Reproductions Books

This third installment in the beloved Anne series is one of my favorites. Having just completed two years of teaching in Avonlea, Anne, along with friends Gilbert and Charlie, is ready to leave the Island and make her way to Redmond College. Her four years there offer quaint-seeming insights into college life a hundred years ago. After spending her freshman year in a boarding house, Anne and chums Priscilla, Stella, and Philippa move into a little house called Patty's Place. Even though they are committed to their studies, life is never dull. Anne has no lack of suitors, turning down no fewer than five proposals during the course of the story. And her summers are full of adventure, whether it's back in dear Avonlea or teaching as a country schoolmarm.

I've read Anne of the Island each year I've been in college, and as I finished it this time, I couldn't help but relate to Anne's excitement for the future, mingled with regretful nostalgia about the college life she was leaving behind. College is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having attended a small Christian university, I relate to Anne's old-fashioned values and the safe, wholesome environment of Redmond.

Montgomery has such a pungent writing voice, alive to the quirks of human nature and the beauties of outdoor nature. She brings spice, optimism, and a touch of cynicism to the story and the characters. Anne's most personal experiences are recounted with poignancy, and are rooted in reality, although they may seem whimsical to modern readers. The ending is sweet and satisfying. I just love Anne, and especially this tale of her college experiences. Don't miss it.

Anne of the Island is the third installment of the smash Anne of Green Gables series. The book begins with Anne leaving for college to further her education the second time. When she arrives, she encounters a slew of minor domestic problems, a new group of friends, and Love. All of which she deals with using that famous atypical personality of a "Kindred spirit"



Although the book deals with more serious subject matter than the preceding books, as a reflection upon Anne's growing older, the book starts with the lighthearted catchy fun that made Anne famous in her prequels. Most of this fun is centered on the Anne's encounters with her roommate cats Rusty, Joseph, and Sarah-Cat. Anne's exclamations of fear at being stalked by the docile house cats is classic Anne and delicious fun.



The Book also dives into more serious matter, with Lets be friends-Lets be more than friends-Lets be friends-I hate you-Marry me! Gilbert abandoning his indecisiveness and aggressively courting Anne. Although this relation is of little interest to male readers, it is made a key plot element, most likely because it is attractive to the books target demographic, pre-teen girls. Luckily, most of the content on Anne's romance does nothing to affect other parts of the story much and as a result are harmless to skip when they become drab.



Anne of the Island is a solid installment in the Anne series. Although not equaling or surpassing Anne of Green Gables, "Of the Island" leaves little to be desired besides not having a near constant usage of the word "eh". If you an Anne fan, pick up her third book. Eh.

The story of Anne continues with this work and the author stays true to her style, story line and character developement. This, like the other books in this series, have a rather timeless nature about them and a comforting charm. The reader, of course, must remember the time they were written and the style and syntax used at that time. From my own point of view, this is great. I enjoy this type of writing and certainly enjoy Ms. Montgomery's story telling abilities. In this work, Anne goes off to Redman College and her adventure continues. Recommend these books for readers of all ages. Wish there were more works out there like it.

"Anne of the Island" is my favorite Anne book, and the last chapters of my copy are worn and torn because I have read it so many times. I loved it as a young girl, and I loved it again when I read it from my college dorm room (in fact, I think it's time for another rereading!). Plus, of course, a college education makes many of the literary references more relevant than they were at age 11.

Anne fans already know how wonderful are these chapters of Anne's life. This book outlines an important epoch in the series and answers the all important question of whether they will or they won't--a turning point on which the next five books hinge. And since you must start at "Anne of Green Gables" to appreciate any of it, this review cannot convince to you read just book three. It is just one more love letter to "Anne of the Island" added to this review panel.

this book never gets old. i've had it for so long and now i'm off to college and i still enjoy reading it cover to cover. anne is a great character, one who is easy to love and who explains herself well. the other characters are also quirky. something about this book is very universal, which i think explains why even in this century i still find myself being able to relate to Anne. the plot, while essentially a love story, is not overly sappy. and while most people would probably expect the ending, the twists and turns throughout the novel keep you entertained and engaged.

There is so much to ProTools, Gina puts it into perspective! Her writing style is outstanding, and if you are like me who thinks the technical instructions and white papers seem to require a degree, this book is for you! I am currently on Chapter 5 and in one week, I have surpassed what I learned on my own with the "manual". Her additional downloads and assistance goes above and beyond!
As far as a response to the previous "click track" comment, with respect. I have talked to several studio musicians, and they all say they record with a click track, drummer, pianist, and guitarist.
If Gina comes out with an "advanced" ProTools guide, I will purchase it immediately!

I bought this book because I needed to learn to use Pro Tools fast and because I learn best through tutorials (like the Apple Pro Training Series books). This book got great reviews so I chose it. Unfortunately, I need to learn Pro Tools in reference to working with film soundtracks. This book doesn't address film so you'll need to look for another book if you want that aspect. I still gave it five stars because it is a very well designed and well written book - similar to the Apple Pro series. The tutorials make sense and all of those 'but what about' questions that often pop into your head while working in tutorials are answered. Concepts are clearly explained so that you can actually apply what you learn to other situations within the software. The focus of the book is on live recordings and working with loops. If that is what you are looking for this book is A+ and I kept it as a valuable reference for my library.

I admit that I hate to read a manual.
I am a visual learner: I can watch someone else operate, say, Final Cut Pro and get the general grasp of the work environment.
If I have to wade through text, it doesn't seem to click as easily.

Having read several books on Pro Tools as well as countless instructional web pages, I was still struggling with my Pro Tools LE system.
That's where Gina Fant-Saezs' book comes into play.
I took a chance and spent the money.
And it was money well spent, for someone with my learning curve.

Easy to use, fun to read and plenty of visuals.
Where other books explained Pro Tools in word, Gina's book augmented the text with excellent images.

I highly recommend "Pro Tools for Musicians and Songwriters" for beginners as well as those who need something more than just words on pages.

The best purchase for Pro Tools rookies. I had no prior experience with Pro Tools before reading this book and I feel completely comfortable navigating both the editing and mixing modes. Gloria explains her information in a totally easy to understand format while directing you to record and patch songs together in various different ways so you can determine what method you personally prefer. I was up to speed and recording professionally sounding CD's in days! Thanks Gloria!!!

This is a good book for getting started in Pro Tools. It covers pretty much what a musician would need to know to start making songs.

The author is really good at making complex concepts and procedures understandable. She even uses a blog where she will personally answer your questions if you get stuck.

That said...
The book is using Pro Tools version 7, and because I was using Pro Tools LE 7.4, there were quite a few discrepancies between what was presented in the book, and what I had in front of me, and the reader is required to extrapolate from time to time. All this will probably be fixed if the author ever revises the book. Then she can specify exactly what version is being used.

Also, in the revision, I hope she uses XPand, the free (and extremely cool) sampler from Digidesign, and not the $600 SampleTank, which you can only try for 10 days before buying.

Another thing I think would be very beneficial to new users and should thus be included in the possible revision. is a whole section of the book on creating your own loops, right from the beginning.

Thanx Gina

I purchased this for my 8 year old daughter as a birthday gift per her repeated requests. She already had Farmer Boy, and chose this as her next Little House CD. She and her 12 year old sister both love these. We've read Little House books as a family, but now they can listen over and over.

This is a good CD. Cherry Jones' performance is excellent, and the fiddle music adds a wonderful touch for those who wish they could have heard Pa's fiddle.

As for the story, who doesn't like Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic stories of pioneer life in America? She brings it to life like nothing I've ever read, and I read everything I can get my hands on about American History. Laura give us such a detailed picture of her family, Pa's leadership, Ma's gentle manners, their work ethic, life in the 1800's, old-fashioned morals, and so much more. If my kids listen to this over and over, I know they'll gain so much that TV or movies cannot begin to give them.

The Little House series are great read aloud books.

Our daughter is five and this series is perfectly age appropriate, even though an older child would enjoy them equally as well. For younger ones (three or so), there is a great picture book series called "My first little house books," or something like that. One of these is a story based of a chapter in this book and is called "Christmas in the Big Woods."

These CD's are great for long trips in the car. The narrator's voice is wonderful. The adults will find themselves enjoying listening themselves.

"One the Banks of Plum Creek" is the best of the series. It is the one where Mary and Laura go to school and where the character of Nellie Olson is introduced. Her brand of spoiled rotten meanness is nothing short of tantalizing to a five year old. Also, there are the wonderful Christmas chapters.

Just excellent, all around. I highly recommend the books to read alound and the CD's.

Whether you have read the Little House books or have never heard of them, this book on tape is wonderful for everyone from small children to adults. The narrator who reads it does an amazing job of capturing the childhood wonderment and emotions Laura was trying to convey. It is also so interesting to hear the way families lived back in the 1800's. I could listen to this book on tape over and over again.

Laura Ingalls is now eight-years-old, her sister Mary is nine, and Carrie is still just a tiny tot. While they are all still quite young, they are expected to help out with the chores around the house - from sweeping to dusting, cooking and setting the table. But this year, the girls are in a strange new place. Looking to settle in an area where a school and church are close by, and the Ingalls' have a chance to grow a wonderful crop that will provide quite a profit, the family heads to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Traveling by covered wagon, the family, along with all of their belongings, travels all the way through Indian Territory, across Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, stopping at their destination in Minnesota. There, they are surrounded by Norwegian's who speak very little English. However, they are good neighbors who assist them in times of trouble. Trading their horses for a home located under the ground, Laura's family begins to call Minnesota their home. And, before long, Pa has built a lovely home by the banks of Plum Creek. He believes that his wheat crop will provide enough funds to pay off their debts when the time comes. But when locusts invade in cloud-like swarms, eating everything in their sight, the family must endure hardships that were unexpected.

But things are not all bad. Having never attended school before, Laura and Mary are finally near enough a schoolhouse where they can attend daily lessons that help them develop reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. It is at this particular school where the two older Ingalls girls are exposed to children - both male and female - who are close to their age. Some of whom title Mary and Laura "country girls." But the label does not affect how the two sisters view themselves, or their family; and only gives them the courage to befriend various girls who love to spend time with them. It is at school, however, that Laura encounters the spoiled, yet oh-so-pretty, Nellie Oleson, who goes out of her way to give both Laura and Mary a hard time. But Laura isn't having any of it, and resolves to get even with the vicious Nellie, even if it upsets her Ma and Pa. Luckily, with Ms. Beadle - the schoolteacher - around, Laura and Mary have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and receive the education that their Ma always wanted them to have; while getting the socialization they deserve. But even attending school doesn't excuse them from having to assist their family when the going gets tough.

Up until last year, I had been a diehard fan of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TV series, but had never had the opportunity to delve into the wonderful tales told by Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. Upon reading the introduction novel, LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, I quickly fell in love with the Ingalls family all over again; and, since then, they have taken up residence in my heart, and kept me fascinated with the various adventures they experienced throughout their lives. Laura is such a lively, brave, fun-loving character; whose ambition, kindness, and, oft-times, naughtiness, make her appealing from start to finish. Her relationship with her family is hard to resist, as she manages to please and displease them on a daily basis, all to the jovial laughter of her father. I believe that Pa (Charles) is one of the most important characters in the series, as he is such a kind, loyal man; who rarely scolds, and spends his downtime entertaining his family with music from his fiddle, and stories that leave you chuckling. The family, as a whole, are the type of people you would absolutely love to have the chance to know. They are kind to strangers, helpful to neighbors, and both Ma and Pa are two of the most selfless people in literature. The information regarding Rocky Mountain locusts was both interesting, and frightening; but truly provides a wonderful history lesson for the young reader. While the introduction of the devilish Nellie Oleson provides quite a bit of humor, as she and Laura trade insults with one another at almost every meeting between the two. Ingalls did a marvelous job of penning such a cheerful addition to the series; and, thus far, ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK has become my favorite LITTLE HOUSE book yet. A can't-miss addition to the series!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK -- Who could forget the plague of grasshoppers, or spoiled Nellie's encounter with the crab, or Pa's sojourn in the blizzard, among other adventures?

We -- my three homeschooled grandchildren and I -- are going through the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books for the second time. We read them aloud during story time, and love every minute. These are books written about an American pioneer family in the 1800s with a strong moral compass. In an unsentimental style, the author writes simply of the day-to-day life she experienced firsthand growing up. As the title of this review suggests, a central theme, not only of this book, but the entire series, is that "Pa loves Ma, and Ma loves Pa, and all's right with the world," including in the face of all kinds of adversity and opportunity alike.

I enrich this time for my grandchildren by stopping occasionally to explain and discuss what we are reading about, be it an unusual word usage, a custom no longer practiced, how to do something by hand, historical facts... We have even stopped to do some research and measure out the height of a bear. Our family tradition is that the eldest grandchild (now 11) reads the last page of these books. Otherwise, I usually do the reading. We also try to get started right away on the next book in the series, the same day as we finish the one before, so as not to lose our momentum.

After going through the series the first time, we discovered (almost by accident at the local library) several other series of books, written by other authors, about Laura's great-grandmother Martha in Scotland, her grandmother Charlotte in Boston, and her mother Caroline in Wisconsin, so we decided to start over with the first of those books and carry on through. There is also a series about Laura's daughter Rose which we have not gotten to yet.

Reading through the other series in order has been time well invested. Like Laura, we have strong family roots in Scotland. We have four generations of our family living within close proximity, so my grandchildren know my father, their beloved great-grandfather, quite well, and this series helps them gain a feel of family and historical continuity, generation to generation. (Check for related book series under: Martha Years, Charlotte Years, Caroline Years, Rose Years).

I am investing in and building our own set of all these books in hardcover, having told my grandchildren that I plan to be around to read them to *their* grandchildren!

This book is fabulous and worth the price but the very very important details about computer based recording is BADLY dated and the publisher coould really revive the title and I would even rebuy it if they would update this info or at least provide an online update.

This book is great for people who are new to voice overs. It's a must buy if you want to set up your own studio.

I already had a working knowledge of how to record at home, but found I still had a few things to learn. Voice Actor's Guide to Home Recording is a valuable book whether you have experience recording at home, or you are just starting out. I guarantee you will benefit from owning this book and your home recordings will sound better and better!

This is an excellent guide and for all those noting it would be nice for an updated version I see that it is almost here and you can pre-order it now.

From the product description:
This new edition of this bestselling bible for voiceover home recording has been completely updated to cover all the exciting new technology and delivery options currently available.

http://www.amazon.com/Voice-Actors-Guide-Recording-Home/dp/159863433X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223943559&sr=8-3

Man, I should have checked the dates on all the positive reviews of this book. Had I done so, I would have saved myself the purchase price.

3 years ago, when it was published, I'm sure this was a fabulous reference, however, it is now SO out of date as to render more than half the book almost useless. To the author's credit (and the book's ultimate downfall) he includes a high level of detail on things like computer hardware and software, microphones, and other studio technology, but in any techno-based treatise, one year is a long time and three years is an eternity. The very detail that would have been fabulous three years ago is totally irrelevant today.

I found myself skipping more than half the text of the book primarily because it was so out of date. Recommendations like a computer with a Pentium 4 processor with up to a 40GB hard drive and a minimum of 256MB of RAM were appropriate at the time of publishing (early 2005) but not now. Step by step instructions on how to use programs that have long since been upgraded (or even changed ownership) are of very little benefit in the year 2008. What I have in my hands is a 180 page book with maybe 80 pages of pertinent information.

Another example is in the area of ISDN connections. Again, the authors couldn't include programs like Source Connect or Audio TX, both VOIP type programs and neither of which require an ISDN line and associated hardware/software/expenses to function in this book because they had yet to be released, but I go back to my original statement that if a book is going to be technology-based then it is incumbent on the authors to keep it up to date. Harlan Hogan himself has written a very good discussion on Source Connect and Audio TX that can be found at the CommercialVoices.com web site where he discusses the place non-ISDN communication solutions currently occupy and where they will be in 5 years, and it's critical everyone understand this BEFORE making the substantial investment in ISDN.

I don't fault the authors because they wrote an exhaustive and definitive guide covering the subject at the time, but when one publishes a book like this, you need to make a concerted effort to keep the content up to date. I would think an eBook, with a living chapters would be more appropriate than a paper and ink volume like this. Harlan Hogan's web site is very helpful, and in fact, I learned MUCH more from his web site on the topic than I learned from his book.

My bad, like I said, for not checking the dates of the reviews and the date of publishing.

There is still some information in the book that is of general value regarding how to set up a home studio and get started in the business, but I feel there are other books out there that may be more complete and more importantly, more up to date on this score. On the positive side, the authors write in an enjoyable and humorous style which makes reading the book a positive experience.

This isn't a terrible book, but it could be a GREAT book if it were current.

I am new to making armor, but not so much to metalworking. This book gets you started on techniques (although a few could have a little more attention), and has terrific sections on measuring and padding. The illustrations and photos are a big bonus, and most are helpful to some extent. Overall a great example of a master passing on some of his knowledge to the apprentices of his craft.

I have yet to find a better book for armoring. Nearly every fundamental is covered.

Tools, stock, techinque, buying tips, and even history is covered.

The Maille section is somewhat lite but there are other books that are fully dedicated to that discipline.

It's worth every penny. You can't go wrong with this book.

This book is an awsome read, very interesting and the info on constructing armour is just incredable. Every aspect is covered even lining the armour to make it more comfortable, if you are intersted in medieval armour this book is second to none.

Good book. BUT compleatly failed to mention safety glasses. These are IMPORTANT. you need to get a good pair and wear them when you are working in your shop. unless you think you will look good with a eyepatch.

This is a book on how to build armor. Tools, techniques, materials, workspace needed, cost estimates are all part of it. I make leather armor for re-enactors, so much of what was taught here was not directly applicable. However, there are chapters on how to measure, pattern, and cut. These are useful even if the material used isn't metal but leather. There are even some basic instructions on leatherworking. Overall, a pretty straightforward work. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in armor construction, collecting, or re-enacting.

The product arrived in no time and in perfect conditions. I am very pleased with my purchase. Thank you! Cec!

This is the grandaddy of all of studio session books. So many have come after this (Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, etc.) but this is the gold standard. I have given this to a few people that I know would appreciate it, and every one of them has raved... just like I am doing.

My only suggestion is that Mr. Lewisohn updates it with all of the new information that has been put out there since this was published (many books including The Beatles's ANTHOLOGY CD and book for example).

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This book is a must for any Beatle-fan, or anyone working in a studio who knows the Beatles' music. The book is a cornucopia of information on how the Beatles' music was created in the studio. Sit down with the book and the CDs, and listen to each song as your read Lewisohn's description of the recording session. It's like being there!

I love The Beatles records and have since my Dad purchased "Meet the Beatles" in 1966. The first records I bought on my own, as soon as I had a paper route and spending money, were The Beatles' LPs, in order of American release. I even knew the exact running time of every Beatles song and couldn't imagine that there were people in the world who didn't know every Beatles song. If you're like me, the revelation of the details of the recording of every Beatles track, as detailed in this book, will be a thrill to pore over.

Some Beatles books are gossipy, and others feature questionable armchair critical analyses of their music. Lewisohn takes a totally different approach. Working with the original Abbey Road studio logs, he's created a day-by-day record of what the Beatles were doing in Abbey Road studios, who played what instruments, and how long it took them to record and write their songs.

I own a first edition of this book and have used it ever since I bought a used copy sometime in the early 1990s. I reread it many times that summer, and that somewhat battered, oversized copy still sits on my shelf. It's a book I returned to when I set up a mini home recording studio, and returned to yet again when I was learning how to mix my sounds. Although this is not a "how-to" book, you can learn an awful lot about good recording and mixing technique by carefully reading it.

Furthermore, Lewisohn packed his text with surprises. I, for one, was shocked to learn how primitive Abbey Road's technology was, even by the standards of a British studio in the 1960s. I was also surprised to learn why the mono and stereo mixes of the Beatles' music often sounded so different from one another even though they were mixed from the same masters. Also, it's amazing to learn just how quickly some seemingly complex tracks were put together, while some seemingly simple songs took far more work. As a side benefit, Lewisohn's comprehensive notes probably knocked the wind out of more than one bootlegger trying to pass off BBC radio performances as lost studio recordings of Beatle tracks! Throughout, there are many, many excellent photos - many of which have not been reproduced elsewhere. Just when you think Lewisohn's run out of goodies, there's a rare interview with Paul McCartney that touches on the songwriting process.

I can't rate this as a five star book although I'd like to. As good as Lewisohn is, there are a lot of minor details here that are misleading or just plain wrong. Lewisohn can't seem to tell phasing from flanging (two very different techniques to create swirling electric guitar sounds). He also prints quotes from studio musicians without elaboration, leading me to believe he has a weak grasp on performance and theory. For example, one horn player describes a McCartney song as being "between the cracks" of two different keys; the song in question actually seems to have been recorded slightly flat and sped up to normal pitch upon playback, but we have no way of knowing what the horn player actually meant without more information. The average reader might walk away thinking that the song used two different keys, unless he also knew that the song was in a single key. I'm surprised an editor didn't catch this stuff.

If you're a Beatles fan who could care less about their personal lives, but would love to learn more about how they created their studio albums - this book is for you. If you're interested in home recording, you'll learn lots of tidbits here too. Lewisohn deserves a lot of credit for creating this resource, and I wish that it weren't such a difficult book to find.

Great book especially for novices! It gave you enough information to prepare for the birth, understand and know what to anticipate. We had 2 books handy while our chi gave birth to 6 puppies! Puppy birth is very similar to human birth in alot of ways. So, if you've been through child birth whether it's yourself or a loved one, the main thing is to remain calm and be there for your dog. They will appreciate you for it!

This book was of great help, particularly when our pups began to dehydrate after birth. There were only 2 things it did not prepare us for, having smaller than normal litters and the mother's nervous behavior affecting her care of such a small litter. According to the emergency vet on holiday call, there are breed specific behaviors which play into the mother's care and can interfere. My only wish was that I could have found a book more specific to my breed. As a general instruction manual, it was of great help. The two little pups are dear and are doing well now, 2 weeks later.

We just had a litter and everything went great. There are nine healthy pups. We had to do the slinging thing with one pup, and with the illustrations and directions it worked and the pup is healthy. We didn't loose one!!!

I bought this book to help me get through breeding my two Yorkies. It was comprehensive and easy for the non-vet to understand. If I had a question, it had the answer.

Excellent book. My dog just delivered 8 healthy puppies. I had read the book several weeks earlier and kept reffering to it as the whelping approached. It directed me all through the process and I learned many things that helped me avoid what would have been costly mistakes.

There are many things I like about this book, but what I like best is that it's honest. Unlike many other books, it doesn't promise you the world, and a successful career overnight, but instead gives you an inside look at the music industry and guides you on how to make things happen for yourself.
The language is conversational, and the author has a great sense of humour. It simplifies issues most artists find confusing (like legal documents and royalty calcuation!) and is a great read.
'Getting Signed!' is a text book, idiot's guide and light read all rolled into one. It helped me a lot, and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who wants to have anything to do with the music business.
George Howard also teaches a number of great courses at berkleemusic online.

Highly Recommended! This is an excellent book for any one who is in the Music Industry or wants to understand how the Music Industry works. I purchased this book as part of the reading for Berklee Music Online course - "Inside the Record Industry". It helped me a lot with my course work and also in understanding how the Music Industry works. Thank you George !
Paulom

This book will take you step by step through all of the motions of getting yourself signed to a label. From press kits to the qualities that make a good manager, this book will hold your hand through the dark abyss that is the music industry. I would consider this a must read for anyone who would like to perform as a career. I personally have passed this on to all my bandmates, and many many friends. Do yourself a favor, and pick this up!

This is the book I needed when I was 15 years old, and grasping at any information to help move forward with a music career. Define where you are in your development as an artist, define where you would like to go, and more importantly why you want to go there. Then take action with the knowledge and confidence to realize your dreams and goals. Learn what labels look for in bands and artists, and how to position yourself to negotiate a win/win deal for yourself. Learn all the perspectives of the business of music from artist, label, distributor, publicity, and promotion, to management, and booking agents. Basically everything you need to understand to be successful, written in an understandable and accessible style, with a sense of humor. I loved it and learned so much I could write my own book with the research it inspired me to undertake. Don't just dream big, learn what it takes to do the work to become successful.

George Howard knows the music biz inside and out - reading this book is like having a top A&R guy as your personal coach. For everyone out there who wants to start a label or get a deal, the author dispels a lot of myths and helps you to focus systematically on the jobs you could and should be doing yourself. A very enjoyable read, this book is broken down into manageable chapters that give you the information and tools to help you reach your goals.

Best book on the subject I've read (out of 3 or 4). I continue going over the details of the different sections to try to internalize the materials and layout of each piece of the project puzzle.

When I showed this book to a professional acoustician friend who works for a internationally recognized acoustics firm, he agreed that many of the construction materials that were reviewed in the book are in fact the very same ones that they recommend in the building of performance spaces and recording studios. I thought that was the best recommendation of all!

I'm building a basement studio. My starting point was bare concrete walls and open ceiling with joists from the floor above. In my case this book was invaluable. Even though there is a wealth of information (and much of it very good) on-line in regard to studio construction, understanding the general concepts, and judging whether the information is from a truly knowledgeable source can be quite overwhelming. Rod is highly respected in every aspect of studio construction and his advice is sought after by the big boys. In my project, the high priority items have been 1) Sound isolation - How do I keep sound from entering and leaving the space and 2) Once isolation is achieved, how do I treat the space acoustically so it is conducive to recording and mixing music? The book addresses these issues and others very nicely. It gave me a solid understanding of the principle of these issues, then building on those principles, went into specifics regarding construction and product options for achieving these goals. In my opinion it's important to note that many times Rod would offer multiple options varying from least expensive and reasonably effective, to most expensive and extremely effective. It is written in plain, clear language and includes excellent illustrations, and examples of how particular techniques are used in large studios. In most cases, it provides more information than you need to achieve these goals. I also find myself well educated enough from this information to more easily determine whether information I find on-line may be credible or not. This book is an easy and interesting read, and a wonderful reference applicable for any project similar to mine, or more involved. My copy is becoming worn out from being referred to so often!

This book is a must have for anyone considering building a studio in their house. The focus of the book is most certainly *building* a studio, and not so much quick and easy ways to make the spare bedroom a pro studio. If you are serious about building get this book!

I've read a number of "build your own home studio" books, and this one has impressed me the most by far. It contains tons of useful and very practical information about how to build a good home studio. The info covers everything - acoustic theory, design of the space, material choices, construction techniques, HVAC, lighting and electrical, safety, etc. etc. He goes in-depth into each of these topics too. Some of the content *is* targeted for big studios on big budgets, but most of it also applies to the do-it-yourselfer, so I don't count that as a minus. For example, I will not be cutting existing concrete slabs and excavating and installing footers under the edges, nor will I be floating a new slab over an existing one...but I like knowing how these things are done for a professional studio. He does reference a number of brand names, but I don't count this as a minus either - brand recommendations (from someone with experience) are useful to someone new to studio construction.

Bottom line, the guy is a former contractor, and it's obvious from reading the book that he knows how these things are not just designed, but actually *built*. He covers everything in more depth than most of the other books put together. This book is money well-spent.

Generally this is an informative book, I've found it very valuable and am glad I purchased it...but it does deserve a few dings. Rod assumes at least some familiarity with construction jargon. For construction illiterates like me, some of his explanations leave me wondering what he is saying and it is at least in part due to terminology I'm not familiar with. A glossary would help. I also wish he'd deal a little more with how to work around, or options for improving, existing construction, like an existing window or door you might want to keep.

Overall, this book is well worth the price for the wealth of detail about materials and construction techniques alone. It will be a great reference book.

This book is not only about creating music, but it's also about the business of music. From tips on buying instruments and equipment, to finding practice space, to touring and promoting your music, Michael W. Dean crams his book full of useful information. Plus it contains pearls of practical wit and wisdom, including: A musical use for used pantyhose; a simple workout regimen for drummers; and how to be invited to stay at someone's house for as long as you want, rent-free. Overall, I learned a lot, and the book was a very enjoyable read.

Michael has done it again. Reading both $30 Film School and $30 Music School back to back has definitely given my confidence and knowledge a jump-start.
With the $30 series and the documentary DIY OR DIE, Michael W Dean has created a foundation to start your own artistic journey and equip you with enough knowledge to survive in what can be a very cutthroat environment.

It is time to wake up, take control of what is left of your life and make an impression to last the ages. The $30 series is here to help prevent you from making the mistake of living old with regret.
For $30 you get way more than what you pay for.

The book's OK, but it's not about music: it's about running a garage band -- which is very different: in music school you study your instrument, solfege, harmony, and counterpoint; in a band you need to know how to find gigs, how to fight with your bandmates and come on top -- every time, all the time, how to deal with the gear, etc. With this in mind, the book is a good read for a newbie (but if you have a couple of years' experience in that area it is unlikely that you'll find anything you don't already know).

What's next for the author? I'm hoping for a $30 Brain Surgery School book, why not. After having starved in the company of beautiful women, one realizes that a man's gotta eat. ;-) God bless.

The title of this book caught my eye and I bought it after reading 1 page. It is well written and informative without being dry. Along with the practical advice given on purchasing gear, dealing with bandmembers, club owners, recording and other facets of getting your music heard, integrity and win/win situations are stressed throughout it. I have already applied some of the info presented and have undergone some major attitude adjustments (positive ones) toward my music and my musical goals. Although there is a lot of humor and an easygoing style about this book, it is very serious in its focus on how to get your music out there. Anybody who wants to pursue music further than garage band status should read this book. People who want to be big rock stars would benefit from $30 Music School, too, as it may prove to be a reality check for them.

Michael's writing style realy makes this an enjoyable read. This how-to for garage banding covers everything from managers and road managers and bookers to the handful of guitar and keyboard chords you need for rock 'n roll to tutorials for various software packages. Hmm. Like a boyscout manual for punk rockers. Lots of anecdotes and real-world advise.