MusicTech Magazine Ten Minute Masters

reviewed by Daphne Kalfon

MusicTech Magazine Ten Minute Masters consists of 36 chapters which are basically arranged in alphabetical order, starting with chapter 1, “Analogue Synthesis”, and going all the way through until the last chapter, “Wireless”.

I started off by reading the first chapter - “Analogue Synthesis” - and I have to say that even though I already know something about it, I found that the language and explanations in general were not straightforward and easy to follow. The book cover does state that this book is for the newcomer as well, but I would say that if one were truly a newcomer to analogue synthesis for example, they probably wouldn’t understand some of the concepts introduced. For example, ADSR comes up in the chapter discussion, but no description of what it means is provided in the text until later on down the page, by way of a diagram. Even so, to those who have not played a musical instrument - even just the very basics of depressing a key on a keyboard - it may be a mystery as to what ADSR really means.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSR]

As I read further on to other chapters, I was surprised to find a more detailed description of ADSR in chapter 13, “Envelopes”. The book seems rather disjointed to me, to have that explanation featured so many chapters further on, instead of including it in the chapter where the concept of ADSR was first introduced.

Also, chapter 1 mentions sawtooth and square waves, yet offers no explanation as to what they are. However, once again, similar to the issue with ADSR, I did find an explanation of those items much further on, in chapter 25, “Oscillators”. I think it would make more sense to have incorporated chapter 25 into chapter 1 in this case, or at least to let the reader know which chapter to refer to for more information on waveforms at the time those particular concepts are first introduced.

Chapter 2, “Arranging rhythm”, introduces and explains the concept of the rhythm section. Halfway down the page is a drum score. If one doesn’t know the basic notation concepts of quarter note, eighth note, sixteenth note and time signatures, the diagram offered by way of explanation may not be of much help. Such notation is also found in chapter 21, “Harmonics” and again may not be of much use to the reader.

Also in chapter 2, although some helpful tips and pointers on arranging are given, arranging is much more than just a concept, and as such, the “how-to’s” would rather be best left to an entire book on the subject. The inclusion of something as complex as how to go about arranging, in a few pages in this kind of book, is misplaced. It would have been preferable and more appropriate to simply discuss what an arrangement is, and its purpose, instead of going as it does, into an overly simplistic explanation of how to actually go about creating one. As an analogy, a similar style book on carpentry would explain woodworking terms and concepts, but not go into how to actually build something.

Also, and this may not be the fault of MusicTech, page 7 in this chapter simply drops off mid-sentence, with no continuation on the following page.

Other chapters however, because of their very nature, such as the chapters on “MIDI” and “Microphones” are more straightforward and informative.

My understanding about this book is that each chapter is actually an article taken from the magazine itself. It is my feeling that some editing should have been done for this particular book form. Rather than trying to go briefly into the “how to’s”, as may be expected in a magazine article, it would have been more effective for this kind of book to just provide a straightforward explanation of each concept along with relevant examples. The how-to’s should be left to the books and websites that are mentioned at the end of the chapter, for those who are interested.

Furthermore, I found that as I read the book, there were many chapters discussing audio and various audio concepts, and I feel that in addition to the diagrams provided, that actual audio examples of such concepts would have been very useful and a welcome addition in helping to better explain some of the not-so-simple concepts presented. This could have been supplied either by means of an accompanying CD-ROM or Internet access to a website containing such audio examples.

On the plus side, several chapters provided interesting historical background, many provide screen shots and/or diagrams of what is being discussed, and all have interesting side notes along the margins. At the end of many chapters, additional references, in the form of books and websites, are listed.

Conclusion

This book will certainly whet the appetite for those wanting to know about certain concepts and is handy as a quick reference on the studio bookshelf.