Searching for the best audio engineering books to study, learn, grow, and advance your skills? Look no further, we at Audio Assemble have done the research for you. Below are a list of the best audio engineering books from beginner to advanced, listing the pros and cons of each book. We hand selected the books which contain the most valuable lessons and detailed steps to help you improve your audio engineering career.
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Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio
Author: Mike Senior
Synopsis
Discover how to achieve release-quality mixes even in the smallest studios by applying power-user techniques from the world’s most successful producers.
This is the definitive authority on Pro Tools – straight from Avid. Learn through hands on tutorials with this Pro Tools 11 updated version.
Pros:
- Learn subtle editing, arrangement and monitoring tactics
- Master tricks to protect you from rookie mistakes
- Find out where you can cut costs
- Tips on making a limited budget count
- Review and discussion questions at the end of each section
Cons
- Suggests expensive equipment
Audio Engineering 101
Author: Tim Dittmar
Synopsis
This book is a real world guide for starting out in the recording industry. If you have the dream, the ideas, the music and the creativity but don’t know where to start, then this book is for you!
Pros:
- Covers all the recording processes
- Includes guide to microphones
- Basics of: equipment, studio acoustics, principles of EQ/compression, music examples, when/hot to use compression
- FAQ’s from professionals
Cons:
- References some basic audio engineering terminology (You may have to “Google” some of these if you don’t know them already)
The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook 3rd Edition
Author: Bobby Owsinski
Synopsis
Pros:
- More than 150,000 copies sold
- Bobby Owsinski covers all the fundamentals & breaks down the mixing process
- Learn the six elements of a mix
Cons:
- Some areas are opinionated (style-preferences)
- Black and white pictures
Modern Recording Techniques
Author: David Miles Huber
Synopsis
Master the tools and day-to-day practices of music recording and production. Learn the ins and outs of room acoustics and designing a studio. Gain techniques for mic placement and running a session. Get a solid grounding in both theory and industry practice.
Pros:
- Recommended by MusicTech magazine
- Full of great DIY experiments
- Overviews the business and what important aspects to consider outside of the pure technicalities.
Cons:
- Lack of some specific details
The Art of Mixing: A Visual Guide to Recording, Engineering, and Production
Author: David Miles Huber
Synopsis
Get ready for an in-depth exploration into the aesthetics of what makes a great mix! David Gibson’s unique approach to mixing gives you a visual representation of the dynamics of the sounds involved in creating a musical mix.
Pros:
- Amazingly detailed visuals
- Tons of helpful images that show panning positions, volumes, etc.
- Provides you with information on how to use the tools you already have instead of purchasing more tools
Cons:
- Lacks compression information
- Gives a general overview with only some specific steps