Recording Secrets for the Small Studio (Sound On Sound Presents...)

If you buy only one book on how to make an audio recording, this should be it! Not only does Mike know his stuff inside and out, he knows how to teach what he knows. His writing comes across in a way that feels more like you're having a chat with a really cool guy who happens to be an expert in his field as opposed to being lectured to by some stuffed shirt prima donna. His previously published book, Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio, literally transformed the way I approach a mix. The first project I mixed following the road map he laid out was productive, focused, fun, and one of the best-sounding mixes I've ever done. Recording Secrets for the Small Studio presumes a certain level of know-how from the get-go, so rank beginners may do a bit of head-scratching from time-to-time. Similarly, if you've been recording for a while there will be sections you'll be tempted to skim over or skip entirely. Don't do it! There are nuggets of engineering wisdom on nearly every page. Very highly recommended.

I purchased this after I had purchased and read MIXING SECRETS. RECORDING SECRETS is another winner! Both of Mike Seniors' books should be required reading for anyone trying to get better results from their home studio recording work. Clear explanations of the technology and practical, useful advice make both of Mike's books great values. In addition to great hands on recording information, I especially enjoyed and benefited from the numerous useful tips on working with singers and players. I have already applied a number of ideas from this book, which has definitely improved my workflow and the quality of my recordings.

This is a very good book. Lots of well organized and useful information! This is the second book I have read by Mike Senior, also read "Mixing Secrets", both books are very informative and will be kept close at hand. This is not a quick read as it goes into depth with examples and suggested exercises; but stick with it, and you will be enlightened. To get the most out of it, definitely plan on doing his suggested exercises. I can definitely recommend this book.

This book was apparently written as a response to the growing trend of a lack of apprenticeship in the recording realm. I am certainly a member of the generation that had just enough cash to build a modest setup and started turning knobs with zero formal training and next to no mentoring aside from some quick comments here and there in passing. In that role, this book is tremendously helpful, almost too much so. It covers s very wide swath of material in a relatively short time, extending beyond most anyone's expected practice. However, no knowledge is bad knowledge here. The book reads like a textbook, so don't expect engaging narrative. It's up to you to stay attentive, because you won't get any help from the text. But for anyone who's self-taught in the world of audio recording, there's enough mandatory information here to satiate. After stumbling and bumbling for 15 years on my own, I found that I had already developed many of the basic habits spelled out here, but I could've skipped years of mistakes if I had this book earlier. And regardless, I filled in countless cracks in my knowledge with the shared information. Highly recommended for novices, and a worthy supplement for experienced folk as well. Not easy to get through, but it will give you what you came for.

Great book. I really enjoyed Mixing Secrets, and so had high hopes for this book. I wasn't disappointed. This is a great discussion on how to set up and use microphones. Very in-depth, and very informative. By the end of this book, I had a much deeper understanding of how to set up mics for recording, and how to choose which ones to use.

I would say that this book is spot on accurate in all of its information. I recommend this book to someone who already has an understanding of mixing and mastering. Myself, after working with many clients and recording artists you'll find yourselves in similar situations as being vocalized and come to a solution. I love that one of the first topics he discusses are even things like creator-comforts, RCA cables and wires, and my favorite topic framing a session. Obviously this book has tremendous value to spend that won't come as surprising to a lot of intermediate or even beginners but I think this book is definitely speaking to intermediate level at very least. I'm on 50th page**

Top quality advice from an expert I respect. I use this as an instruction and desk reference for studio setup and studio problem-solving.

This book is perfect for the budding producer/mix and recording engineer, the three hats that everyone recording in a small studio inevitably wears. These three jobs rely heavily on each other, and this should be the first book to read in the process. It will save much time and frustration, not to mention money wasted on unnecessary audio gear. It's not what you have but how you use it.

I've never written an Amazon review before, but I feel pretty strongly about this book - the £20 you spend on this book could save you a pretty serious amount in unnecessary mic purchases. As someone with a thorough background in music performance (professional performer w/bachelor's degree from a conservatoire) who'd previously thought "what can be so hard about recording acoustic music?" and started stabbing in the dark with budget microphones in my house, this was the perfect resource to slap me round the face and make me get my affairs in order. Fundamentals of recording setup/mic technique from the ground up, along with thorough explanations of all the subjects you've come across and glossed over wondering 'yeah, but how important can that be?' (e.g. phase cancellation, DIY room treatment, etc). It turns out really, really important, so if you haven't delved into recording theory previously, this book should be your first port of call. The way Mike writes is really engaging and (more importantly) really clear, and his website (with audio illustrations of everything he touches on in the book) is outrageously good. Can't recommend highly enough

Technical with focus on the home recording engineers . A must have .

Mike Senior is a professional engineer who has worked with several top bands and he also has contributed as a writer to Sound on Sound, one of my favorite recording magazines. I've been reading Sound On Sound Magazine for a few years now. I've always been impressed by the magazine's high quality, the latest gear reviews, and the depth of solid information it offers to those interested in home recording and advancing their skills. Just a few months ago I purchased Mike Senior's "Mixing Secrets For The Small Studio" from Amazon. As soon as it arrived, I read it from cover to cover! It's a great book that contains a mountain of great ideas, strategies, and pro tips! Based on my favorable impression, I did a couple of things. I ordered a book called "The Producer's Manual" written by Sound On Sound, Editor In Chief, Paul White. Highly recommended. I also pre-ordered, Mike Senior's new title: Recording Secrets For The Small Studio, which is the subject of this review...friends, the wait is finally over! It has arrived!! I just received Recording Secrets For The Small Studio and like it's predecessor, the information contained within it's 450 or so pages is stellar...Those chaps from Britain "Rock", they really know their stuff! As someone who is doing their own recording at home, we will undoubtedly find the need to wear quite a few different "hats" ourselves. Maybe...radio/TV voice talent/singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/bandmember/motivational coach/conductor/fix it person/builder/electrician/musical arranger/producer...and yes the RECORDING ENGINEER. Talk about multi-tasking! Recording Secrets deals with a lot of the above but it's main focus is on developing and honing your skills as a Recording Engineer. Mike endeavors to teach us the neccesary skills and techniques to get things "right" once the record button has been pushed. At it's most basic level things can either be recorded one of two ways, either directly or with the use of a microphone or microphones. For example a turntable should be recorded directly. However, an instrument with a pickup, like an electric guitar or bass might be recorded directly (DI) but it could just as easily be recorded with an SM57 pushed up against the speaker cloth of the amp. There's also the human voice, which definitely needs a microphone stuck somewhere in front of your face to be recorded. There will be preamps, compressors, equalizers, microphones, monitors, and cables that will need to be set up properly. Room treatments for better acoustics, and of course multi-track recording and playback devices to deal with - whether it be on computer or a stand alone unit. Things can start to get pretty complicated. There's a lot of technical information and recording techniques to learn and master. All of this must be clearly explained, understood, and then put into practice. To get the very best performances and recordings captured, all of these elements need to work together in unison. Recording Secrets will answer all of the questions below except for the last one ... Which type of microphone should be used? Why is that? What are the differences? How many mic's are needed? Where should the microphone(s) be placed? Do I need to adjust the levels? Should some sort of processing be applied? What type of cables or other gizmos are needed? Where is that hum/distortion coming from and how do I get rid of it? Are things in phase? How do I improve my rooms acoustics? Do I need to build a vocal booth? How do I get a great sounding vocal? How do I ask the singer nicely to try it one more time without them freaking out on me? What type of microphone should I use for this particular instrument? Should I record direct, maybe ? How do I record in stereo? Should I record this in mono, instead? Where did I put that fluffy bed quilt???! What the..Ahhh!! Seriously, Mike Senior covers alot of ground in his new book. It is cleary and plainly written, well illustrated, with just the right dose of humour where it's needed. Mike draws upon his years of experience as an engineer and journalist to get key concepts across to the reader. Mike also shares the golden nuggets of wisdom from top recording engineers from both sides of the ocean. Sure, you may have heard some of this stuff before, but believe me there's a ton of great ideas and concepts that should open up your eyes (errr, ears) in awe and amazement! Be the recording geek you were meant to be, NOW and Channel your Inner Engineer. Pick this book up, it's well worth owning.

Los compré para aprender por mi cuenta a grabar y mezlar. Los dos me gustan, tienen muy buen contenido. Gracias a Amazon y Blackwell's (vendedor externo de Amazon), por el envio, me llegaron muy bien.

Nuevamente Mike explica de manera sencilla y completa la manera más correcta para hacer grabaciones en casa y en estudios.