Sound Engineering Explained, Second Edition

✍ Scribed by Michael Talbot-Smith

• Publisher: Focal Press
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 215
• Edition: 2
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book gives a very good insight as to the different aspects of sound engineering in a semi technical albeit basic approach. The various theories like microphones, stereo, mixing, PA, basic acoustics and the like are covered here. It is a more practical approach to engineering, where many of the details wouldn't help in a real recording session. Geeks would be better looking for some other title as the details aren't very technical in a numbers and facts sort of way, it is more of a descriptive style.
This would be a great primer for sound engineering students. Overall I think I got the idea as to what are the specifics that are required to be known in order to be a sound engineer.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Cover......Page 1
Sound Engineering Explained......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 12
Acknowledgements......Page 14
About this book......Page 16
What are sound waves?......Page 18
Amplitude......Page 19
Velocity, frequency and wavelength......Page 20
Sound waves and obstacles......Page 21
The bending of sound waves (diffraction)......Page 22
Units used in sound......Page 23
Sound intensity and the effect of distance......Page 26
Decibels......Page 27
The velocity of sound waves......Page 28
Units......Page 29
Decibels......Page 30
The response of the ear......Page 31
Loudness. The dB(A)......Page 32
Musical pitch......Page 33
Musical quality (‘timbre’)......Page 35
The brain’s perception of sound......Page 36
Frequency ranges in music......Page 39
'False bass’......Page 40
Sound isolation......Page 42
Internal acoustics......Page 46
Sound absorption......Page 52
Microphone transducers......Page 57
Polar responses......Page 61
Radio microphones (‘wireless microphones’)......Page 65
Electrostatic microphones......Page 68
Production of the different polar responses......Page 69
Sensitivities of microphones......Page 73
Phantom power......Page 74
Balanced wiring......Page 75
Radio microphone data......Page 76
Objectives and problems in recording......Page 78
Specific applications of microphones......Page 83
Technical monitoring......Page 88
Aural monitoring......Page 92
Listening tests......Page 97
Reference voltages in audio signals......Page 99
PPMs and VU meter readings......Page 100
Helmholtz resonators......Page 101
Loudspeaker power......Page 102
Loudspeaker cables......Page 103
Professional and domestic standards......Page 104
How stereo works......Page 105
Methods of producing inter-channel differences......Page 107
Terminology......Page 108
Stereo listening......Page 109
Phase......Page 111
Microphone techniques for stereo......Page 114
Headphones for stereo monitoring......Page 119
Part 1......Page 121
The basic channel......Page 122
Important features of any mixer......Page 124
Output stage......Page 128
Inputs and connections......Page 130
Equalization......Page 133
Public Address and Foldback (PA and FB)......Page 136
Talkback......Page 138
Manual control of levels......Page 140
Electronic level control......Page 144
Noise gates......Page 148
Basic principles......Page 150
Other applications of digital audio......Page 156
MIDI......Page 159
Additional terminology......Page 160
Compact discs......Page 162
Error correction......Page 164
NICAM......Page 165
A little more about error correction......Page 167
Analogue recording......Page 168
The fundamentals of magnetic recording......Page 169
Cassette quality......Page 170
Noise reduction......Page 171
Head and tape cleanliness......Page 172
Digital recording......Page 173
MiniDisc......Page 174
Solid state recording......Page 175
MP3......Page 176
Why edit?......Page 177
Practicalities......Page 178
Digital tape editing......Page 179
MiniDisc editing......Page 180
Part 1......Page 181
Indoor PA......Page 182
Howl-rounds......Page 184
100-volt systems......Page 185
Music......Page 187
Sound effects......Page 188
Electrical safety......Page 192
Noise and hearing......Page 195
'Mechanical’ safety......Page 196
Fire......Page 198
Copyright......Page 201
Miscellaneous data......Page 202
Further reading......Page 206
Answers......Page 208
Index......Page 212