When we agreed to take over the Audio Production Worktext from David Reese, Lynne Gross, and Brian Gross, we knew that we had very big shoes to fill. Over the years, they had constructed an excellent audio production textbook that became one of the leaders in the field. The last thing we wanted to do was to significantly alter the layout and the intent of the text. We did not want to radically alter the book and turn it into something both unrecognizable and unusable. We therefore decided that the best road to follow was the one paved by David, Lynne, and Brian—not just out of respect for their work over the years, but also for the instructors who used the textbook, and the students who learned from it. Readers can be assured that we will do everything we can to uphold the standards set by previous editions of the Audio Production Worktext as we move forward.
While we did our best to remain true to previous editions of the text, what we hope readers of the seventh edition will find is an updated, modified worktext that suits the needs of beginning audio production students, while also providing refresher material for more experienced practitioners.
In that spirit, this edition marks the first time supporting material is provided online rather than on an accompanying disk. We believe this is a good move for the text, since it allows for faster and easier updates of ancillary material, should the need arise.
One tradition we have retained from previous editions of the text is using the latest edition of Adobe® Audition® to discuss and illustrate many production concepts throughout the text. As always, you can download a trial version of the program from www.adobe.com, and demo versions of other programs are also available online.
We have freshened and updated both the copy and artwork throughout the book in order to reflect the ever-changing world of audio production. Chapter 1, “Production Planning,” opens the text and focuses on qualities that typify a good production person; a model production planning process; and working with the basic production elements of voice, music, and sound effects. It also addresses the importance of audio production as well as career opportunities for consideration in the audio field. Chapter 2, “The Studio Environment,” continues to introduce the reader to the layout and design of the audio production studio and briefly describes equipment that is detailed in subsequent chapters. This chapter also discusses some basic concepts regarding sound that will help the production person understand the raw material being worked with.
As with the sixth edition, Chapter 3, “Digital Audio Production,” first provides a brief look at how audio is converted from analog to digital. After that, the chapter introduces some of the equipment used for digital production and discusses some of the tools and techniques of digital editing through the use of Adobe® Audition®. Since digital-based production studios with multitrack capabilities have become the norm, this chapter also looks at the basics of multitrack production. After learning about some of these basic production techniques, students should be ready to work with sound sources that can serve as inputs or outputs for the console. One of these is covered in Chapter 4, “Microphones.” This chapter discusses microphone basics, including pickup patterns and transducer types. Readers also learn about different types of microphones and their uses, including lavaliere mics, shotgun mics, and parabolic mics.
Chapter 5, “The Audio Console,” introduces a key component of audio production work. The expanded material on digital interfaces and “virtual” consoles keeps this chapter firmly in the digital age. A solid understanding of this material is important because other audio equipment often operates through a console or mixer, be it in the studio or the field. Chapter 6, “Digital Audio Players/Recorders,” deals with some of the more traditional audio players and recorders still in use, while also discussing some of the more recent advancements in technology. Compact discs, CompactFlash, online storage, and hard disc players and recorders are all considered here.
Chapter 7, “Monitor Speakers and Studio Accessories”, looks at some of the most tried and true, yet overlooked technology in audio production. Monitor speakers and headphones are discussed, along with the connectors, cables, and accessories that complement the major pieces of equipment in the production studio. In this edition, Chapter 8, “Signal Processing Equipment,” continues to provide an introduction to the most popular signal processing equipment employed in audio production work. With digital equipment, especially audio editing software, signal processing effects are now replicated, often faster and more easily than before.
In Chapter 9, “Production Situations,” the student will learn many of the techniques and skills used for different production situations, including basic spot production, radio announcing, newscasting, interviewing, and sports play-by-play, to name a few. Chapter 10, “Location Sound Recording,” surveys the different types of field recording, the problems associated with location recording, the tools of field recording, and basic techniques used to capture sound in the field and get that sound back to the studio. Chapter 11 is now titled “Sound Production for the Visual Media,” and this chapter examines the way audio is used in conjunction with video and film production encompassing techniques for recording dialogue, music, sound effects, and ambient sound. Microphone types and placement are discussed, as well as editing and postproduction considerations.
Finally, Chapter 12, “Internet Radio and Other Distribution Platforms,” briefly explains how to technically create an Internet radio station, while also considering other issues ranging from online hosting to content licensing. The chapter also discusses various distribution methods such as online sites, satellite broadcasting, HD Radio, and Wi-Fi broadcasting. Provided in this chapter is a unique story about the creation of an online radio station, and one person’s move from broadcasting to webcasting. The appendix, “Analog and Digital Audio Equipment,” is a brief historic survey of analog equipment and some of its production techniques, as well as an admission that some facilities still have not completely abandoned the equipment and techniques of older technology. This update to the appendix also includes a discussion of several digital audio production technologies that are not as prominently used as they once were.
Throughout the text, you’ll also find Production Tips, which provide interesting notes that are relevant to various audio production topics. Key terms are listed in boldface when they appear in each chapter and are included in the Glossary.