History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Csound Book: Perspectives in Software Synthesis, Sound Design, Signal Processing,and Programming

Average customer rating:

An opus work on both Csound and computer music
The Definitive csound Book
Nobody Does it Better
The definitive Csound compendium
Not for beginners

The Csound Book: Perspectives in Software Synthesis, Sound Design, Signal Processing,and Programming

Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0262522616

Book Description

Created in 1985 by Barry Vercoe, Csound is one of the most widely used software sound synthesis systems. Because it is so powerful, mastering Csound can take a good deal of time and effort. But this long-awaited guide will dramatically straighten the learning curve and enable musicians to take advantage of this rich computer technology available for creating music.

Written by the world's leading educators, programmers, sound designers, and composers, this comprehensive guide covers both the basics of Csound and the theoretical and musical concepts necessary to use the program effectively. The thirty-two tutorial chapters cover: additive, subtractive, FM, AM, FOF, granular, wavetable, waveguide, vector, LA, and other hybrid methods; analysis and resynthesis using ADSYN, LP, and the Phase Vocoder; sample processing; mathematical and physical modeling; and digital signal processing, including room simulation and 3D modeling. The book comes with two CD-ROMs that include more than forty additional HTML chapters; hundreds of musical compositions; more than 3,000 working instruments; the Csound application for Macintosh, PC, and Linux; and a number of Csound audio and score-generating utilities.

Book/CD-ROM Contributors include: Bill Alves, Stephen Beck, Mike Berry, Riccardo Bianchini, Kim Cascone, Michael Clarke, Richard Dobson, Archer Endrich, John ffitch, Rajmil Fischman, Michael Goggins, Matt Ingalls, Richard Karpen, Eric Lyon, Gabriel Maldonado, Hans Mikelson, Jon Nelson, Dave Phillips, Jean Piché, Russell Pinkston, Paris Smaragdis, Erik Spjut, Barry Vercoe, Scotty Vercoe.

Customer Reviews:

An opus work on both Csound and computer music.......2006-04-12

This book is one of a relatively small number of texts that are essential for the library of the computer music practitioner. The book has two CD-ROMs full of several books worth of material. This book is not only a remarkable reservoir of information specific to the Csound compiler, it is also very useful as a general source concerning many aspects of computer music techniques and synthesis methods.
Many have lamented the terse documentation of the Csound manual since it does not provide sufficient examples of how the various opcodes and features of the language may be used by composers and researchers. The Csound Book succeeds brilliantly in filling the void. Even for the seasoned computer musician, the text provides numerous opportunities for "ah ha!" moments and spurs renewed creative responses to musical problems. Part of the reason for this lies in the abundant resources of the language itself and its continued development and refinement by members of the Csound community.
This is a great companion book, allowing the reader to explore practical applications of concepts such as Fourier synthesis, digital filter theory, chaotic systems, reverberation, and algorithmic composition. This is accomplished very elegantly and always with reference to direct experience with the aid of numerous examples of Csound code. The book serves an important function by providing concrete examples of myriad synthesis methods, digital signal processing techniques, and specialized applications within one conceptual framework.
This book is full of excellent graphics, uniform and well commented coding examples, illustrative instrument-design flowcharts, thorough indexing, appendices of various kinds, all of it extremely well edited. There is an impressive unity to the text even though different authors have written the various chapters.
There is a treasure trove of instruments and compositions contained on the CD-ROMs. Many of these are by established composers of computer music and by the authors of the various chapters. Others, however, are by students from around the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in computer music in general and Csound specifically.

The Definitive csound Book.......2005-06-08

If you want to learn csound this is THE book to buy in conjunction with csounds.com you will need nothing else. Beware though, it takes lots of time and effort to learn this language and it is not easy. Buy this book only if you are very serious about trying your and at csound. As to Michael S Rempel review, if you are going to drop names to try to sound knowledgeable

" Most of the sound designers in Hollywood use CSound. I know more than a few of them. The guy who invented Trance music, BH is a CSounder. Everyone in his studio owns a copy of this book! I could keep name dropping for a long while, but you get it. CSound is one of the best kept open secrets in the world."

at least drop them correctly. It's BT not BH and he most definitely did not "invent Trance music." He is however an avid csound user. Sorry I just could not let that slide.

Nobody Does it Better.......2005-02-19

Beginners be warned. This is not a book that is designed to hold your hand. For that go to www.csounds.com and check out the beginners secton. Also join the online forums.

This is the site that the author, Dr. Richard Boulanger maintains for people looking to get started with Csound. It is also the place most of the really good CSound software developers and users hang out.

If you have explored synthesis on another platform, then this is the book for you. If you have explored CSound a bit, and want depth then this is the book for you.

Dr. B has compiled resources and brings together the best of the CSound community in a compilation that is really a collection of CSound essays. Many of the articles are regretably brief. A few sections are missing all together. (Most notably the midi section is not included, and is still not written)

But what is written in this book is the best information you can get anywhere on the subject of computer synthesis in ANY LANGUAGE. I need to clarify that a bit though, two new projects are on the way which will change that. Csound 5 is in developement, and MPEG 4 also has a world class sound engine. But in both cases these new technologies are based on the stuff in this book. Yes, that is right, MPEG 4 has a csound like engine in it.

Csound is first rate. Nothing beats it. I have done the plugin thing, and downloaded or bought just about everything in synthesis available from anywhere. Some tools can offer you nice canned sounds, or pretty patch chords and knobs. But for pure raw power, flexability and creative oomph nothing can equal CSound. This book will take you from the world of patch chords and knobs into the world of programming. That is where the power is baby, in programming. Where anything can plug into anything. All you need are some programming chops and any music or noise you can dream up is at your finger tips.

If it happens in any synth anywhere in the world, then eventually it will happen in CSound. And mostly it already does. And what is more, in CSound you can combine ANY methods of synthesis you want AT THE SAME TIME. No other synth can do that. Period.

BTW the CSound software is free. That is right, free on the PC, free in Linux, and free on the mac. So buy the book, download the software, and meet everyone who wrote the book, and most everyone who writes anything to do with the CSound software on the CSounds web site.

If that is not enough to convince you, consider this: Most of the sound designers in Hollywood use CSound. I know more than a few of them. The guy who invented Trance music, BH is a CSounder. Everyone in his studio owns a copy of this book! I could keep name dropping for a long while, but you get it. CSound is one of the best kept open secrets in the world.

The definitive Csound compendium.......2003-01-19

A word of warning to electronic music newbies: Be sure to learn the fundamentals of synthesis and MIDI before venturing into the realm of Csound. This book assumes a level of knowledge regarding these subjects and will present an insurmountable challenge to someone with no programming experience. However, for those that do, it will present a whole new universe of possibilities.

As a composition tool, there is nothing quite as extensive or powerful as Csound, which is why there is an equally extensive learning curve for its students. I feel that this book is probably better suited as a text for a college course rather than a stand-alone guide for DIYers. But in its defense, I belong to the latter category and have fared pretty well in learning the language.

While I must criticize Mr. Boulanger for not giving thorough enough explanation to some critical topics in his book, overall--this is by and far the best resource for anyone attempting Csound. You will find the contents of the included CD-Roms to be an immense supplement to the book's chapters.

Not for beginners.......2002-12-22

Csound is probably the most powerful digital synthesizer software available. And it is essentially free. But writing code to produce music can feel like creating your own custom draw program from scratch to create a painting. There is no noodling with a keyboard or twisting knobs and listening to instant results. No, you create an .orc and a .sco file, one for the instruments and the other for the "notes"(though the language can be used to create filters and process sound). This gives you unlimited control, but you pay the price of programming headaches e.g. debugging, crashes, etc. There is also a very steep learning curve. Csound is a work in progress, though. Matt Ingalls's (and others) tireless work has made Csound easier to use, and has even updated it to Mac OS 10. He has also created an extension that allows Csound to interface with Max/MSP, perhaps simplifying the composers task. Nevertheless, Csound has a long legacy as a musicN language, and it has its roots in computer science.

If you are getting started in electronic or computer music and have little background in the field, this book may ultimately prove frustrating. Chapter one provides a perfect example. It opens with an .orc file and uses terms like control rate and sampling rate, but it isn't until much later that we find out what these things mean. Much of the first section is difficult to work through because of this approach. I think that the book would benefit from a rewrite, and I mean truly rewriting section one from scratch so the foundation is Basics of Synthesis. A section written like a "Dummies" book would be helpful for beginners like me, while the Csound mavens could simply flip to chapter X,Y, or Z and read at their level. Otherwise, the author should dispense with the basics and focus on making this a book for those already familiar with Csound. Obviously, the author/editor put tremendous effort into this book, so it seems a pity that it is kind of poorly organized. Finally, The Csound Book would benefit from careful spell checking (the author refers to GEN21 creating "Poison" distributions).

After having spent a year with the Csound book, I can make some recommendations for someone wanting to start electronic composition. You must read Curtis Roads's Computer Music Tutorial, probably the best electronic music book written. Don't let the dry title fool you, it is great reading. It will teach you the fundamentals and will serve as a reference if you decide to tackle Csound. Or, consider using Max/MSP instead of Csound. It isn't free, but it does have a graphical interface, yet it does not sacrifice flexibility. And you can now use Csound as a sort of "plug in" for Max/MSP. If you want to make popular music, Csound will probably only prove useful if your current software can't make a sound that you want.

Book Description

Jackie Mason has built his Tony Award-winning career out of the culture and language of Jewish people, so who better to instruct the unindoctrinated in the joys of Yiddish? How to Talk Jewish, a guide to 100 Yiddish words, phrases, and expressions, includes pronunciations, definitions, and examples of usage, along with Jackie's incomparable wit. Is your blind date haimish? Uh oh. A zhlub, worse. A doctor? The naches are almost inexpressible! Jackie Mason brings all the vivacity, spunk, and chutzpah of Yiddish to the tongues of the less fortunate. Don't be a meshugenner, buy it already!

Customer Reviews:

Jackie Mason helps you learn to talk Jewish the Yiddish way.......2007-02-06

I wanted to learn some common Yiddish sayings. So I bought Jackie Masons' book titled: "How to Talk Jewish". It is an enjoyable book complete with Yiddish sayings and a taste of Jewish life as only Jackie Mason can tell it.

How to Talk Jewish.......2006-03-03

Not as good as I had hoped. He explains a lot of Yiddish phrases that are not commonly used. The commonly used expressions were not defined as well as I could have defined them myself.

Can we talk????.......2003-04-09

Quintessential Jackie! Hilarious! A must-have in a Jewish humor library. May I also recommend a nifty, gezunta book I received as a gift and fell in love with? "A Little joy, A Little Oy" -- if Jackie's a main course Joy, Oy is one amazing antipasto.

Lillian & Joe Moses

OY A KLUG!.......2002-02-06

Only a meshuggener would not find this book entertaining and informative. Then again, probably only meshuggeners would want to READ shtick like this. Too bad Jackie didn't record this for the blind and the goyim; LISTENING to his spiel would just make this so much more of a mecheieha. If only that gantseh macher Webster had had Jackie as his editor -- oy!

Lexicography that is witty and wise.......2001-02-04

This is a smart little book of 93 Yiddish words and expressions that are defined, illuminated, and used-in-a-sentence by comic and philosopher Mason. In his Introduction, a thoughtful essay on Yiddish, he asserts that although he born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1934, he grew up in a one hundred percent Yiddish-speaking world ("I didn't know that anybody in this country spoke English until I was old enough to go to the movies.") His family moved back to New York before he was five.

This little book contains a wealth of Masonisms. Jackie Mason used to have run-ins with censors and others. He reserves the right to be both self-deprecating and insulting. Jews, gentiles, politics, marriage, family, ethnicity, money, power, and God himself - all are up for grabs. There are a lot of funny stories. In addition, he has an understanding of the Yiddish language that he is happy to share. (Harry Truman was haimish - accessible, natural - FDR was not. Colorful explanation is provided.) He offers a theory of chicken soup that links it -successfully - to most of the world's cuisines. He is never dull. Mason: "It seems that in English that you have to prove that you're not emotional in order to have class." He posits his sociolinguistic theory (which you've heard if you've seen or heard his stage show) that the more emotional the speech - content and structure - the more "low class" the speaker. He defends emotionality. He loves Yiddish, and in fact the language (black English, specifically) of any people engaged in a battle of wits to survive.

Book Description

For anyone who wants to turn his dreams of singing into reality, for anyone who is self-conscious about speaking or singing in public, for anyone who hates the sound of her own voice on answering machines-SET YOUR VOICE FREE offers the solution. With innovative techniques and enjoyable exercises that have worked wonders with his professional clients, the internationally acclaimed vocal coach Roger Love demonstrates how to carry a tune, expand vocal range, and speak with ease, confidence, and effectiveness. - Roger Love is one of the foremost vocal and singing authorities in the world, having coached leading actors, celebrity speakers, and musicians, including Billy Baldwin; Mtley Cre; Earth, Wind Fire; Billy Idol; the Jacksons; Martin Landau; Def Leppard; Phish; Iggy Pop; and Anthony Robbins.

Customer Reviews:

Handle with care! Please!.......2007-05-27

I am dismayed by reading all of the praise for this book! Coming from the perspective of a voice teacher and professional vocalist, I am concerned at the number of people following blindly into the potentially damaging advice in the book. I have an old one from 1999, along with instruction CD's, and Love demonstrates his glottal action (which is the technical term for his "gluggs" that he tells you to do). I think I rated as low as I did simply to attempt to lower the overall rating and get people to pay attention to the potential danger.

It is true that glottle action helps to develop a more forward voice, and that is why songs with glotal emphasis can be valuable. However, to spend as much time doing these exercises as Lov recommends, can cause permanent damage. As the vocal folds are repeatedly slapped against one another, the abrasion will quickly cause fatigue and irritation within the vocal apparatus, particularily the delicate vocal folds. Over time, your skin will become calloused and you will not feel the abraision anymore, but that's only because of the long-term damage that has occurred.

Rather than this, I recommend The Vocal Coach by Chris & Carol Beaty (published by Star Song). They have a wide range of instructional tools, and a phenominal daily workout series for all voice types.

Great Book.......2007-05-17

This book is incredible. I had no idea I ever had the potential to improve my speaking voice. I do the exercises almost every night, and can see serious results in my singing voice. I'm now working on incorporating the singing voice into my every day speech (they are really one and the same), and feel much more optimistic about using the incredible instrument of my voice to get my message across to people in a much more efficient and pleasant way in the future.

Thank you, Roger Love.

Very informative.......2007-05-14

I am a music director at a local church resposible for teaching vocals. I can not sing, but because of the information in this book I can teach and instruct the vocalist. This book is a must if you want to teach correct breathing control and diaphramic breathing.

The bible of pop singing.......2007-05-09

Play the included CD in your car for the next 3 months and sing along. If after those exercises you don't have good voice control, you're doing something wrong because the exercises DO put you in the proper position for maximum flow and you eventually develop a continuous, steady, vocal pressure.

I had to learn sing with a jazz band a year ago , and without this book and CD I would have been lost. There are lots of people who will give you their opinion as to the proper way to sing, but few who know the mechanics behind it.

Though the book has a bit of hype related to the name-dropping, it is nonetheless an excellent text on how to sing pop music, properly.

Would have liked some guidance on how to sing properly with microphones as I found that the next problem one faces in pop music

Review of Set Your Voice Free.......2007-01-05

I found it to very helpful, although as a "Basso Profundo" I found it difficult at times "Setting my voice free" in the higher head tones.

Real Sound Synthesis for Interactive Applications (Book & CD-ROM)

Average customer rating:

Real Sound Synthesis/a review
Excellent book on an under-served subject
Wonderful long-term goal, but not with today's hardware
It's a lot more than a cook book
Not just another digital music book....

Real Sound Synthesis for Interactive Applications (Book & CD-ROM)
Perry R. Cook
Manufacturer: AK Peters, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1568811683

Book Description

Virtual environments such as games and animated and "real" movies require realistic sound effects that can be integrated by computer synthesis. The book emphasizes physical modeling of sound and focuses on real-world interactive sound effects.

It is intended for game developers, graphics programmers, developers of virtual reality systems and training simulators, and others who want to learn about computational sound.

It is written at an introductory level with mathematical foundations provided in appendices. An enclosed CD contains code examples and sound files.

Customer Reviews:

Real Sound Synthesis/a review.......2007-01-05

One of the best volumes I've come across in the field of sound synthesis on personal computers. Provides a solid introduction to this field for those who wish to create sound on a PC (as opposed to play back previously- recorded sound).

Excellent book on an under-served subject.......2006-02-18

This is not a book that introduces and uses signal processing concepts for the sake of itself. Instead, the goal of the book is to create sounds, learn the tools and theory behind creating such sounds, and grasp the essentials of many sophisticated physical modeling concepts in particular. The book is quite thin, but don't let this fool you. The author chose to leave out quite a few details so that this did not turn into another 1000 page treatise on computer music. Thus some basic topics in signals, systems, and filter design are not fleshed out to their fullest extent. To this end, the book has an extensive reference section so that if you are unfamiliar with a particular physics or DSP topic, you can research it yourself.

Chapter 1 briefly establishing the fundamentals of digital audio, and includes an introduction to the basics of quantization, compression, and Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM) sampling. Chapter 2 investigates sound synthesis starting with wavetable synthesis. In chapter 3, digital filters are introduced. Included is a concise but clear introduction to Linear Time Invariant (LTI) systems, convolution, Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters, Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filters, and Z transforms. The chapter culminates in an introduction to the BiQuad filter.

Chapter 4, which deals with modal synthesis, acts as a stepping-stone to the frequency domain, leading to chapter 5's discussion of the Fourier Transform. This chapter examines Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), fast convolution, and Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT), and ends with examples of applications.

Chapters 6, 7, and 8 delve deeper into synthesis/analysis concepts such as Linear Predictive Coding (LPC), spectral modeling, additive/subtractive synthesis, noise signals, and inharmonicity, using the frequency domain techniques learned in previous chapters. You'll hardly turn a page without an accompanying picture or block diagram, a particularly valuable feature of this book.

Chapter 9 explores the physical modeling concepts of string vibrations and stiff bars. Modeling algorithms are introduced using basic physics perspectives centered around the familiar string, mass, and damper paradigms first introduced in chapter 4. Here again, rather than bombarding the reader with tons of equations, Mr. Cook explains ideas mainly through diagrams, sound examples, and block diagrams, which is very helpful for the software implementation of algorithms. The ready-to-compile C++ code for this section included on the CD-ROM provide models of a plucked string (Plucked.cpp), a mandolin (Mandolin.cpp), and a bowed string (Bowed.cpp).

In Chapter 11, Tubes and Air Cavities, the author introduces more models while leaving detailed mathematical derivations of equations for the appendix. He concludes chapter 11 with "Building and Blowing a Bottle Model", and includes code and sound examples, as usual. Going into chapter 12, more complex, higher dimensional models are introduced, with the traditional mass-spring model in the context of a meshed membrane starting off the chapter.

Chapter 13 introduces modeling and synthesizing particle interaction. Some of the topics covered include Formant Wave Functions (FOFs) for voice synthesis, single particle models, multi-particle systems, and statistical multi-particle systems such as a simple maraca model, implemented in less than 30 lines of C code with an accompanying block diagram.

Chapter 14 deals with the subtleties of exciting and controlling sound models. For example, Mr. Cook discusses the differences between exciting a string with a plectrum as opposed to using the fleshy part of the thumb. He also shows some fascinating effects of the striking conditions of the Tibetan prayer bowl, which exhibits very different spectra as a function of strike-direction while keeping strike-point constant. Other topics discussed include bowing, scraping, and frictional issues in synthesis. MIDI, OSC (Open Sound Control), and other standards for sound and multimedia control are also briefly examined.

Chapter 15 walks the reader through a complete system called PhOLISE (Physically Oriented Library of Interactive Sound Effects) that could possibly be applied to areas such as gaming, animation, and sound effects in film production. The five sections of the appendix go into greater detail regarding proofs, derivations, and properties of topics such as DFT properties, zero-padding, proof of fast convolution, and ideal string behaviors.

After you grasp the contents of this book, you might want to read "The Physics of Musical Instruments" and use some of Mr. Cook's techniques to synthesize the numerical models explained in that book.

Wonderful long-term goal, but not with today's hardware.......2004-05-13

"Real Sound Synthesis for Interactive Applications" by Perry R. Cook describes elementary and advanced techniques to simulate the audio components of dynamic systems using physics. While the book is not specifically directed toward game development, the application to game development is clear. The book's organization of the major themes covered is easily to follow through three sections that detail digital audio, sound modeling, and simulation of real world instruments. The book spans sixteen chapters and appendices totaling 248 pages.

The first section (chapters 1-3) defines digital audio, compression, wave synthesis, and simple filtering techniques. The chapters form the foundation for the later sections and define the common asset formats and techniques currently used in games. Cook emphases that key components of sound manipulation are the sampling rate and quantization of the source audio. The text demonstrates how sounds with higher sampling rates allow for greater manipulation with fewer artifacts but incur a greater computational cost.

The second section (chapters 4-8) introduces sound modeling through simplified physical systems, such as an ideal spring, and Fourier series equations. While an understanding of college physics and calculus is helpful (especially if you'd like to code these methods), the book doesn't require it or bog down in theory or mathematical proofs. (For those interested in the details, they are provided in the appendices). The concepts described in this section are critical in creating computer sound models that represent real world objects.

The last section (chapters 7-16) provides physics equations that allow for the simulation of real world instruments (string instruments, tubes, and multi-dimensional objects). Each chapter describes a different system based on Fourier construction, filtering, and physics-based equations. It's the heart of the book and most interesting. The background in the two previous sections is essential to fully grasp the concepts Cook defines here.

Throughout each chapter, Cook couples clear concise writing with a touch of humor and illustrative diagrams. Cook provides a good initial foundation as the topics covered gradually build in complexity. The clean organizational layout made it easy for me to refer back to previous sections when I felt the need. In many cases, however, I found the writing to be a little too condensed and wished for a paragraph describing a concept rather than the sentence provided. Cook does supply references at the end of each chapter for those readers seeking additional detail.

The book also includes a CD containing audio samples of the topics discussed throughout the book. While reading the book, it was useful to be able to hear the point or technique made in the text. The CD also contains Cook's sound synthesis toolkit and several examples of instruments highlighted in the last section.

Unfortunately in current development, real-time sound synthesis in games has a limited place. Due to the complex calculations of Fourier series, fast digital signal processor chips are required to simulate the audio effects without impacting the rest of the game. Minimally, filters and other simple routines outlined in the book can be written for target hardware to accomplish specialized effects but this is nothing radically new.

However, Cook's research in simulating audio is extremely exciting. During the calculation of an object's dynamic behavior (such as collision response, striking, falling, moving, etc.) a minimal additional amount of time can be spent to determine the audio effects. According to Cook's findings, this amount is generally less than 5% of the total time required to simulate an object's physical behavior. Admittedly, these calculations are on the order of minutes versus milliseconds but eventually Moore's Law will catch up and simplifications will allow unparalleled audio effects in conjunction with physical simulation.

Developers and sound designers interested in the math and physics of creating real-time sounds should pick up this book. Those interested in a fascinating look at the mechanisms of dynamically producing sound might also want to give it a read provided it's with the understanding that the direct applicability to games is at least few years away.

It's a lot more than a cook book.......2002-08-30

Are you a pretty good C++ programmer? Have you ever wanted to have your computer output sounds like footsteps or musical instruments that (a) sound real and (b) are continuously responsive to the user's control? Did you discover that it was basically impossible to do it by stitching together prerecorded samples, and you couldn't think of any other way to do it?

If so, Perry Cook has written just the book you have been looking for. In 250 pages, Cook explains everything, from the basics of digital filtering to the major alternatives for generating sounds: additive and subtractive synthesis, FM synthesis, and -- the real focus of the book -- physical modeling. Not only that, the accompanying CD-ROM includes lots of sound examples and the Synthesis ToolKit -- a pretty much platform-independent set of C++ classes and algorithms for writing your own code.

Not everything is perfect. Just as the first version of any program contains some bugs, the first printing of any book that uses mathematics contains some errors. In particular, typos in Appendix A could be very frustrating if this is your first exposure to Fourier analysis. (You might want to check Cook's web site for a promised list of errata and code updates.) And don't let the fact that the book is short, attractively produced, very well organized, unusually clear, and entertainingly written lead you to believe that you can master it in a weekend. Although Cook tries his best to make the underlying mathematics unintimidating, there is no getting around the fact that there are some rather deep concepts from wave physics and signals-and-systems theory behind what he has to say.

The good news is that the effort is richly repaid. Not only will you be able to write programs that can generate controllable sounds in real time, but you will develop insight into how physical instruments produce their distinctive sounds, and you will understand the basics of both the standard and the most advanced techniques that have been developed to model them. Highly recommended.

Not just another digital music book...........2002-08-23

This book is useful, enlightening, and fun. It covers many cutting-edge topics in lucid fashion, topics that can only be found otherwise in academic journals. The computer code (in the book and on the CD-ROM) is an invaluable resource for the ambitious reader, who can actually try out or modify the techniques. The CD-ROM also provides examples of these new techniques in action. Finally, the author's sense of humor comes through often (this is not a stiff, boring book!).

Customer Reviews:

Great for finding Voice- Freedom.........2007-03-09

It's no secret singing is a personal universe of mystery that somehow remains unveiled no matter teachers, discipline, technique, etc. With all other instruments you can actually SEE what's going on in the process of learning. With the voice, everything is how "you feel" about it. You can not see your vocal chords to realize you have a good or bad habit...
The secret is then how to LEARN to recognize if what you feel is right about the way you sing or not. It shouldn't be so hard; you either -for example- feel exhausted after singing an aria or whatever, or feel you can keep on singing for the rest of the day without fatigue. That should indicate something! But the problem is to be able to reproduce great singing sensations in an everyday basis. That can certainly be a lifetime challenge. This book helps pointing out towards sensations associated with freedom and flow of a natural voice; Brown is all about this, in search of a more "primal" sound, connected to the way we speak. Not everything is as simple as that, and singing, depending on the repertoire, etc, etc, needs to a certain extent, some kind of artifice beyond the speaking natural sound of our voices. But this book will put you on the right track if you have been wondering about tensions with the way your vocal production occurs. Highly recommended for connecting singing with a more mundane experience in which emotions need to be part of your singing. Great simple exercises can reveal so much, and in that respect it is a fantastic book. Highly recommended.

The best explanation of how the voice works.......2007-01-20

Mr. Brown has written a powerfully informative book about all aspects of the voice. His book provides many interesting case studies, is very enjoyable to read, and includes factoids like "the Western and European singing style uses a low larynx." My one gripe is that the CD is not usable as a practice aid. Every exercise is demonstrated so briefly that you won't get a warm-up at all after singing along. If you don't have a piano, and you want to practice vocalizing at home with a piano recorded on a CD and exercises that methodically start on consecutive pitches, try the Jeffrey Allen book/CD set. That set includes techniques such as messa di voce, also demonstrated (more briefly) in Mr. Brown's CD.

Excellent for beginners.......2006-04-04

I have been wanting to teach myself to sing for several years, since I can't afford voice lessons, and have tried several books on the subject. This one is by far the best. I first tried books by William Vennard and Richard Miller and found that they were meant for advanced students, not beginners. There are other books for beginners, but they aren't usually meant for classical singing, more for pop (and I find that the authors don't really seem to have much of an understanding of the human voice). I don't know how he does it, but Brown manages to make normally difficult concepts easy to understand. Part of that is because of the CD that comes with it. It helps give a better understanding of what he's trying to explain. I would highly recommend this book for anyone trying to learn how to sing classically.

The plain truth about singing........2006-03-08

This book is glorious.

Never could I have imagined that the (singing) voice was so clear to understand. Brown almost performs the miracle of "a book teaching somebody to sing". This is, as we all know, not true. However, just by simply reading this book, you will start to have wonderful insights about your own voice, which this book is all about.

A Great Read.......2005-11-02

Wow, I really like this book! As a voice teacher and vocal coach of popular music, students frequently come to me with damaged voices in need of repair. Reading Mr. Brown's stories, I knew I found an author who shared my dedication to healthy singing. Orin L. Brown's warm and direct writing style conveys his true passion for healthy vocal use and his desire to share his great knowledge with both vocalists and teachers. This book is filled with descriptive stories that tell the tales of Mr. Brown's experiences with, discoveries of and solutions for ailing vocal students.

Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max

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An in-depth look at MAX and its applications
A perfect companion for Max users on all levels.

Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max
Todd Winkler
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0262731398

Book Description

Interactive music refers to a composition or improvisation in which software interprets live performances to produce music generated or modified by computers. In Composing Interactive Music, Todd Winkler presents both the technical and aesthetic possibilities of this increasingly popular area of computer music. His own numerous compositions have been the laboratory for the research and development that resulted in this book.

The author's examples use a graphical programming language called Max. Each example in the text is accompanied by a picture of how it appears on the computer screen. The same examples are included as software on the accompanying CD-ROM, playable on a Macintosh computer with a MIDI keyboard.

Although the book is aimed at those interested in writing music and software using Max, the casual reader can learn the basic concepts of interactive composition by just reading the text, without running any software. The book concludes with a discussion of recent multimedia work incorporating projected images and video playback with sound for concert performances and art installations.

Customer Reviews:

An in-depth look at MAX and its applications.......2006-03-25

MAX is an object-oriented graphical programming environment for creating music and multimedia used for over fifteen years by composers, performers, software designers, researchers and artists interested in creating interactive compositions. MAX reuses the patchable modular analog synthesizer metaphor. You build patches by placing modules on a graphic surface and connecting these modules together with patch cords. The connections represent paths on which values or signal streams are send between the modules. These modules are either processing units (arithmetics, timing, ...), data containers (tables, ...), system inputs or outputs (audio, MIDI, ...). MAX modules are called objects in the sense of Object-Oriented Languages. Objects can themselves be patchers, so that a patch has a hierarchical structure. Some objects have graphical interactive behavior and can be used as controllers, to change values in the patch, or as viewers, to display values computed by the patch.
In this book, Winkler mainly deals with the MIDI version of MAX running on the Macintosh platform. What makes this book so interesting is that it brings together much of the research that has been floating around various institutions and e-mail lists. It is also a fantastic introduction to both MAX and how it interfaces with both performers and computer programming. Winkler informs us that there is a growing future for the MAX environment. With the advent of increased QuickTime and Internet support, MAX is becoming one of the tools with which to enter the interactive programming world. Its strength is that one starts with simple commands and a blank sheet of paper, so to speak, not a grid or staff or piano-roll.
Readers of this book, if novices to MAX and MIDI, could find it hard going at first - but if one can work through the exercises, learning is quickly achieved. If you have already used MAX then the book ties many loose ends together and offers advice on structured programming in MAX. Winkler is careful to define his space and the terminology used. His historical introduction is thoughtful and comprehensive, citing many well-known and some less well-known composers and works. Thus, while informing us of quite pertinent details, Winkler manages to keep an informal style that presents these details in exciting ways.
Once into Chapter 3, we are programming with MAX. MAX is a fourth-generation language - its objects on the screen generate run-time code that the programmer may never see (or wish to see). Its structure is intuitive - generally time runs top-to-bottom and precedence runs right-to-left, and this facilitates informative annotation. Although the book contains tutorial information on MAX, some understanding of the fundamentals of MAX is assumed. Also, it is assumed the reader is familiar with simple musical terms and structures.
Winkler categorizes interactive music programming into three sections: computer as listener, computer as composer, and computer as performer and illustrates this with informative examples contained within the accompanying CD-ROM. Winkler explains how the computer can analyze and compare input usually in the form of someone playing a keyboard, filter this information, add to it, store it, and finally play a response. The computer may act as a very intelligent effects box by following the performer in real time and reacting, thus offering the performer something unexpected in order to facilitate a quasi "interactive process", or there may be no performer at all and the computer may generate its own performance data.
The guts of the book are devoted to good programming technique and design, analysis of musical input data, reaction to musical input data, interaction of MIDI with digitized sound, be it a computer file or a track on a CD, and the complicated process of scoring that follows. Finally, Winkler offers a taste of the future with signal processing, audio-visual development, and the possibilities of controlling MAX with non-keyboard devices. He mentions the MIDI flute, designed at IRCAM, and from this we can imagine using MIDI wind controllers, drum pads and the like to enable performers on one instrument to interact more accurately with another. In addition, there are newer controllers such as pressure-sensitive pads, simple potentiometers, light detectors, and movement sensors that can now all interface with the computer and therefore come under the control of MAX. The opportunities for interactive dance have already been explored at institutions around the world but the technology is now readily available, off the shelf, and is being used by installation artists and choreographers alike.
Mr. Winkler is an able musician who circumvents the boring details and makes programming openly accessible to users. He even offers us many programming examples from which we may build our own interactive works. This book is valuable reference material, as it details and illustrates the powerful IRCAM objects Explode and Qlist, and also objects like Borax and AIFFplay, offering a musical approach. Thus, this book is for anybody interested in bringing computers, MIDI gear, an performers into their creative grasp.

A perfect companion for Max users on all levels........1998-05-05

This book gives one a clear and inspiring view into the Max language and the wide scope of work being done with this Macintosh software. My only regret is that I don't own two copies, one for the studio and one to read at home.

Songs of West Africa: A Collection of over 80 Traditional West African Folk Songs and Chants in 6 Languages With Translations, Annotations

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Songs of West Africa" by Dan Gorlin is perfect for me.
At last - a great way to learn some African music!

Songs of West Africa: A Collection of over 80 Traditional West African Folk Songs and Chants in 6 Languages With Translations, Annotations
Dan Gorlin
Manufacturer: Alokli West African Dance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

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ASIN: 0970443900

Book Description

Here's an exciting new resource for anyone interested in African music and culture. Songs of West Africa by Dan Gorlin contains over 80 traditional African folk songs and chants in 6 languages along with extensive translations, annotations and performance notes. It may be the most complete collection of African songs ever published.

The book highlights traditional songs from the Anlo-Ewe, Lobi, Ga-Adangbe, Egu, Foh, and related ethnic groups from Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. There are sacred songs from Afa, Agzogbo, Gadzo, and Yewe traditions. Also major secular and historical music including Agbekor, Kinka, Atsia, Gahu, Takada, and more.

Many of the songs are simple to learn, and can be easily taught to grade school students or adapted to other styles of music. But the scope of this book goes far beyond children's songs. Each song is explained in terms of cultural context, and translated in a way that helps you form your own interpretation of its meaning. You'll discover that singing the songs of Africa is a superb way to learn about her people, culture, and history -- and it's fun!

The text includes music fundamentals, a pronunciation guide, and useful introductions to West African society, sensibility, and spirituality. Using the companion audio CD (included) you learn by singing along like young Africans do - or just listen and enjoy. The CD was studio-recorded especially for this book, so vocals and harmonies are easily heard over the supporting drums. With insightful perspectives and a wealth of information, this book is a must-have for students, teachers, and libraries.

Customer Reviews:

Songs of West Africa" by Dan Gorlin is perfect for me. .......2006-08-24

I have studied in Ghana and continue to study and teach this music here in Philadelphia, and this book has enough substance to feed a small country of song hungry drummers. Also, it seems the Author also sings and plays the support drums, lead vocal and chorus (overdubbed); which is really incredible because the CD sounds so Ewe~! A must have for anyone who values beauty and hard work!
Shawn Hennessey, Leana Song.

At last - a great way to learn some African music!.......2002-09-10

I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought this, but this book turned out to be really fun to read! Part storytelling, part anthropology, part language lessons, the book introduces not just songs from six different tribal groups but a sense of how they see the world. The songs are translated, plus the pronounciations written out, and you can play the CD and read along with it - a great help if you want to try singing or drumming the music.

Vocab Rock! Musical Preparation for the SAT and ACT, w/CD

Average customer rating:

A song in your studies
Actual use
vocab rock! Musical preparation for the Sat and ACt
Vocab Rock is Excellent!

Vocab Rock! Musical Preparation for the SAT and ACT, w/CD
Peterson's
Manufacturer: Petersons Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0768923050

Book Description

Don't judge this book by its cover alone, listen to the CD! From Defined Mind, Vocab Rock brings real music, from hip-hop to alternative, to SAT and ACT test prep. Students can groove to tunes from independent recording artists and then use the lyrics, definitions, and exercises included in the book to really learn, and remember the new vocabulary found in the songs. Who says you have to turn down the music to study for the SAT!

Customer Reviews:

A song in your studies.......2007-09-10

Music as always is a very personal experience. Some songs in Vocab Rock! were better than others. The song "Already Taken" could stand alone as a hit. If you like Hip-Hop, you may like the songs in Flocabulary better. But the real point of these works is repetition of advance vocabulary in context. Both works have a plethora of words. Get them both and get a break from flash cards.

Actual use.......2007-05-07

Kids thought the music was unpalatable, but enjoyed the worksheets (ultimately opted for Flocabulary).

vocab rock! Musical preparation for the Sat and ACt.......2007-04-04

Returned.
Difficult to understand the songs and poor tunes.

Vocab Rock is Excellent!.......2006-06-05

I gave this book to my 14 year old and she loves it! After listening to the cd for 3 days I couldn't believe how much she learned from it. She brought it to school to share with her friends and they are wondering where to buy the CD....Great Product!!

The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body

Average customer rating:

Clever Title, Serious Book
Wishing it doesn't make it so
Yabba-dabba-do! Fred Flintstone would give this book two thumbs up!!
top notch performance of classic guitar literature
Let's make music together

The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body
Steven Mithen
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674021924

Book Description

The propensity to make music is the most mysterious, wonderful, and neglected feature of humankind: this is where Steven Mithen began, drawing together strands from archaeology, anthropology, psychology, neuroscience--and, of course, musicology--to explain why we are so compelled to make and hear music. But music could not be explained without addressing language, and could not be accounted for without understanding the evolution of the human body and mind. Thus Mithen arrived at the wildly ambitious project that unfolds in this book: an exploration of music as a fundamental aspect of the human condition, encoded into the human genome during the evolutionary history of our species.

Music is the language of emotion, common wisdom tells us. In The Singing Neanderthals, Mithen introduces us to the science that might support such popular notions. With equal parts scientific rigor and charm, he marshals current evidence about social organization, tool and weapon technologies, hunting and scavenging strategies, habits and brain capacity of all our hominid ancestors, from australopithecines to Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals to Homo sapiens--and comes up with a scenario for a shared musical and linguistic heritage. Along the way he weaves a tapestry of cognitive and expressive worlds--alive with vocalized sound, communal mimicry, sexual display, and rhythmic movement--of various species.

The result is a fascinating work--and a succinct riposte to those, like Steven Pinker, who have dismissed music as a functionless evolutionary byproduct.

Customer Reviews:

Clever Title, Serious Book.......2007-04-21

Mithen is a well-published serious evolutionary psychologist, and this book is therefore carefully grounded in current understandings of biological evolution and its relevance to the development of human capacities. His argument is that musical and linguistic abilities are separate evolutionary developments and that whereas in Homo sapiens the linguistic has undercut the role of the more primordial musical; Neanderthals exploited the musical but did not develop linguistic capacities. Mithen's argument is admittedly speculative: he often argues from silence, for instance. But these speculations are informed extrapolations, and exploring them with his help is a highly stimulating, mind-expanding experience.

Wishing it doesn't make it so.......2007-04-14

This book so wants to demonstrate that music was a cruc