Books about Surrounds from Amazon.com

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Price: $11.89 [Notify me when price goes down.]

We experience spaces not only by seeing but also by listening We can navigate a room in the dark, and "hear" the emptiness of a house without furniture. Our experience of music in a concert hall depends on whether we sit in the front row or under the balcony. The unique acoustics of religious spaces acquire symbolic meaning. Social relationships are strongly influenced by the way that space changes sound. In Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?, Barry Blesser and Linda-Ruth Salter examine auditory spatial awareness: experiencing space by attentive listening. Every environment has an aural architecture.

The audible attributes of physical space have always contributed to the fabric of human culture, as demonstrated by prehistoric multimedia cave paintings, classical Greek open-air theaters, Gothic cathedrals, acoustic geography of French villages, modern music reproduction, and virtual spaces in home theaters. Auditory spatial awareness is a prism that reveals a culture's attitudes toward hearing and space. Some listeners can learn to "see" objects with their ears, but even without training, we can all hear spatial geometry such as an open door or low ceiling.

Integrating contributions from a wide range of disciplines—including architecture, music, acoustics, evolution, anthropology, cognitive psychology, audio engineering, and many others—Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? establishes the concepts and language of aural architecture. These concepts provide an interdisciplinary guide for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of how space enhances our well-being. Aural architecture is not the exclusive domain of specialists. Accidentally or intentionally, we all function as aural architects..
Price: $25.03 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Fully updated throughout this best selling title on surround sound offers you a wealth of practical information, now considered the 'go to' book for those requiring a working knowledge. Concentrating specifically on surround audio, Holman provides clear comprehensive explanations of complex concepts, making this a must have book for all those in the field.

* Includes mixing tips for multichannel sound
* Step by step instructions for setting up a monitoring room
* Benefit from authors knowledge and clear explanations.
Price: $27.75 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The Microphone Book is the only guide you will ever need to the latest in microphone technology, application and technique This new edition features, more on microphone arrays and wireless microphones; a new chapter on classic old models; the latest developments in surround; expanded advice on studio set up, recording and mic selection; improved layout for ease of reference; even more illustrations.

John Eargle provides detailed analysis of the different types of microphones available. He then addresses their application through practical examples of actual recording sessions and studio operations. Surround sound is covered from both a creative and a technical viewpoint.

This classic reference takes the reader into the studio or concert hall to see how performers are positioned and how the best microphone array is determined. Problem areas such as reflections, studio leakage and isolation are analyzed from practical viewpoints. Creative solutions to such matters as stereo sound staging, perspective, and balance are also covered in detail. Recording and sound reinforcement engineers at all levels of expertise will find The Microphone Book an invaluable resource for learning the 'why' as well as the 'how' of choosing a microphone for any situation.

* The most comprehensive guide available, heavily illustrated with helpful diagrams, charts and equations
* A timesaving, one-stop reference covering both microphone technology and practical tips on use and problem solving
* Written by a highly respected industry veteran and Grammy award winner.
Price: $41.69 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Covering everything from sexual abuse to gangsta rap, from the decision to seek revenge in "the hood" to combat in the Persian Gulf War, Things Get Hectic offers a kid's-eye view of a world infinitely more terrifying than the one most of us grew up in. Here is a book that chronicles with vivid immediacy the violence young people are subjected to in their homes and neighborhoods; the sudden, wrenching loss they experience when friends and loved ones are taken from them; and their daily struggles to fashion a sane response to a world gone completely mad. Each piece in the collection is full of insight into the ways different forms of violence are learned, endured, resisted, and ultimately overcome. Things Get Hectic will let teen readers know that they aren't alone and will help them cope with their own sense of menace, loss, and rage. The book also offers teachers and parents a unique opportunity to listen while kids share their most urgent concerns..
Price: $3.83 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Explores the principles and practical considerations of spatial sound recording and reproduction Particular emphasis is given to the increasing importance of multichannel surround sound and 3D audio, including binaural approaches, without ignoring conventional stereo.

The enhancement of spatial quality is arguably the only remaining hurdle to be overcome in pursuit of high quality sound reproduction. The rise of increasingly sophisticated spatial sound systems presents an enormous challenge to audio engineers, many of whom are confused by the possibilities and unfamiliar with standards, formats, track allocations, monitoring configurations and recording techniques.

The author provides a comprehensive study of the current state of the art in spatial audio, concentrating on the most widely used approaches and configurations. Anyone wishing to expand their understanding of these cutting-edge technologies will want to own this book.

Keep up to date with the latest technology - 3D audio, surround sound and multichannel recording techniques
Enables you to cut through the common confusions and problems associated with the subject
Further your knowledge with this comprehensive study of the very latest spatial audio technologies and techniques.
Price: $44.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]

5.1 Surround Sound: Up and Running offers a wealth of practical information for recording engineers. It examines such topics as loudspeakers, room acoustics, bass management, as well as a variety of available microphone and recording techniques and tips for postproduction. A thorough study of distribution formats, including an overview of existing and emerging media, and the psychoacoustics of multichannel sound complete this book.

Multichannel or surround sound involves recording sound on five separate channels and playing it back through an array of speakers. Developed a few years ago for the home theatre market, it is only now being introduced to the music industry with the acceptance of the new DVD audio format. This is the hottest topic in the music recording business, and it will require a major conversion on the part of the studios.

*Hottest topic in sound recording today
*Mixing tips for multichannel sound
*Step-by-step instructions for setting up a monitoring room
*In 2001 Tom Holman won a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award for the research and systems integration resulting in the improvement of motion picture loudspeaker systems.
Price: $43.08 [Notify me when price goes down.]

France holds some of the most remarkable and well-known collections of art in the world. This thorough and accessible guide covers every possible epoch, taking travelers on a guided journey through centuries of wonderful paintings, architecture, and sculpture. Concentrating on the great art movements that originated in France, it begins with the cathedrals of the Middle Ages and then moves on to the enormously popular painting of the 19th-century Impressionists and those who followed them. The French have also collected a great deal of art from other countries. Like the Impressionists' work, most of these collections are in museums in Paris. In a series of art trails-itineraries that cover the most important works in the country-travelers are taken on a captivating tours of the best in art in France. Written in a friendly, informative style, it is designed for the traveler who is serious-but not stuffy-about art. Not only does it give specialized coverage of art in France, but it will save the traveler the expense of purchasing numerous gallery guides.

The guide features: -Coverage of the background of French art and its cultural context -Brief biographies of individual artists -Expert knowledge presented in a friendly, informative style -Details and descriptions of the outstanding pieces at every site -Interesting critical descriptions of works and explanations of technical terms -Maps highlighting places to visit, including intercity routes -Diagrams and drawings

Meeting the needs of a market that has hitherto been ignored, this delightful guide will entertain and inform the seasoned cultural traveler as well as the amateur art buff.

"Travelers in Europe who are there specifically to look at the art...will see things they never saw before and learn more about the things they already knew existed, with this delightful guidebook to the art and architecture of France."--JoDee Taylor, Foreword Magazine.
Price: $9.89 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The Constant Gardener is the kind of thriller that hasn't been seen since the 1970s: Smart, politically complex, cinematically adventurous, genuinely thrilling and even heartbreaking Mild diplomat Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes, The English Patient, Schindler's List) has a loose cannon of a wife named Tessa (Rachel Weisz, The Shape of Things, The Mummy), who's digging into the dirty doings of a major pharmaceutical company in Kenya. Her brutal murder forces Justin to continue her investigation down some deadly avenues. This simple plot description doesn't capture the rich texture and slippery, sinuous movement of The Constant Gardener, superbly directed by Fernando Meirelles (Oscar-nominated for his first film, City of God). Shifting back and forth in time, the movie skillfully captures the engaging romance between Justin and Tessa (Fiennes shows considerably more chemistry with Weisz than he had with Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan) and builds a vivid, gripping, and all-too-justified paranoia. And on top of it all, the movie is beautiful, due to both its incredible shots of the African landscape (which at times is haunting and unearthly) and the gorgeous cinematography. Featuring an all-around excellent cast, including Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Pete Postlethwaite (In the Name of the Father), and Danny Huston (Silver City). --Bret Fetzer.
Price: $6.93 [Notify me when price goes down.]