Books

[Bezo]

I've been searching the threads and came across 2 books; Mastering Audio - The Art & the Science by Katz and Producing In the Home Studio With Pro Tools by Franz.

What I'm looking for is a book that focuses on mixing, that is specific to Pro Tools. Franz's book only has a chapter on mixing and Katz's book is not Pro Tools specific, but does give insight to mixing from what I've heard.

How extensive is the mixing chapter in Franz's book?

Can any offer other suggestions?

[pk_hat]

I have the Franz book, but the one dealing with PT 5.xx.
It's actually quite good, though I think too many pages are wasted on 'how to be a producer' - paperwork involved - how to make good coffee - preparing for sessions with musicians, etc. - and was hoping for more focus on the software, tips and tricks, mixing, etc. All things considered, it's a good read, less cerebral than a PDF file.

Bob Katz's book - IMHO, anyone who wants to really get better at this needs to have this book within arm's reach. Granted, it's not ProTools specific, but this is the fat to chew on, no matter what software you use. Fundamentals, audio myths, the stuff that never made much sense until page 72, all that [bleep], A MUST READ!

[Cliffy_Boy]

LOL

how to make good coffee

My take exactly. Especially the part about dimming the lights for the singer
I just ordered from the Digistore the Quick Guide to PT6. I have other quick guides for Photoshop etc. and like the approach of tackling an issue in depth with pretty pictures and screenshots. I'll post my review when I finish reading it. ( usually in about 2 hours from when I start - pretty anal but I like technical books)

[Bezo]

I have the Franz book, but the one dealing with PT 5.xx.
It's actually quite good, though I think too many pages are wasted on 'how to be a producer' - paperwork involved - how to make good coffee - preparing for sessions with musicians, etc. - and was hoping for more focus on the software, tips and tricks, mixing, etc. All things considered, it's a good read, less cerebral than a PDF file.

I didn't know he went that far, but after looking at the contents I knew there would be a lot I wasn't concerned with. How was the mixing chapter?

Bob Katz's book - IMHO, anyone who wants to really get better at this needs to have this book within arm's reach. Granted, it's not ProTools specific, but this is the fat to chew on, no matter what software you use. Fundamentals, audio myths, the stuff that never made much sense until page 72, all that [bleep], A MUST READ!

How much does he get into mixing? Or is this a must have regarding audio treatment in general?

Thanks!

[pk_hat]

Franz's book doesn't cover much about actually mixing, it simply re-hashes the same fundamentals we've come to read about over the years, be it in magazines, forums like this one, or even sites like StudioCovers, which is about the best resource available on the net. It's not a bad book, I've picked up some interesting tidbits from it, but it's really more for the entry-level (ie: "what's a preamp and what does a compressor do?") to intermediate ("ah, that's how you do that, cool!").

Mastering Audio by Bob Katz, as the title suggests, deals a lot with mastering. However, once you understand the audio fundamentals explained in the book (very well at that, may I add) and you understand what (and what not) to expect at the mastering stage, you're in a better position to deliver a great mix. It all goes hand in hand, as a great master begins with a great mix, otherwise you're just enhancing the crap you thought sounded good. Yeah, you learn a lot about actual mixing from this book. It's a gem.

[Bezo]

Franz's book sounds interesting. I'm sure I could learn a few things about basic recording/editing, but that may be a later purchase.

Katz's book sounds good. Probably closer to what I'm looking for.

Thanks for the link. I'm sure I'll find exactly what I'm looking for there. I need mixing tips. I'm always satisfied with a mix until I listen to a commercial recording. They all seem to isolate each sound, but at the same time everything blends together perfectly. My mixes are not as cohesive. My levels are good. I'm able to EQ and pan sounds so that everything is heard, but everything sounds too separated. Given, those songs are mastered, but my understanding is that a good mix should sound cohesive.