| Wonderful Electronic Dance Music book. I started on Chapter 19-25 to understand EDM song structure and different genres and to set up “lead sheets”, then scanned Chapters 1 - 3 (time spent on 3). Now working my way through using MOX and Cubase.
Brings it all together. BTW, got the initial recommendation from Stephen Kay’s “Karma” site recommended reading.
Dance Music Manual, 3rd EditionBy: Rick Snoman
My Rating: Awesome
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 Music Theory Part 1 – Octaves, Scales and Modes
THE MUSICAL OCTAVE
KEYS AND SCALES
MELODIC AND HARMONIC MINOR
FURTHER MODES
CONSTRUCTING MELODIES
RHYTHM
CHAPTER 2 Music Theory Part 2 – Chords and Harmony
BASIC CHORD STRUCTURES
TRIADS IN MINOR KEYS
FURTHER CHORDS
NOTATING CHORDS
TRADITIONAL HARMONY
CHORD APPROACH IN EDM
MINOR PROGRESSIONS
FURTHER PROGRESSIONS
SEVENTHS
SUSPENSION
SECONDARY DOMINANTS
KEY MODULATION
HARMONIC RHYTHM
CADENCE
CHAPTER 3 Music Theory Part 3 – Fundamentals of EDM Rhythm
TEMPO AND TIME SIGNATURES
TRIPLETS
SYNCOPATION
CHAPTER 4 Basic Electronics and Acoustic Science
VOLUME AND GAIN
DECIBELS
CHAPTER 5 MIDI, Audio and the Digital Audio Workstation
MIDI TRACKS
FURTHER EDITING WINDOWS
CHAPTER 6 Synthesizers
OSCILLATORS
FURTHER WAVEFORMS
FILTERS
THE AMPLIFIER
Attack
Decay
Sustain
Release
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
SAMPLE AND SYNTHESIS
GRANULAR SYNTHESIS
ADDITIVE SYNTHESIS
VECTOR SYNTHESIS/WAVETABLE SYNTHESIS
CHAPTER 7 Samplers
SAMPLE CD’S
BASIC SAMPLING PRACTICES
SAMPLE LOOPS
TIME COMPRESSION
Creative Sampling
Sample Reversing
Pitch Shifting
Perceptual Encoding
Physical Flanging
Transient Slicing
SAMPLES AND CLEARANCE
CHAPTER 8 Compressors
ATTACK TIME
KNEE
RELEASE TIME
HOLD
MAKE-UP GAIN
PRACTICAL COMPRESSION
Variable MU
FET
Optical
VCA
Digital Compressors
INITIAL SETTINGS
EDM COMPRESSION
CHAPTER 9 Processors
LIMITERS
NOISE GATES
TRANSIENT DESIGNERS
EQ
Further EQ
EXPANDERS
CHAPTER 10 Effects
REVERB
Ratio (Sometimes Labelled as Mix)
Pre-Delay Time
Early Reflections
Diffusion
Density
Reverb Decay Time
HF and LF Damping
DIGITAL DELAY
CHORUS
PHASERS AND FLANGERS
DISTORTION
FILTERS
GLITCHERS
CHAPTER 11 Mixing Structure
CHANNEL FADER AND SUBGROUPS
AUTOMATION
CHAPTER 12 Audio Interfaces and Connectivity
BIT RATES
HARDWARE AND CONNECTIONS
Digital Interfacing
S/PDIF
AES/EBU and MADI
CHAPTER 13 Gain Structure
LEVELS AND METRES
GAIN STRUCTURE IN AUDIO WORKSTATIONS
CHAPTER 14 Vocals & Recording
THE TECHNOLOGY
Cardioid
Hyper-cardioid
Figure of Eight
Omni-directional
RECORDING THEORY
RECORDING VOCALS
EDITING VOCALS
VOCAL EFFECTS
Telephone Vocals
Intonated Vocals
The Vocoder
CHAPTER 15 Kicks and Percussion
BASS/KICK DRUM CREATION
Layering Kicks
Synthesizing Kicks
FURTHER PROCESSING
SNARE AND CLAPS
Claps
FURTHER PERCUSSION
Hi-Hats
Shakers
Cymbals
Tambourines
Cowbells
Congas
Tom Drums
ANCILLARY PERCUSSION
CHAPTER 16 Composing Drum Loops
THE BASIC LOOP
SUBLIMINAL MODULATION
SWING
PARALLEL COMPRESSION
CHAPTER 17 Sound Design I – The Theory
MODULATION
CHAPTER 18 Sound Design II – Practice
PADS
Rise and Fall Pad
Resonant Pads
Swirling Pads
Thin Pads
BASS
Deep Heavy Bass
Sub-Bass
Moog Bass
Acid House Bass
Resonant Bass
Sweeping Bass
Tech House Bass
Trance ‘Block’ Bass
‘Pop’ Bass
BASS LAYERING AND EFFECTS CHAINS
PROGRAMMING LEADS
PLUCKED LEADS
Plucked Lead 1
Plucked Lead 2
Euphoric Trance Lead
TB303 Leads
Distorted Leads
Theremins
Hoovers
‘House’ Pianos
Organs
SOUND EFFECTS
Siren FX
Whooping FX
Explosion FX
Zipping FX
Rising Speed/Filter FX
Falling Speed/Filter FX
Arrangement Sweeps
Ghostly Noises
Computer Burbles
Swoosh FX
PROGRAMMING NEW TIMBRES
GENERAL PROGRAMMING TIPS
CHAPTER 19 Formal Structure
CALL AND RESPONSE
Exposition (Sonata Form)
Development (Sonata Form)
Recapitulation
ENERGY AND CONTOUR
DEVELOPMENT
THE MAIN BREAK
MIDI OF THE SNARE ROLL
CHAPTER 20 Trance
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
THE RHYTHM SECTION
BASS GROOVE
UPLIFTING TRANCE MELODIES
MELODIC TIMBRES
MOTIFS
CHAPTER 21 Dubstep
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
THE BASS
CHORDS, MELODIES AND EFFECTS
CHAPTER 22 Ambient/Chill Out
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
THE RHYTHMS
RHYTHMIC TEXTURES
MELODIC LEADS
WIND INSTRUMENTS
SYNTHETIC LEADS
BASS
CHORDS/PADS
CHAPTER 23 Drum ‘n’ Bass
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
PROGRAMMING
THE BASS
CHORDS
VOCALS AND SOUND FX
CHAPTER 24 House
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
HOUSE RHYTHMS
BASS
Minor and Major Pentatonic Scales
MELODIES, MOTIFS AND CHORDS
CHAPTER 25 Techno
MUSICAL ANALYSIS
ANCILLARY INSTRUMENTS
BASS
SOUND EFFECTS AND AUTOMATION
CHAPTER 26 Mixing Theory
MIXING THEORY
THE SOUNDSTAGE
Front to Back Perspective – Gain
Horizontal Perspective – Panning
The Vertical Perspective – EQ
The First Octave – 20 Hz to 80 Hz
The Second Octave – 80 Hz to 250 Hz
The Third Octave – 250 Hz to 600 Hz
The Fourth Octave – 600 Hz to 2 kHz
The Fifth Octave – 2 kHz to 4 kHz
The Sixth Octave – 4 kHz to 7 kHz
The Seventh Octave – 7 kHz to 20 kHz
CHAPTER 27 Practical Mixing
APPROACHING A MIX
EQ
Drum kick
Snare and Claps
High-Hats and Cymbals
Toms, Congas and General Percussion
Bass
Vocals
Lead Synthesizers/Pianos/Strings
MID/SIDE PROCESSING
COMMON MIXING PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Clarity and Energy
Prioritize the Mix
Relative Volume
EQ
Cut EQ Rather than Boost
Avoid Using EQ as a Volume Control
The Magic Q
Shelf EQ
Never Attempt to Fix It in the Mix
CHAPTER 28 Mastering
NOISE REDUCTION
MID-SIDE EQ/HARMONIC BALANCING
Bass
Mid Range
High Range
BOOSTS AND CUTS
MASTERING REVERB
DYNAMICS
Three-band compression:
Four-band compression:
Five-band compression:
HARMONIC EXCITEMENT
STEREO WIDTH
LOUDNESS LIMITING (MAXIMIZER)
Threshold
Make-up Gain (AKA Margin)
Release
Brick Wall/Soft Limiting
GENERAL MASTERING TIPS
CHAPTER 29 Publishing and Promotion
CHAPTER 30 A DJ’s Perspective
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