Can we compile a list of music production, audio engineering, mixing and mastering books from pre-software DAW age?

I will start with what I have in PDF:

All About HI-FI Tape Recording by Donald Carl Hoefler
Audio Control Handbook for Radio and Television Broadcasting by Robert S. Oringel
Tape Recorders and Tape Recording by Harold D. Weiler
The Art of Sound Reproduction by John Watkinson
Loudspeakers For Music Recording and Reproduction by Philip Newell and Keith Holland
The Art of Mixing by David Gibson
Audio production worktext by David E. Reese, Lynne S. Gross, Brian Gross
Total Recording by David Moulton
The Recording and Reproduction of Sound by Oliver Read
GOOD VIBRATIONS A History of Record Production by Mark Cunningham
Studio Recording Procedures by Mike Shea
Home Recording Studio: Build It Like the Pros by Rod Gervais
Audio and Hi-Fi Handbook by IAN R. SINCLAIR

 

Last edited: Mar 14, 2019

No one has old books or no one is interested in them?

 

Here’s a list of pre-software DAW books on music production, audio engineering, mixing, and mastering:

1. All About HI-FI Tape Recording by Donald Carl Hoefler
2. Audio Control Handbook for Radio and Television Broadcasting by Robert S. Oringel
3. Tape Recorders and Tape Recording by Harold D. Weiler
4. The Art of Sound Reproduction by John Watkinson
5. Loudspeakers For Music Recording and Reproduction by Philip Newell and Keith Holland
6. The Art of Mixing by David Gibson
7. Audio Production Worktext by David E. Reese, Lynne S. Gross, Brian Gross
8. Total Recording by David Moulton
9. The Recording and Reproduction of Sound by Oliver Read
10. Good Vibrations: A History of Record Production by Mark Cunningham
11. Studio Recording Procedures by Mike Shea
12. Home Recording Studio: Build It Like the Pros by Rod Gervais
13. Audio and Hi-Fi Handbook by Ian R. Sinclair

 

The Secrets of the Mastering Engineer - Bob Katz
Tips and Tricks for Mastering - Dave Moulton
KIQ Productions Total Recording Book
Berklee College - Music Production & Engineering - Vol 1-24

Master Handbook Of Acoustics - F. Alton Everest
Sound Reproduction - The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms - Floyd E. Toole
The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Guitar - Howard Wright

Not too much..

 

whats your criteria? is there a cutoff date you consider "pre-modern"? I'm sure I have some
we should create an archive - I'm assuming you are talking pdf scans of the older books, not the hard copies..
I have old sheet music, often find it in thrift stores for a dollar or 2. no one wants it apparently.

 

A lot of these are available on the net elsewhere if you know where to look, but looks like there's no sharing & caring happening here so I just leave it at that.

But I'd be wrong not to point out to Bob Katzes "Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science", which a crafty person could find pretty easily... God knows how old the first edition is, but even the later ones still deal with analog recording.

Even though I'm not a mastering engineer, or even agree with Mr. Katz sometimes, I'd say this book is a must to anybody dealing with audio. No bullshit, just facts.

 

Last edited: Sep 12, 2024

Relatively recent but his knowledge and experience is certainly pre-DAW and of course pre-digital age of recording.

Alan Parsons' Art & Science of Sound Recording: The Book (Technical Reference)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alan-Parsons-Science-Sound-Recording/dp/1458443191

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2024

my russian skills are rusty I keep mixing up the "N"s and "R"s.

 

Fred Welsh's Synthesizer Cookbook: https://synthesizer-cookbook.com/SynCookbook.pdf

The PDF is the first 25 pages, the rest of it is patch recipes and you can find a complete copy on the sly if you want. It's 18 years old as of the first version. That should be ancient enough to qualify.

 

Don Davis - Sound System Engineering.
Even a bit too advanced in some paragraphs...

 

Behind The Glass vol I and II - Howard Massey
Audio Cyclopedia - Howard Tremaine
Sound Advice - Wayne Wadhams
Tonmeister Technology - Michael Dickretter
Al Schmitt on Vocal and Instrumental Recording Techniques - Al Schmitt
Recording and Mixing Drums: Contrasting Techniques from Seven Lifetimes of Recording Experience - Various
Mixing Secrets - Mike Senior
Sound Man - Glyn Johns
Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools - Roey Izhaki
Tape Op Vol I and II
Temples of Sound - William Clark and Jim Cogan
Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing - Brian Moore
Sound reinforcement handbook - Yamaha
Bruce Swedien Recording Method
Use of Microphones - Alec Nisbett
The Sound Studio - Alec Nisbett
Master Handbook of Acoustics - F. Alton Everest
The Daily Adventures of Mixerman - Mixerman

And here's the BBC audio training manual from 1950

 

Very brutal, very appropriate. Ages old wisdom here folks (that you, yes you, will never know)!

Needless to say I giggled like a schoolboy at this

 

Too many notes would be the title IMHO :D

 

ChatGPT's response.. (filtered)

Music Production and Audio Engineering

1. "Modern Recording Techniques" by David Miles Huber
   • Originally published in 1982, this book covers the basics of recording technology and techniques, bridging the gap between analog and early digital practices.
2. "The Recording Engineer's Handbook" by Bobby Owsinski
   • This book offers insights into various aspects of recording and engineering, with a focus on analog gear and traditional studio practices.
3. "Mixing Engineer's Handbook" by Bobby Owsinski
   • First published in 2009, but it includes a lot of analog mixing techniques and principles that were relevant before DAWs became widespread.
4. "Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science" by Bob Katz
   • This 2002 book provides a deep dive into the mastering process, including both analog and digital methods.
5. "The Art of Mixing" by David Gibson
   • A classic book from 1997 that explains mixing techniques and concepts with a focus on traditional studio methods.
6. "Audio Engineering Handbook" by Douglas Self
   • Published in 1982, this book covers a wide range of topics related to audio engineering, including analog signal processing and circuit design

General Audio Engineering

1. "Recording and Producing in the Home Studio" by David Franz
   • This 2006 book combines principles of analog recording with modern practices, making it relevant to both pre-DAW and DAW-era studios.

These books provide a solid foundation in analog and early digital recording practices, mixing, and mastering techniques. They remain valuable resources even as technology continues to evolve.

 

Last edited: Sep 17, 2024

That book doesn't exist, Michael White only makes Youtube tutorials.
ChatGPT is hilariously shit and starts hallucinating the moment it has no clue instead of telling you honestly