Rating: 
Summary: Dont get better than this
Review: A very good book for breaking it down in recording music and building your own studio it just dont get better than this explains everything and you get free samples and some programs to boot to have you up and running and making music this is a very nice package here and information which i think is good its a must have for studio tech heads .
Rating: 
Summary: enough is enough
Review: collectively as a whole, most of society has gone down the drain in terms of morals, which i mention b/c it's the foundational philosophy that drives/shapes any and all of our actions...
good faith or not.if the author honestly tried to do his best, then of course, it would be my fault to judge him, but the book is nonetheless NOT HELPFUL. you take a look at most books out there, whether on general music production/recording or specific software tutorials(cubase,sonar), most of them are rehash of the manual that comes with the software(that is unless, the software manufact only provides PDF version but in that case, the book purchaser already knows he wants a printed manual). now i don't know if people know this, but to publish a book that's pretty much a repeat of the manual is, how do you say, lazy way to make money. there's 2 ways to make money on earth, either by contributing to the world's progress or gear your profit opportunity on fooling dummies.... what i'm trying to say is that I KNOW that most authors for these books don't know adequately about music production nor the specific software. perhaps, went thru the software manual and paraphrased them into his own words.... i feel that the same applies to web design/multimedia/graphics books.... only a handful are helpful. in addition to being a rehash of the manual, you will find trivial things like market your songs online via mp3 sites, which most of us already had an idea of if we are serious about music. when someone studies or wants to make music, given that the manual already tells you how to achieve certain tasks, a good book should inform on:
1) music theory(at least the basics)
2) universally applicable concepts in music production. if you know this, then you know every other competitor product as well b/c these are what sequencers/soft synths/effects processors are grounded on - the lowest common denominator.
NO ONE WANTS TO KNOW HOW EXPORT A WAV FILE or where a menu option is located. IF THAT'S THE CASE, then it should state that it's a beginners book.
3) though not a requisite, a chapter informing on whether a person possesses creativity should be included(if i was author, i would have). it's kind of pointless and waste of time if you have no creativity and trying to pursue music in the first place. that's like a fat boy trying to win the 50m dash in the olympics.
4) and again though not a requisite, if not an entire chapter is devoted to them, a general background on lyric/songwriting should be included.
5) there's so much more bads to the book, but i don't want to go back to the book to find them out. the forementioned immediately came to mind without effort. YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE WORLD IS GETTING BETTER. ALL THAT'S HAPPENING IS PEOPLE ARE GETTING STUPID b/c computers do everything for us. IF THE WORLD IS PROGRESSING, then what's up with the myriad of INFO BOOKS THAT ARE GARBAGE. It wasn't always like this. AND IF THE AUTHOR TRIES TO REFUTE ME WITH SOME RIDICULOUS REPLIES, ALL I NEED TO SAY IS THAT regardless of whether it's MUSIC PRODUCTION OR DESIGN/MULTIMEDIA/WRITING, it's never the software that matters(though you do need to learn it to use it); it's the driver of the computer and softwares that achieves creative output. computer and softwares are just productivity tools. So, if the author wastes your time with 100s of pages of useless info/fluff, i would be upset... not to mention the hard earned money i've wasted. i highly recommend "GET CREATIVE WITH CUBASE SX/SL" or "CREATIVE PROJECTS WITH CUBASE VST" they are both hands on tutorials(learn as you do).
Rating: 
Summary: Some good stuff about digital music
Review: Good, because the info about digital music is good. For me, the CD that comes with the book is the best part. Tons of sound samples and free software.
Rating:
Summary: Helped with new system
Review: I already use my computer at home to record my songs, but I wanted to update my system, and this book helped me. I ended up going with a software-based approach, and I'm jamming...
Rating: 
Summary: Thorough, but fluffy and smarmy
Review: I am not a professional audio engineer or sound designer, but have years of amateur experience. I was looking for a book which would help bridge my analog and stand-alone DAW experience (on a Roland VS-1680) to desktop computer based audio production.
PROS: This book will be good for those just starting out who have little or no prior experience and want information on everything from mics to preamps to effects to software. The information is well laid out and includes helpful graphics. CONS: This book uses smarmy "hip" lingo in the manner of an aging uncle and devotes perhaps a third of the space to product placements for specific items and brands. While it is helpful to get specific recommendations, it almost seems there was a pay-off in this case.
Rating:
Summary: Thorough, but fluffy and smarmy
Review: I am not a professional audio engineer or sound designer, but have years of amateur experience. I was looking for a book which would help bridge my analog and stand-alone DAW experience (on a Roland VS-1680) to desktop computer based audio production.
PROS: This book will be good for those just starting out who have little or no prior experience and want information on everything from mics to preamps to effects to software. The information is well laid out and includes helpful graphics. CONS: This book uses smarmy "hip" lingo in the manner of an aging uncle and devotes perhaps a third of the space to product placements for specific items and brands. While it is helpful to get specific recommendations, it almost seems there was a pay-off in this case.
Rating:
Summary: Compelled to Buy It
Review: I have some experience with digital recording but still consider myself a novice. I own and highly recommend the classic 1990 text on recording studios: Sound Advice, the Musician's Guide to the Recording Studio by Wayne Wadhams and have found it incredibly useful (you may have to buy it used). As for Secrets of the Digital Studio: James Maguire has a fun, hip writing style that motivates you to learn more. I have had it checked out from my public library (KCLS) and have found myself totally drawn into it. It is a good compliment to the Wadhams book and moves us toward the latest in digital technology. Maguire is very in-depth at the right times and helps to sort out priorities among the vast options available. I use a Yamaha digital workstation (AW16G) instead of a desktop computer setup. Yet I find that even though this book is geared more toward the desktop computer, there is a still a tremendous amount of info that easily translates to any type of digital recording setup. Plus, the sheer number of useful web resources sprinkled throughout the book is astounding. He is very wise to insist that an internet connection is vital to anyone involved in digital recording. Many of the resources mentioned in the book are free to use. So I am now compelled to actually buy Secrets of the Digital Studio to keep as a reference that I will undoubtedly turn back to many times while recording and mixing, as I do with the Wadhams book. After all, it is due back at the library soon...
Rating:
Summary: The DJ thing
Review: I'm just getting in the DeeJay thing, I want to use vinyl at clubs. This book explains equipment and DeeJay styles. I apprecaite that. It talked about Richie Hawtin, a.k.a. Plastikman. Fairly cool on that part of it.
Rating:
Summary: Kept It Clear About the Music
Review: I'm not a major technical person, but I have some knowledge about computers. Some of these books start off good but get really confused, but "Secrets Of The Digital Studio" stayed clear. I want to do more with music on my PC. I already do a lot of sampling. This book has some good advice, makes sense. The sound effects on the CD are a blast. The mixing section was major.
Rating:
Summary: Kept It Clear About the Music
Review: I'm not a major technical person, but I have some knowledge about computers. Some of these books start off good but get really confused, but "Secrets Of The Digital Studio" stayed clear. I want to do more with music on my PC. I already do a lot of sampling. This book has some good advice, makes sense. The sound effects on the CD are a blast. The mixing section was major.
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