With the rise digital recording software and the advent of the “one man computer music studio” there has been an astronomical rise in the number of people with software instruments, but many of these musicians have no idea how to use the modular synthesizers included with their music software programs. “Becoming a Synthesizer Wizard: From Presets to Power User” is the first book that explains what a modular synthesizer is, how it works, and how to use software synthesizers to make music. The book takes a highly practical approach to the subject providing a readable guide which opens up the subject to a broad spectrum of readers. It begins by explaining what the basic building blocks of modular synthesis are, and how they interact. Then it continues to specific exercises utilizing software synthesizers that will be readily available to the reader, regardless of platform or digital audio workstation of choice....

Cakewalk synthesizers are some of the most powerful and widely used synthesizers. Now in its second edition, Cakewalk Synthesizers: From Presets to Power User is the comprehensive resource to help users harness the power of these amazing tools and show you how to get the best results from Cakewalk's complete range of synthesizers. The book begins by diving into the general principles of synthesis and sound creation-covering, among other topics, oscillators, different synthesis methods, filters, envelopes, LFOs, and effects-and then moves on to look at how to make your own sounds, which can be used in your own productions. Separate chapters focus on each synthesizer, looking at its range of uses, the tools that are available, and how to set it up for day-to-day use. The chapters cover Triangle II, PSYN II, Pentagon I, Z3TA+, Session Drummer 2 and Session Drummer 3, Dimension LE and Dimension Pro, Rapture LE and Rapture, and Beatscape, and in the (free) accompanying download package, the chapters cover sfz and sfz+, Cyclone, RXP, DropZone, Square I, DreamStation, Roland GrooveSynth, and TTS-1. In addition, there is a revised and expanded section dedicated to the SFZ format, Cakewalk's powerful sample format (which has also been adopted by other leading synthesizer developers), and undocumented features in the synthesizers are also highlighted. Chances are you won't have every synthesizer covered in this book. That’s okay, because the book has something for everyone, whether you own all the synths or only use the free Cakewalk synthesizers. It's also useful if you want to learn about synthesis. Simply put, this is the ultimate guide to learning about synthesizer programming and to understanding and using all of Cakewalk's synthesizers!...

You’ve got the musicians together, you’ve written the songs, you’ve rehearsed, you’ve spent weeks in the studio, you can gig, and you have produced an album. So what’s next? The business. If you don’t deal with the business, you won’t generate any income and you won’t have a career. "Rocking Your Music Business" introduces the business of music and tells you what you need to do to set up and run your business. As part of this, the book also looks at how you can use your existing tools, such as a desktop computer, a laptop, or a Smartphone/iPhone, to carry your office in your pocket. Musicians make their money from many sources—CD/DVD and digital music sales, live performances and personal appearances, licensing for film and television, and merchandise. You need to get a grip on all of these sources of income to ensure that you receive the money you have earned. Beyond that, you need to keep the rights that are yours (so you can keep generating income). But the music business is more than just money; it’s about people too, including fellow musicians, booking agents, managers, and studio owners. When dealing with any other person, you need to have a clear understanding of the expectations of each party. For instance, does a session musician have any songwriting rights? Without getting issues like this agreed to up-front and in writing, you may be leaving yourself open to years of litigation and needlessly giving away money. You don’t need a major record label to have a career, especially with all the changes that the industry has been undergoing in the last few years, but you do need a successful business to make sure you earn a living making music. That successful career begins with "Rocking Your Music Business," the book that needs to be on every musician’s bookshelf....