CD. Instead there is a note in the book instructing you to go to their website for a downloadable version of the CD.

Surpise! No downloads available for this title!

The CD contains all of the code from the book, project files, sample sounds, and code that is not in the book, so in my opinion, the CD contents are pretty necessary.

So far I have written them several times (very politely) with no response and I've spent hours on the phone trying to get this problem resolved, only to get transferred to four or five people and eventually transferred to a recorded message saying that they "cannot take my call at this time" and to call back.

So... do not buy this book unless you don't mind not getting the CD.