What's new in the Second Edition?

Over a hundred pages more!.....

The point of any second edition is to revise and bring up to date the text of the first. This I have aimed to do and you will find much more detail on newer sound-synthesis techniques; like granular synthesis and physical modelling as well as much more technical detail concerning digital signal processing. There is also additional content for the computer based musician; more on using a PC, both as a recording device, and as a signal-processor. You will also find, paradoxically, further historical information; included here because of the on-going retro-fascination with valve, signal-processing technology and analogue synthesisers. But the biggest modification of all, is the inclusion of new Fact Sheets (fourteen in all) detailing a great deal of background information to the understanding of the body of the text, as well as information which may be useful for reference and further study. Why this change?

In the Preface to the first edition I wrote, " 'Music Engineering' does not require a deep knowledge of complex electronic concepts. However ... something has to be assumed and, in this case, it is a knowledge of basic electronics." In short, I think I made a mistake in this assumption! It is my belief that my failure to address the fundamental information alienated a great many potential readers of the original "Music Engineering". It is particularily this omission that I have aimed to redress in this new edition and the first seven Fact Sheets were written to give a "whirlwind" background in analogue and digital electronics. Clearly, not everything is covered and further study will be required to master electronics, but my hope is that these small, relatively undemanding, lessons will give sufficient information to enrich the main text and to whet the appetite for further and wider reading. Fact Sheets 8 and onwards are different: these extend the scope of the text to include practical designs and reference material. I hope, therefore, that - if you aspire to play or work somewhere in the increasingly technical music-media industry - you will find much of interest in these pages, irrespective of your current level of knowledge.


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