Book Description
A fascinating new introduction to music of the world's peoples, as seen from the vantage point of its function: music for dance, for the home, for worship, for political purposes, and others. W. W. Norton proudly presents Soundscapes, the first textbook to organize the study of music the way most people encounter it—by the roles it plays in their lives and communities. Through a series of illuminating case studies, students learn the fundamentals of music by exploring the social and cultural settings of different "soundscapes" —that is, musical traditions—from around the world, all of which either migrated to or originated in North America. The text embraces the diverse musical identities, tastes, and sound worlds present in our society and encourages students to participate in the soundscapes that surround them.
Customer Reviews:
Worldly.......2004-12-11
This is a very good, thorough book. It explains music of all countries, tying the music together quite well. The music from the listening guides was very helpful in understanding what she was talking about. I just wish I could find the CD's that came with the book.
My only complaint is that she did not go into any Classical, rap, pop, or Broadway music. These are very important to world music, and I was surprised to see that she did not include them.
All in all, its a great book that has interesting and educational topics.
Book Description
Schafer contends that we suffer from an overabundance of acoustic information and explores ways to restore our ability to hear the nuances of sounds around us. This book is a pioneering exploration of our acoustic environment, past and present, and an attempt to imagine what it might become.
Customer Reviews:
The most important book on sound in 150 years........2005-03-12
When R. Murray Schafer first published TUNING OF THE WORLD (the subtitle of this edition) in 1977, it had a stunning and lasting affect on musicians and recordists throughout the world. Every facet of this work is important to know about and the narrative still reads like a contemporary novel - impossible to put down and never dated. He informs us how to re-train our ears to listen better and more wisely. He defines, for the first time, the soundscape and the myriad ways it fits into and affects our lives.
This book is seminal to my work as a naturalist and sound designer and I have read it many times in the past three decades. It is that important.
Bernie Krause, PhD
Book Description
W. W. Norton proudly presents Soundscapes, the first textbook to organize the study of music the way most people encounter it—by the roles it plays in their lives and communities. Through a series of illuminating case studies, students learn the fundamentals of music by exploring the social and cultural settings of different "soundscapes"—that is, musical traditions—from around the world, all of which either migrated to or originated in North America. The text embraces the diverse musical identities, tastes, and sound worlds present in our society and encourages students to participate in the soundscapes that surround them.
Customer Reviews:
Where are the CD's.......2006-09-19
this textbook didn't come with the CD's -- which are frequently referred to throughout the book, and are essential to the course.
Book Description
Charles Hirschkind's unique study explores how a popular Islamic media form& mdash;the cassette sermon& mdash;has profoundly transformed the political geography of the Middle East over the last three decades.
An essential aspect of what is now called the Islamic Revival, the cassette sermon has become omnipresent in most Middle Eastern cities, punctuating the daily routines of many men and women. Hirschkind shows how sermon tapes have provided one of the means by which Islamic ethical traditions have been recalibrated to a modern political and technological order-to its noise and forms of pleasure and boredom, but also to its political incitements and call for citizen participation. Contrary to the belief that Islamic cassette sermons are a tool of militant indoctrination, Hirschkind argues that sermon tapes serve as an instrument of ethical self-improvement and as a vehicle for honing the sensibilities and affects of pious living.
Focusing on Cairo's popular neighborhoods, Hirschkind highlights the pivotal role these tapes now play in an expanding arena of Islamic argumentation and debate-what he calls an "Islamic counterpublic." This emerging arena connects Islamic traditions of ethical discipline to practices of deliberation about the common good, the duties of Muslims as national citizens, and the challenges faced by diverse Muslim communities around the globe. The Ethical Soundscape is a brilliant analysis linking modern media practices of moral self-fashioning to the creation of increasingly powerful religious publics.
Average customer rating:
- Good 4 intro but bad for practical usage
- The Power of Sound
- Are the sounds you live in healing or hurting?
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The Power of Sound: How to Manage Your Personal Soundscape for a Vital, Productive, and Healthy Life
Joshua Leeds
Manufacturer: Healing Arts Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0892817682
Release Date: 2001-02-01 |
Book Description
Discover firsthand in this book/CD set the powerful effects sound has on you and learn to customize your own soundscape for a better quality of life.
• Sound pioneer Joshua Leeds shows how to use music to reduce stress, enhance learning, improve performance, and address conditions as diverse as dyslexia and depression.
• Includes accompanying CD featuring musical examples designed to induce specific mental states such as relaxation, receptivity, concentration, and creativity.
• Includes detailed guides for musicians and healthcare professionals
What we hear--and how we process it--has a far greater impact on our daily living than we realize. From the womb to the moment we die we are inescapably surrounded by sound, and what we hear can either energize or deplete our nervous systems. It is no exaggeration to say that what goes into our ears can harm us or heal us.
In The Power of Sound Joshua Leeds explores the importance of healthy auditory function. He investigates how noise- or stress-induced auditory dysfunction may result in difficulties in learning, communication, and social interactions, and he explains new techniques designed to invigorate auditory skills. The accompanying CD of psychoacoustically refined classical music provides immediate examples of the benefits of music explained in the book. Readers can experience the effects of a variety of sounds and begin the life-enhancing design of their own soundscapes.
Customer Reviews:
Good 4 intro but bad for practical usage.......2005-10-31
it's a good bk and written with mission. It brings me some insight about what music can do. However, to be better in using this bk, you need to have some know-how on music, or you might find it a little difficult to understand. Anyway, it a gd bk !
Mike Yu
The Power of Sound.......2003-06-14
Psychoacoustics is the study of how sound affects the human nervous system. One of the pioneer researchers in this exciting new field is Joshua Leeds, a composer, writer, and consultant. He has analyzed and compiled the studies and known data in The Power of Sound, his latest book.
His work is based on the premise that sound is a nutrient for the nervous system. Thus different sounds have varying effects on listeners. Although music is sound, not all sound is music. He discusses exactly what sound is, what it does to us, and what it can do for us. He emphasizes that we need to develop "sonic responsibility," that is, an awareness of the sounds continually bombarding us and taking steps to protect ourselves from harmful noises.
Leeds says that "Sound, like other elements, can fuel or deplete us," adding that "increasing noise pollution affects the planet's citizenry physiologically and psychologically."
He explains vibration, resonance, and entrainment, and how those can have a negative or positive effect on people. He then discusses therapeutic uses of sound, and includes a section detailing how to select particular sounds to accomplish certain goals. For example, high sounds will "charge" the system and increase activity, while bass sounds can "discharge" the system and decrease activity.
He also includes information for health practitioners for use in correcting various conditions, such as learning disabilities, relaxation techniques, and reduction of medications.
Extensive appendices provide additional information on music, sound and music therapy, and resources. Leeds also includes a CD with specially orchestrated music designed for motivation, relaxation, learning, inspiration, productivity, and concentration.
Leeds says that "we have come to understand the extraordinary power of the ear. In addition to its critical functions of communication and balance, the ear's primary purpose is to recycle sound and so recharge our inner batteries." Readers will find that The Power of Sound gives them all the information and techniques they need to use their own marvelous ears and sound to enhance their lives.
Are the sounds you live in healing or hurting?.......2001-02-28
Music is one of our most beloved art forms. It endures because of the way it makes us feel. The essence of music is sound. Current research tells us that music -- and all waveforms of sound -- can be a vital stimulant, a "nutrient" for the nervous system with the power to heal ... or harm.
In The Power of Sound: How to Manage Your Personal Soundscape for a Vital, Productive and Healthy Life, researcher, music producer and author Joshua Leeds explores the value of sound and the importance of auditory health. "Our relationship with the world, " he says, "is completely impacted by our ability to process a full spectrum of tone. Auditory sequential process is a cornerstone of short-term memory which is the basis for all thinking. Speaking, listening, learning and physical balance are all impacted by a healthy ear." All in all, sound plays a far greater role in our daily lives than we ever imagined.
Leeds is an expert in the new field of psychoacoustics -- the study of the effects of music and sound on the human nervous system. He's also a pioneer in psychoacoustic music creation, having produced many special classical music programs for therapeutic, education and business applications. A sample CD is packaged with this book.
For those dealing with learning disabilities, difficulties with concentration, emotional reactivity and other modern ailments, Leeds discusses the auditory mechanism as a possible point of remediation. Easy-to-implement sound solutions for enhanced health and peak performance are also included. While scientifically substantial, The Power of Sound is a very accessible read for the lay person. It is a great resource in a groundbreaking field. "Soundwork," says Leeds, "will have tremendous significance in this decade as scientists continue to look to music and sound to enhance health, learning and productivity."
Book Description
The School of Sound is a unique annual event exploring the use of sound in film, which has attracted practitioners, academics and artists from around the world. Soundscape is the first compendium of the event's presentations that investigate the modern soundtrack and the ways sound combines with image in both art and entertainment. The many contributors include directors David Lynch and Mike Figgis; Oscar-winning sound designer Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now); composer Carter Burwell (Coen Brothers); theorists Laura Mulvey and Michel Chion; critic Peter Wollen; film-makers Mani Kaul and Peter Kubelka; music producer Manfred Eicher and poet Tom Paulin.
Customer Reviews:
Lots of Sound Ideas.......2003-09-23
I would guess that if you are a "sound professional" you will likely be familiar with much of the content in this book, or at least will have well-developed opinions about what's discussed. For non-professionals like me, this book provided a wealth of theories, ideas, explanations, suggestions, and examples--something I thought didn't exist until I ran across a reference to it in the art magazine, Modern Painters. It's not a "how-to book". Even so, it's a book that gave and will continue to give me plenty of ideas about different ways of integrating sound and SILENCE into my video projects. Even if you don't intent to make videos or movies yourself, this book will give you clearer notions about sound theory that will help crystallize what you might have already grasped intuitively but couldn't put into words, e.g., the notion that music is a vector. It's also about how the sound track for some well know movies was developed, Apocalypse Now, for example, and how the movie business works with regard to sound and the music score.
There are chapters by David Lynch, Walter Murch, Randy Thom and other accomplished editors, directors, and sound designers. Just the chapters by Murch, Lynch, and Thom are worth the cost of the book! There are a couple of pretentious chapter authors but they are quickly discovered within the first few pages of reading and can then be easily skipped without consequence. Similar to silence, these dud chapters stand out all the more because they're in the context of such outstanding ones.
Here are a few of the conclusions I came away with after reading the book. Silence can exist only to the extent that the possibility of sound is present. Silence is a metaphor for thought and can also induce thought in the viewer. Music sound loops can be disconcerting because they don't lead us anywhere. It's not just my hearing, many Hollywood movies have poorly produced sound tracks! Sound is 50% (or more) of a movie. Sound can determine what you see and vice versa. Dialog needs to be understood even if it's not important for the story.
If you are making videos or movies of any kind or are an artist interested in incorporating sound into you work, this book is a real find. The same is true if you are just interested in film or if you are a movie reviewer. It's one of those books that caused me to both see and hear movies, and the world for that matter, in a different and more enchanting way. What more could a person ask of any book.
Book Description
When Jamaican recording engineers Osbourne "King Tubby" Ruddock, Errol Thompson, and Lee "Scratch" Perry began crafting "dub" music in the early 1970s, they were initiating a musical revolution that continues to have worldwide influence. Dub is a sub-genre of Jamaican reggae that flourished during reggae's "golden age" of the late 1960s through the early 1980s. Dub involves remixing existing recordings--electronically improvising sound effects and altering vocal tracks--to create its unique sound. Just as hip-hop turned phonograph turntables into musical instruments, dub turned the mixing and sound processing technologies of the recording studio into instruments of composition and real-time improvisation. In addition to chronicling dub's development and offering the first thorough analysis of the music itself, author Michael Veal examines dub's social significance in Jamaican culture. He further explores the "dub revolution" that has crossed musical and cultural boundaries for over thirty years, influencing a wide variety of musical genres around the globe.
Customer Reviews:
Droppin' Science.......2007-09-29
While there may be some readers grumbling about the author's 'dryness' in this volume, I found it to be a unique and invaluable resource in bringing out many heretofore unknown details of dub production techniques from some of its most revered protagonists.
This book authoritatively helps frame Dub in the greater context of Jamaica's musical and cultural landscape in the second half of the twentieth century, with unique innovations which some would argue has had an immense but vastly under-appreciated impact on the rest of the planet's musical development up to this very moment. The author has managed to provide studio rats such as myself with the luxurious wealth of information that -short of being having been there- some of us had been looking for since first hearing some of these recordings more than a quarter of a century ago, and as such is an invaluable addition to any dub creator's tolbox.
The minute and precise details in which some of this is recounted is a unique asset in helping preserve what has up to now been nothing but soon-to-be-gone and more often than not distorted oral tradition, and its many direct quotes from those key players still alive today will make it a solid historical reference point for those planning to further study this subject for years to come!
It is also welcome and refreshing to read such an account from the writer's African-American perspective, as it brings up many crucial facets of Jamaican music and culture into a sorely needed focus, which up to now has been the province of either ethnomusicologists who for the most part somewhat missed the point, or enthusiasts without the necessary research background and clarity of expression to bring it all together.
There are very few books that arguably helped change one's life. In my case, this is most definitely one of them. It comes with my highest recommendation.
the author could not translate his enthusiasm for the subject into a compelling read.......2007-09-08
Reading Michael Veal's Dub: Soundscapes & Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae, one understands just how vast Veal's knowledge of Jamaican music is. Unfortunately, the author could not translate his enthusiasm for the subject into a compelling read. Instead of being vibrant and humorous, the text is often academic and dry, stripping away the passion that would usually be associated with the subject matter. Ideally the book would have come with a companion CD, but Veal explained that the licensing would be too expensive, so readers are left having to follow the clinical text to get a sense of the music described.
Dub music is reggae music that has been reinterpreted through the use of sound effects, echo and reverb - the title refers to dismantling of prerecorded music. The music is often seen as a precursor to popular dance music. Dub has also leaked its way into mainstream pop music, as evident in "dub mixes" of top 40 hits by artists such as Madonna or Janet Jackson. The original dub music is a spin-off of reggae, though, as with any form of music, it has been diluted for mainstream popular consumption, as well. Pioneer engineers like Osbourne "King Tubby" Ruddock, Lee "Scratch" Perry and Errol Thompson all revolutionized dub music, and get deserved mentions in the book along such luminaries as Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and Sylvan Morris, and institutions like Studio One and the Black Ark - studios where some of the earliest works of dub music were created.
The book has some interesting points; the section on the influence of marijuana on dub music is particularly fascinating, as was his discussion of how producers would abuse their equipment to obtain a certain effect, but Veal often buries them with an avalanche of facts, figures and names (he has an unfortunate tendency to name drop), that will leave the reader overwhelmed. He has the germ of a great idea - he cites specific songs and discusses them in length, going over the details of the sounds of the songs and describing notable instrumental sequences and effects, though he gets mired in technical jargon (sometimes even including musical notes), that the reader may often find him or herself skimming through the passages.
To Veal's credit, he does put dub music into a political and historical context, which gives importance to his subject, and the background information on the cultural influences that shaped dub music is very interesting; his passages about dub music and marijuana is illuminating, as the author attempts to debunk the myth that Jamaican music is "pot music." He also does the reader a service by including a detailed discography of the artists cited in the book.
If Veal had trimmed down his writing a bit, and not overstuffed the tome with so much dry information then the book would've been a fascinating read. The text would have flowed better if the author had not tried to present the subject in such a textbook manner; the impulse is understandable, as Veal was obviously trying to make a claim for dub music an important academic or scholastic subject, but given the cultural impact of dub music, such a labored attempt in not needed. As such, one comes away from the book feeling as if there was an interesting book in there somewhere, done away by the author's zeal for overwhelming his audience with facts.
How about a Dub Version?.......2007-06-12
I'm in the midst of reading this book, and, yeah, as others have noted (here and elsewhere) it is a bit dry. So how about dub version of this book? We can add the playfulness, humor, and reverb that are missing! Who's in with me?
Dub-wise.......2007-05-14
I pre-ordered this book in great anticipation of a major work on dub reggae music. My only concern was that the work would be dry and academic, and unfortunately my concerns were fairly accurate. While I admire author Veal's conviction to write a comprehensive tome on this most creative of reggae's "sub-genres", the book lacks essential elements of the dub vibe, namely a sense of playfulness and humor. While the style of the writing makes sense in the context of Veal's academic accomplishments(he is a professor of music at Yale) the work is bound to come across as stiff and uninviting to many readers. True, the facts are all there but at many points I found myself wanting the author to ease up on the heavy terminology. While there is no doubt that elements of Jamaican history and politics play a significant role in the development of dub and Jamaican music in general, Veal's academic approach detracts from the overall enjoyment of this book.
Book Description
Wild Soundscapes is the first comprehensive guide to listening to--and recording--nature. Learn how to tune in to nature's biophonies, or creature symphonies; how to use simple microphones to hear more; and how to record, mix, and play with sounds you gather. Keep it simple or launch yourself into a new creative field. Whether you're an amateur naturalist, novice field recordist, musician, want to create your own natural sound library, or just want to gain further appreciate of the natural world, this is the book for you.
Bernie Krause, a professional field recordist and bioacoustician, shares his expertise in exploring nature's sonic landscapes. Wild Soundscapes comes with a full-length CD, narrated by Krause, sampling a variety of natural sounds: the crashing sea, the singing of ants, the bugling of Yellowstone elk, the plop of falling Costa Rican crabs, and more. With the help of this CD, Krause demonstrates techniques and tricks for field recording success.
Customer Reviews:
A 5 star and a 1 star rating in one book.......2007-07-03
I think its important to know whats the book about: Its about nature, the sounds of nature, the spirit of field recording. Its about memories from Bernie Krause, some nice stories, its getting you into "how to hear right".
Its not about recording technique, if you never did recording before it might help you and get you started, but if you have a little experience about field recording its not of much help, I not found only basic hints and very, very few about professional recording. So to me its a clear 5 star as its a brilliant started book and nice to read but only a 1 star book for lacking up to date technical and advanced recording aspects.
AMAZING book and a must have for anyone interested in sound.......2007-02-12
This book is like a bible of sound for me. Bernie Krause takes you on a sonic adventure that doesn't stop. AND you get an accompanying CD to really accent his thorough notes on the recordings of these beautiful and remote places. Some people use photographs to tell their stories of the wild, this book gives you a sonic story that is far more telling than a photograph. It is more vivid, more rich, and more REAL.
Only if you are new to the field.......2005-10-27
I have been professionally recording nature sounds for about 5 years. I bought the book to see if there was something I could learn from an accomplished artist. I didn't learn anything. Sorry to say the booked could have been summed up in a few paragraphs. How many ways can you write about the same paragraph to fill a book? Look elsewhere if you want to read about technical insight, recording issues, and artist flair.
valuable information by an enthusiastic pro.......2005-01-28
Wonderfully entertaining and informative, this book went with me to a remote island where I used it to create my most successful recordings to date.
I subtract one star because Krause makes comments suggesting that the sounds of the city are not to be enjoyed. I enjoy all of the ambient sounds of natural environments, including non-native species, and industrial sounds.
While he goes to great lengths to suggest that noises such as a jet pass-over detrimentally interrupt natural environments, the point fails to support the subject of the book. The information is well taken, but disturbing; which broke the magic of the book for me. That subject deserves its own book. This one deserved a more narrow focus.
Enhanced with an accompanying 55 minute CD.......2003-01-04
Wild Soundscapes: Discovering The Voice Of The Natural World by naturalist and soundscape recorder Bernie Krause is an engaging introduction to the wondrous world of natural soundscapes. Simple listening exercises, advice for recording natural sounds, equipment tips fill the pages of this practical, "user friendly", and thoroughly enjoyable guide to the "singing" of ants, the quiet rustle of desert sand dunes, and much, much more. Enhanced with an accompanying 55 minute CD of fascinating wildlife and wilderness audio soundscapes, Wild Soundscapes is a unique and very highly recommended addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Nature Studies or Out Door Recreation reference collection.
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