Making great audio recordings requires striking the right balance between technical know-how and practical understanding of recording sessions. Even in the digital age, some of the most important aspects of creating and recording music are non-technical and, as a result, are often overlooked by traditional recording manuals. The Art of Digital Audio Recording teaches readers what they really need to know in order to make great sound recordings with computers - both the practical and the technical information, including: BL What to look and listen for in a recording environment BL Straightforward advice on recording almost any instrument BL Essentials of digital audio workstations BL Essentials of recording gear: microphones, mixers, and speakers BL Fundamentals of understanding and applying EQ, compression, delay, and reverb BL Secrets to running creative recording sessions BL Practical application of digital editing, mixing, and mastering A special section identifies solutions to the most common challenges in the recording studio, and the book also features an addendum with essential tips and reference information including: BL How to walk into a commercial studio and be the engineer BL Researching and buying gear: Internet vs. brick and mortar BL Digital formats: A handy reference As a whole, The Art of Digital Audio Recording is an essential resource that gives recordists the tools they need to let technical understanding serve greater musical goals.

An active producer, recording engineer, and instructor, Steve Savage has been the primary engineer on seven Grammy-nominated CDs. He is the author of numerous books, including the forthcoming Bytes & Backbeats: Repurposing Audio in the Digital Age.

Introduction 1. The Starting Point - Sound meets the computer 1.1 Why computers 1.2 What does it sound like? 1.3 Signal path 2. The Essentials - Where and how recordings are made 2.1 Recording rooms and control rooms 2.2 Studio monitors 2.3 Microphones and mic placement 2.4 Mixing boards and control surfaces 2.5 EQ: general information 2.6 Dynamics (compressors and noise gates) 2.7 FX: delay 2.8 FX: reverb 2.9 Beyond traditional DSP 3. Recording Sessions - A practical guide 3.1 Set up 3.2 Headphone mixes 3.3 Survey of recording techniques for instruments and voice 4. Editing - The new frontier 4.1 Editing functions 4.2 Screen "real estate" 4.3 Virtual tracks (playlists) 4.4 Advanced Editing 5. Three Fundamentals - Techniques every recordist needs to know 5.1 Insert/Plug-ins 5.2 Send & return 5.3 Auto-switching (auto-input) 6. Mixing - The most creative and the most challenging stage 6.1 Mixing requirements 6.2 Building a mix 6.3 Automation and recall 6.4 Mix collaboration, communication and delivery 7. Mastering - One last session 7.1 What, Why, How and Where 8. Three Best Practices - Easy ways to raise the level of your sessions 8.1 Session flow 8.2 Talkback 8.3 Playback volume Addendum: 1. How to Walk into a Commercial Studio and be the Engineer 2. Researching and Buying Gear: Internet vs. brick and mortar Appendix: Digital Audio Formats, Delivery and Storage Index