An introduction to digital music

An electric current that is either open or closed: based on this binary system, the digital world has built virtual constructions that are both more accessible to the general public and ever more complex: a simple laptop can be transformed into a
studio; software programs allow recordings to be cleaned up with astonishing efficiency; today's sound banks no longer limit themselves to giving a vague outline of a score, but provide a sound image of great quality thanks to the multiple varieties of instruments and articulations.

Knowing and understanding the basic vocabulary of computer music, knowing how to mix or use virtual instruments, how to make a good recording, how to create music for a film or video, including synchronization, how to put a podcast or a web radio on line - these are the step-by-step lessons offered by this book, which is as enjoyable to read as it is to read, thanks to its layout and pedagogical design. It would have been impossible to give an exhaustive presentation of the arcana of digital music creation, where software (and consequently user habits) are constantly changing. Chris Middleton therefore offers a comprehensive yet precise overview of the subject, introduces a selection of useful tools and technologies, and adds, for those who are not specialized in the digital world, many useful and precise tips as well as notions essential to a basic knowledge of computer music.

The book also details the fundamental choice of equipment (computer, sound card, microphones, etc.). To make sure that learning doesn't take place in the abstract, a DVD-Rom (compatible for Mac and PC), containing a number of free and trial versions of software, accompanies the book. The second edition also includes updates on more recent technologies.

Chris Middleton, Practical Guide to Home Studio and M.A.O. The Keys to Digital Music Creation, 2nd edition, 176 p., € 29.90, Dunod, Paris 2014, ISBN 978-2-1007-0712-6