Rating: 
Summary: Unbelievable!!
Review: As a novice in the field of electronic music, I feel like an ape encountering the Monolith from the opening scene of 2001:Space Odessey with this colossal text. Despite the vertigo that haunts me everytime I sense its omnious presence in my room, I feel that this Monolith has sparked the evolution in me. I have a long way to go to L'IRCAM, but I am greatly helped and inspired by this amazing text, a gift from the heavens.
Rating: 
Summary: Not if you are just starting.
Review: I am just getting started composing/arranging on my computer using MIDI and this book was of very little value to me.It is intended as a course text book and will be of value to those who are more interested in the engineering, programming & other technical aspects of computer music. Contains lots of general technical information and appears to be written for those who have a fairly large studio at their disposal such as a audio/computer lab.
Rating:
Summary: The Electronic Musician's Bible
Review: I first came across this book at university, when faced with the daunting task of making a software synthesizer for a course project. The lecturer of the course admitted to me that he had based the course on this book, so naturally I found a copy. After reading it for 5 minutes I ordered a copy, because I knew without a doubt this was the book that would carry me through the rest of my studies. Interestingly, anyone else who has ever seen my copy has gone and bought themselves without much delay! What the book offers is threefold: 1. A good introduction to MIDI. 2. A broad spectrum of signal processing techinques (including SFX). 3. A fast repository of synthesis ideas. It even explains the fundamentals of the Fast Fourier Transform optimisation. A lot of math has been replaced by flow charts, and this is means that it can explain the ideas to a wider range of people (and not just mathematicians). The real selling point of this book is that it is, ultimately, the best possible mix of scope and depth of the subject of musical synthesis. At 1234 Pages, it's also good value for money!
Rating:
Summary: King of Kings
Review: I have had an interest in virtual synths, computer music programs such as csound, MAX/MSP, PD, etc. Although program-specific tutorials were helpful, I had found nothing that discussed sound processing, synthesis techniques (e.g. granular synthesis, additive, vector, etc.) and theoretical underpinning to all modern synthesizer techniques so I could understand what I was doing on a more fundamental level. The computer music tutorial does all that and more. I agree with other reviewers that it is not a "tutorial" in the sense that it doesn't extensively flesh out tips/tricks with particular programs, but it is invaluable for providing insight into an encyclopedia of synthesis techniques in very easy conceptual language (to those with no background in DSP). This book is essential to anyone who is interested in the world of sound manipulation in general, whether its sample-oriented, wiring together virtual modules in programs such as reaktor, sync modular, audiomulch, abox or those in a more programming driven interface such as csound and PD.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference for computer music
Review: I have had an interest in virtual synths, computer music programs such as csound, MAX/MSP, PD, etc. Although program-specific tutorials were helpful, I had found nothing that discussed sound processing, synthesis techniques (e.g. granular synthesis, additive, vector, etc.) and theoretical underpinning to all modern synthesizer techniques so I could understand what I was doing on a more fundamental level. The computer music tutorial does all that and more. I agree with other reviewers that it is not a "tutorial" in the sense that it doesn't extensively flesh out tips/tricks with particular programs, but it is invaluable for providing insight into an encyclopedia of synthesis techniques in very easy conceptual language (to those with no background in DSP). This book is essential to anyone who is interested in the world of sound manipulation in general, whether its sample-oriented, wiring together virtual modules in programs such as reaktor, sync modular, audiomulch, abox or those in a more programming driven interface such as csound and PD.
Rating:
Summary: Just one word : outstanding
Review: I wanted to develop digital effect processing plugins for some direct to disk software. A guy told me to read the book from Curtis ROADS. It's a huge job, and thanks to it I'm now about to deliver many new programs manipulating digital sound signals. Thanks you Mr ROADS.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this Computer Music book!
Review: If you can get only one book on the multiverse of Computer Music, this be it. Curtis Roads Rocks!
Rating:
Summary: King of Kings
Review: If your looking for a definite guide to computer music and synthesis, this is the book. There is no other book like it. The writting style is clear and concise. The subject at hand is never confused and made as simple as possible without fluffing on the details.
Although it is a technical book with plenty of calculus functions it can easily be read by the non-technical as the math is more a by-product of the explaination than the focus.
If your very new to computer music and synthesis I might get this book and another called ~ Sound, Synthesis & Sampling by Martin Russ. Between the two there is very little to know before you can start focusing an one particular synthesis method.
Rating:
Summary: "tutorial" in a sense
Review: Just a brief note -- this isn't a "tutorial" in the sense that the word has taken on in computer circles in the past few years -- i.e., "here's how to do some simple things without really understanding how you're doing them, because you're too much of a doof to read the real documentation". I say this because I don't want anyone expecting such a thing for computer music to be disappointed by this excellent book -- so don't expect example C code on how to parse MIDI in here! However, this is a tutorial in the older sense of being a work that aims to instruct you in a particular subject. And that it does very well!
Rating:
Summary: "tutorial" in a sense
Review: Just a brief note -- this isn't a "tutorial" in the sense that the word has taken on in computer circles in the past few years -- i.e., "here's how to do some simple things without really understanding how you're doing them, because you're too much of a doof to read the real documentation". I say this because I don't want anyone expecting such a thing for computer music to be disappointed by this excellent book -- so don't expect example C code on how to parse MIDI in here! However, this is a tutorial in the older sense of being a work that aims to instruct you in a particular subject. And that it does very well!
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