The Audio Expert: Everything You Need to Know About Audio

Messiah Community Radio Talk Show

Gain a deep understanding of audio practice and theory with this easy-to-read book, illustrated with more than 400 figures and photographs. Using common sense, plain-English explanations and minimal math, author Ethan Winer helps you understand audio at the deepest, most technical level-no engineering degree necessary. If you're an intermediate to advanced recording engineer or audiophile, you already know the basic mechanics of how audio "works." This book will take you beyond that, weaving together audio concepts, theories of aural perception and acoustics, musical instrument physics, and basic electronics and demonstrating their relationships to one another. Rather than merely showing you how to use audio devices like equalizers and compressors, Winer explains how they work internally and how they are spec'd and tested. With The Audio Expert, you get: * Videos and audio examples on the companion website (www.TheAudioExpertBook.com) that help you understand complex topics, such as vibration and resonance * Platform agnostic explanations, applying to Windows and Mac operating systems, and to most software and hardware * Practical tips, tricks, advice, and lots of myth-busting Bonus chapters are currently available on FocalPress.com. http://www.focalpress.com/books/audio/the_audio_expert.aspx?terms=Audio+Expert * Explains clearly the innermost details of audio hardware and software * Contains numerous practical tips, tricks, advice, and lots of myth-busting * Provides videos and audio examples on the companion website for comprehensive understanding. This book goes beyond merely explaining how audio works. It brings together the concepts of audio, aural perception, musical instrument physics, acoustics, and basic electronics, showing how they're intimately related. It also describes in great detail many related practices and techniques used by recording and mixing engineers, including video production and computers. This book is meant for intermediate to advanced recording engineers and audiophiles who want to become experts. It's definitely not a "Dummies" type book for beginners, though there's plenty for beginners too. One unique feature is explaining how audio devices such as equalizers, compressors, and A/D converters work internally, and how they're spec'd and tested, rather than merely describing how to use them. This book is also unique because it includes much original research, such as methods to test the audibility of distortion and other artifacts using your own listening system, while explaining why many common home-made tests are not valid. It also addresses the perennial "measuring versus listening" and "subjectivist versus objectivist" debates head on, and resolves them using science, logic, and hard proof. There's plenty of myth-busting and consumerism too. Indeed, truly understanding how audio gear works leads to smarter buying. So while I won't tell readers what brand power amplifier to buy, I explain in great detail what defines a good amplifier, so people can choose a first-rate model wisely without over-paying. Most explanations throughout the book are platform-agnostic, applying equally to Windows and Mac computers, and to most software and hardware. Many audio and video examples are included to better present complex topics such as vibration and resonance. Other videos demonstrate editing techniques and audio processing, plus several video interviews with skilled musicians demonstrating their instruments and playing techniques. In the piano video, a professional piano technician disassembles a $100,000 Steinway grand to show how it works! Of course, there's also a comprehensive Acoustics section, bringing together much of my writings from past years into one coherent reference, along with a wealth of new information. There's literally nothing else like this book. Visit Ethan's website at https://ethanwiner.com/book.htm