The Oxford Handbook of Computer Music offers a state-of-the-art cross-section of the most field-defining topics and debates in computer music today. A unique contribution to the field, it situates computer music in the broad context of its creation and performance across the range of issues - from music cognition to pedagogy to sociocultural topics - that shape contemporary discourse in the field.
Fifty years after musical tones were produced on a computer for the first time, developments in laptop computing have brought computer music within reach of all listeners and composers. Production and distribution of computer music have grown tremendously as a result, and the time is right for this survey of computer music in its cultural contexts. An impressive and international array of music creators and academics discuss computer music's history, present, and future with a wide perspective, including composition, improvisation, interactive performance, spatialization, sound synthesis, sonification, and modeling. Throughout, they merge practice with theory to offer a fascinating look into computer music's possibilities and enduring appeal.

Though the book ranks as an admirable exercise in rigorous scholarship, the prevailing tone is that of an informal conversation. That's what keeps you turning the pages. Serious record collectors will find that this book . . . will make them see--and hear--their disks in a wholly new perspective. The New York Times The first book of its kind ever published, Edison, Musicians, and the Phonograph presents the candid opinions of a wide variety of musicians--from those performing when the phonograph was first used to present-day artists--about the recording process, its effects, and its validity. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews, John and Susan Harvith have constructed a detailed picture of how musicians and technicians view the ramifications of recording, a picture that reveals a dichotomy between our public perception of the recorded music as truly representative and the performers' frequent mistrust of the medium.

Detailed information on almost all ethnic and vernacular recordings from many countries on 78rpm is provided in this seminal work. The current state of discographical research in this wide and varied field is such that a research tool of this nature is badly needed. Jesse Walter Fewkes and Mary Hemenway recorded Native American music as early as 1890; Bela Bartok recorded rural music in the Balkans; Erich von Hornbostel, the grand old man of ethnomusicology in Europe, recorded in Southeast Asia. More than just a discography, this work demonstrates that cultures around the world and over time have more similarities than differences. A necessity for scholars, students, archivists, and individual record collectors and dealers.

The goals of this volume are many and varied: to promote thought and discussion toward a concise definition of recorded ethnic music; to assist specialists working on individual discographical projects; to introduce users to the interconnectedness of cultures through regional music; to gather heretofore disparate pieces of information under one cover in a way that for the first time allows specialists to accurately identify all manner of recordings in many languages. The four sections of the volume work together for easy usage through cross referencing. The philosophy behind the volume was expressed by Rodney Gallop when he remarked that music, for him, was often the key to the understanding of other cultures.

"Ruppli always packs his books with every conceivable convenience, with the researcher in mind. Thus, we find complete listings of every LP and EP issued by Savoy and its subsidiaries, and also all records leased or purchased by Savoy, including, Bop, Dee Gee, Discovery, National, Jewell, Hi-Lo, and Signal. An artist index is the final helpful touch." Goldmine Magazine

Refining Sound is a practical roadmap to the complexities of creating sounds on modern synthesizers. As author, veteran synthesizer instructor Brian K. Shepard draws on his years of experience in synthesizer pedagogy in order to peel back the often-mysterious layers of sound synthesis one-by-one. The result is a book which allows readers to familiarize themselves with each individual step in the synthesis process, in turn empowering them in their own creative or experimental work. The book follows the stages of synthesis in chronological progression, starting readers at the raw materials of sound creation and ultimately bringing them to the final "polishing" stage. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect of the synthesis process, culminating in a last chapter that brings everything together as the reader creates his/her own complex sounds. Throughout the text, the material is supported by copious examples and illustrations as well as by audio files and synthesis demonstrations on a related companion website. Each chapter contains easily digestible guided projects (entitled "Your Turn" sections) that focus on the topics of the corresponding chapter. In addition to this, one complete project will be carried through each chapter of the book cumulatively, allowing the reader to follow - and build - a sound from start to finish. The final chapter includes several sound creation projects in which readers are given types of sound to create as well as some suggestions and tips, with final outcomes is left to readers' own creativity. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of learning to create sounds on a synthesizer is to understand exactly what each synthesizer component does independent of the synthesizer's numerous other components. Not only does this book thoroughly illustrate and explain these individual components, but it also offers numerous practical demonstrations and exercises that allow the reader to experiment with and understand these elements without the distraction of the other controls and modifiers. Refining Sound is essential for all electronic musicians from amateur to professional levels of accomplishment, students, teachers, libraries, and anyone interested in creating sounds on a synthesizer.

Off the Record is a revealing exploration of piano performing practices of the high Romantic era. Author and well-known keyboard player Neal Peres Da Costa bases his investigation on a range of early sound recordings (acoustic, piano roll and electric) that capture a generation of highly-esteemed pianists trained as far back as the mid-nineteenth-century. Placing general practices of late nineteenth-century piano performance alongside evidence of the stylistic idiosyncrasies of legendary pianists such as Carl Reinecke (1824-1910), Theodor Leschetizky (1830-1915), Camille Saint-Saens (1838-1921) and Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), he examines prevalent techniques of the time--dislocation, unnotated arpeggiation, rhythmic alteration, tempo fluctuation--and unfolds the background and lineage of significant performer/pedagogues. Throughout, Peres Da Costa demonstrates that these early recordings do not simply capture the idiosyncrasies of aging musicians as has been commonly asserted, but in fact represent a range of established expressive practices of a lost age.
An extensive collection of these fascinating and sometimes rare professional recordings of the Romantic age masters are available on a companion web site, and in addition, Peres Da Costa, himself a renowned period keyboardist, illustrates points made throughout the book with his own playing. Of essential value to student and professional pianists, historical musicologists of 19th and early 20th century performance practice, and also to the general music aficionado audience, Off the Record is an indispensable resource for scholarly research, performance inspiration, and listening enjoyment."

Magneto-resistive recording heads are sensors that exploit magneto resistance effects to read digital magnetically recorded data. The industry of disk drives is growing because of the need for increased storage capacity.

Compiled in cooperation with the Antonin Dvorak Society of Prague, Czechoslovakia, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth, this is the first book-length discography on Dvorak. It updates the discography appended to Jarmil Burghauser's Antonin Dvorak Thematic Catalogue (1960). Burghauser, President of the Dvorak Society, explains in a foreword to the present work that, due to the immense proliferation of Dvorak recordings, it was decided not to include a discography in the revised edition of the Thematic Catalogue. Organized similarly to the Catalogue by genres and works, Antonin Dvorak on Records may be used in conjunction with it and, further, will be valuable to musicians, students, collectors, and others primarily interested in the recordings. The discography selects from the many thousands of Dvorak recordings those of excellence and historic significance on LP and CD formats, representing the diversity of the oeuvre. The volume introduction surveys the recording history before the LP revolution. Indexes provide access to the recordings by works and by performers and performing groups.

Electric and Music Industries Ltd (EMI) first saw the light of day in the UK in 1931. In a visionary move for the gramophone age, it manufactured both hardware (recording and playback equipment) and software (the records and tapes its machines would play). For over half a century, EMI dominated both sectors, it's music division eventually becoming the most successful in the world with a roster that at various times included "The Beatles", Maria Callas, Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard, Pink Floyd, "The Beach Boys", "Queen", Robbie Williams, "The Spice Girls", Kate Bush and Kylie Minogue. Then in the 1990s, things started to go wrong.This title explores and investigates EMI's extraordinary decline from the greatness over two decades of rejected takeovers, unsuccessful mergers, executive changes, profit warnings, artist and staff cuts, press criticism and never-ending speculation. It includes interviews with many key players including former EMI Group/EMI Music executives Sir Colin Southgate, Jim Fifield, Eric Nicoli, Tony Wadsworth, David Munns, Rupert Perry, Ray Cooper and Jon Webster. He has also interviewed many managers, music journalists, financial analysists and rival record company executives. The result is the definitive account of a major international company's travails. It is also an eye-opening expose of the speed at which the music industry has changed.

What was the relationship between working-class youths and popular music between the years 1955-1976? Drawing on archival sources and oral testimony, Keith Gildart examines the ways in which popular music played an important role in reflecting and shaping social identities and working-class cultures and - through a focus on rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues, punk, the mod subculture, and the many worlds of glam rock - created a sense of crisis in English society. Complemented by a critical reading of the songs, performances and impact of influential and emblematic musicians including Georgie Fame, The Beatles, Pete Townshend, Ray Davies, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols, Gildart brings together an investigation of particular localities, scenes, genres and individual and collective experiences and forms a critique of recent revisionist histories of popular music and youth culture.

Classical Recording: A Practical Guide in the Decca Tradition is the authoritative guide to all aspects of recording acoustic classical music. Offering detailed descriptions, diagrams, and photographs of fundamental recording techniques such as the Decca tree, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the essential skills involved in successfully producing a classical recording. Written by engineers with years of experience working for Decca and Abbey Road Studios and as freelancers, Classical Recording equips the student, the interested amateur, and the practising professional with the required knowledge and confidence to tackle everything from solo piano to opera.

This book provides a broad overview of spaciousness in music theory, from mixing and performance practice, to room acoustics, psychoacoustics and audio engineering, and presents the derivation, implementation and experimental validation of a novel type of spatial audio system. Discussing the physics of musical instruments and the nature of auditory perception, the book enables readers to precisely localize synthesized musical instruments while experiencing their timbral variance and spatial breadth. Offering interdisciplinary insights for novice music enthusiasts and experts in the field of spatial audio, this book is suitable for anyone interested in the study of music and musicology and the application of spatial audio mixing, or those seeking an overview of the state of the art in applied psychoacoustics for spatial audio.

Music Engineering is a hands-on guide to the practical aspects of electric and electronic music. It is both a compelling read and an essential reference guide for anyone using, choosing, designing or studying the technology of modern music. The technology and underpinning science are introduced through the real life demands of playing and recording, and illustrated with references to well known classic recordings to show how a particular effect is obtained thanks to the ingenuity of the engineer as well as the musician. In addition, an accompanying companion website containing over 50 specially chosen tracks for download, provides practical demonstrations of the effects and techniques described in the book.
Written by a music enthusiast and electronic engineer, this book covers the electronics and physics of the subject as well as the more subjective aspects. The second edition includes an updated Digital section including MPEG3 and fact sheets at the end of each chapter to summarise the key electronics and science. In addition to instruments and recording technology, this book covers essential kit such as microphones, sequencers, amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Discover the potential of electronics and computers to transform your performances and recordings
Develop an understanding of the engineering behind state of the art instruments, amplifiers and recording equipment
An accompanying companion website completes the package with over 50 tracks providing practical demonstrations of the effects and techniques described in the book

This book examines the interplay between recorded music and social, political, and economic forces in the United States in the era of the phonograph's rise and decline as the dominant medium of popular recorded sound, from the appearance of the first commercial recordings to the postwar years when the industry yielded its primacy to newer forms of mass media.

Audio Mastering: The Artists collects more than twenty interviews, drawn from more than 60 hours of discussions, with many of the world's leading mastering engineers. In these exclusive and often intimate interviews, engineers consider the audio mastering process as they, themselves, experience and shape it as the leading artists in their field. Each interview covers how engineers got started in the recording industry, what prompted them to pursue mastering, how they learned about the process, which tools and techniques they routinely use when they work, and a host of other particulars of their crafts. We also spoke with mix engineers, and craftsmen responsible for some of the more iconic mastering tools now on the market, to gain a broader perspective on their work. This book is the first to provide such a comprehensive overview of the audio mastering process told from the point-of-view of the artists who engage in it. In so doing, it pulls the curtain back on a crucial, but seldom heard from, agency in record production at large.

The MIDI Manual is a complete reference on MIDI, written by a well-respected sound engineer and author. This best-selling guide provides a clear explanation of what MIDI is, how to use electronic instruments and an explanation of sequencers and how to use them. You will learn how to set up an efficient MIDI system and how to get the best out of your music. The MIDI Manual is packed full of useful tips and practical examples on sequencing and mixing techniques. It also covers editors/librarians, working with a score, MIDI in mass media and multimedia and synchronisation. The MIDI spec is set out in detail along with the helpful guidelines on using the implementation chart. Illustrated throughout with helpful photos and screengrabs, this is the most readable and clear book on MIDI available.

Metal Music Manual shows you the creative and technical processes involved in producing contemporary heavy music for maximum sonic impact. From pre-production to final mastered product, and fundamental concepts to advanced production techniques, this book contains a world of invaluable practical information. Assisted by clear discussion of critical audio principles and theory, and a comprehensive array of illustrations, photos, and screen grabs, Metal Music Manual is the essential guide to achieving professional production standards. The extensive companion website features multi-track recordings, final mixes, processing examples, audio stems, etc., so you can download the relevant content and experiment with the techniques you read about. The website also features video interviews the author conducted with the following acclaimed producers, who share their expertise, experience, and insight into the processes involved: Fredrik Nordstroem (Dimmu Borgir, At The Gates, In Flames) Matt Hyde (Slayer, Parkway Drive, Children of Bodom) Ross Robinson (Slipknot, Sepultura, Machine Head) Logan Mader (Gojira, DevilDriver, Fear Factory) Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Killswitch Engage, Testament) Jens Bogren (Opeth, Kreator, Arch Enemy) Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Soilwork, Behemoth) Nick Raskulinecz (Mastodon, Death Angel, Trivium) Quotes from these interviews are featured throughout Metal Music Manual, with additional contributions from: Ross "Drum Doctor" Garfield (one of the world's top drum sound specialists, with Metallica and Slipknot amongst his credits) Andrew Scheps (Black Sabbath, Linkin Park, Metallica) Maor Appelbaum (Sepultura, Faith No More, Halford)

As audiences are increasingly no longer solely listeners but also active producer-consumers, and as video games and other interactive systems increasingly permeate our daily lives, understanding interactivity and its impact on the audience has never been more important. A collection of newly commissioned chapters on interactivity in music and sound edited by preeminent scholars in the field, this book marks the beginning of a journey into understanding the ways in which we interact with sound, and offers a new set of analytical tools for the growing field of interactive audio. What does it mean to interact with sound? How does interactivity alter our experience as creators and listeners? What makes interactive audio different from non-interactive audio? Where does interacting with audio fit into our understanding of sound and music? What does the future hold for interactive media when it comes to our musical and sonic experiences? And how do we begin to approach interactive audio from a theoretical perspective? The Oxford Handbook of Interactive Audio answers these questions by exploring the full range of interactive audio in video games, performance, education, environmental design, toys, and artistic practice. Examining these questions from a range of approaches - technological, emotional, psychological, and physical - the book provides a thorough overview of the fascinating experience of interactive sound.

A discography and bibliography of music written for the modern harpsichord, this volume features more than 800 mass-marketed recordings of some 600 compositions written after the revival of the harpsichord (ca. 1889). Also included is information pertaining to performances of compositions arranged for harpsichord. Although the modern harpsichord is a much greater part of 20th-century music than one might imagine, it is about to become a relic because of its historical incorrectness. This will leave sound recordings as the prime medium of information for contemporary compositions, most of which cannot be adequately performed on any other instrument. The modern harpsichord consists of two manuals with at least four stops—one 4-foot, two 8-foot, and one 16-foot—operated by pedals. This type of harpsichord (except for the 16-foot stop) has been in existence since 1889. The new design, popular for many years, has fallen on hard times due to its lack of resonance and its historically inaccurate disposition of stops. Because it may well become an instrument of the past, this volume, which documents music composed specifically for the modern harpsichord, is especially valuable.

Both modern mathematical music theory and computer science are strongly influenced by the theory of categories and functors. One outcome of this research is the data format of denotators, which is based on set-valued presheaves over the category of modules and diaffine homomorphisms. The functorial approach of denotators deals with generalized points in the form of arrows and allows the construction of a universal concept architecture. This architecture is ideal for handling all aspects of music, especially for the analysis and composition of highly abstract musical works.

This book presents an introduction to the theory of module categories and the theory of denotators, as well as the design of a software system, called Rubato Composer, which is an implementation of the category-theoretic concept framework. The application is written in portable Java and relies on plug-in components, so-called rubettes, which may be combined in data flow networks for the generation and manipulation of denotators.

The Rubato Composer system is open to arbitrary extension and is freely available under the GPL license. It allows the developer to build specialized rubettes for tasks that are of interest to composers, who in turn combine them to create music. It equally serves music theorists, who use them to extract information from and manipulate musical structures. They may even develop new theories by experimenting with the many parameters that are at their disposal thanks to the increased flexibility of the functorial concept architecture.

Two contributed chapters by Guerino Mazzola and Florian Thalmann illustrate the application of the theory as well as the software in the development of compositional tools and the creation of a musical work with the help of the Rubato framework.

In January of 1972 the Golden Age of Opera series of the Edward J. Smith Recordings was succeeded by the Unique Opera Records Corporation (UORC) and released two-hundred and eighty numbered releases between 1972 and December, 1977. Smith's final private label, the A.N.N.A. Record Company (ANNA) released seventy-three numbered issues between 1978 and 1982. Interspersed between UORC and ANNA, and spanning the years 1954 to 1981, numerous "special label" issues were released under fugitive names. As a companion to the first volume, EJS: Discography of the Edward J. Smith Recordings "The Golden Age of Opera," 1956-1971, this volume continues where the first left off. The three labels are catalogued in separate sections. Researchers will appreciate the ten indexes provided and the selectively quoted material from Smith's personal correspondence that supplements the text.