Good Reading Suggestions

[The Culprit]

I've recently been feeling the urge to do some studying so registered on Coursera for a course named Fundamentals of Audio and Music Engineering. It's looking like a good place to spend some productive hours, covers a lot of things I have a very basic knowledge of but would like to improve on.

My first issue is the requirement of a good knowledge of complex numbers. After an hour or so on YouTube I've come to realise that I must not have been in that day at school 20-odd years ago

So basically I'm looking for a good way of getting my head around this conundrum. I know if I persevere I'll get it eventually, but it would be good to find something that explains it all in a way that suits me.

But not just complex numbers. Any general content to do with room acoustics, electronics in music, microphone design...anything geeky like that. I know Google is my friend and all that, but specific recommendations are always good.

[James Perrett]

If you are using complex numbers it sounds like you are going in at a fairly deep level. At that sort of level the standard electronics book recommendation is The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill. For audio I would also suggest looking at anything by Douglas Self. It may also be worth going through the Wireless World archives on the World Radio History site

https://worldradiohistory.com/Wireless_ ... gazine.htm

as the Doug Self book that I have is essentially a collection of his Wireless World articles from the 1990's.

[The Culprit]

Hi James. Honestly I didn't expect that level of detail, I thought it would be a fairly entry to mid level course given the wide-ranging subjects. I did some electronics in my late teens/early 20's but never to any sort of advanced level. Thinking maybe I should be looking elsewhere for learning before tackling a course like this.

Had a look at that Wireless World site....that is excellent. Magazines dating back to the early 1900's. I'll check some of them out tomorrow, thanks.

What about acoustics, have you any good suggestions in that area? I peeked at your own site too, that wee outbuilding looks ideal for the work you do. I would love to build something like that one day, already have the practical build-skills for it but really would like to learn more about the way sound works in a room, rather than just knowing to put bass traps in corners and panels at mirror points etc.

[James Perrett]

What about acoustics, have you any good suggestions in that area? I peeked at your own site too, that wee outbuilding looks ideal for the work you do. I would love to build something like that one day, already have the practical build-skills for it but really would like to learn more about the way sound works in a room, rather than just knowing to put bass traps in corners and panels at mirror points etc.

I'm hoping that others might be able to chime in with some acoustics books as I don't have as much personal experience with them though I actually found some of the BBC technical papers to be very useful when building my studio - the name G.D. Plumb sticks in my mind for some reason. I also had some very useful advice and tips from Max (Studio Support Gnome). And I had also read quite a few articles by Phillip Newell in Studio Sound over the years (which are also available at the World Radio History site).

[DanDan]

The Master Handbook of Acoustics by Alton Everest is THE BIBLE. Written without diminishing the Science, with a passion to share with the newbie. That said I still use it for Reference. Aunty of course published all her R&D https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/arc ... actice.pdf

[The Culprit]

I'm hoping that others might be able to chime in with some acoustics books as I don't have as much personal experience with them though I actually found some of the BBC technical papers to be very useful when building my studio - the name G.D. Plumb sticks in my mind for some reason. I also had some very useful advice and tips from Max (Studio Support Gnome). And I had also read quite a few articles by Phillip Newell in Studio Sound over the years (which are also available at the World Radio History site).

Cool some useful pointers there for reference at a respectable hour. Thanks James appreciated.

The Master Handbook of Acoustics by Alton Everest is THE BIBLE. Written without diminishing the Science, with a passion to share with the newbie. That said I still use it for Reference. Aunty of course published all her R&D https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/arc ... actice.pdf

This sounds like the one one I'm looking for Dan, again I'll check this out tomorrow. Cheers mate.

[Hugh Robjohns]

My first issue is the requirement of a good knowledge of complex numbers.

I haven't actively used complex numbers since my university days. It's worth having a handle on the concept, of course, as they are floating around in all aspects of engineering, but unless you're designing stuff from scratch and need to do the fundamental maths you'll probably never actually use them in earnest.

I'd second the recommendation of the Master Handbook of Acoustics. Expensive and hefty, but still the bible on the topic.

[The Culprit]

I haven't actively used complex numbers since my university days. It's worth having a handle on the concept, of course, as they are floating around in all aspects of engineering, but unless you're designing stuff from scratch and need to do the fundamental maths you'll probably never actually use them in earnest.

I'd second the recommendation of the Master Handbook of Acoustics. Expensive and hefty, but still the bible on the topic.

Cheers Hugh, I'll maybe revisit complex numbers down the line, if the situation demands it. Think it's a case of putting in the graft rather than any sort of quick hack to get around it!

That Everest book is now on my list, along with the other suggestions from the kind folk above you in the thread

[blinddrew]

Just a third for the Master Handbook of Acoustics.
Though I bought it on Hugh's recommendation so I'm not sure if that counts more or less?

[Hugh Robjohns]

The fact that you didn't send it back is probably more meaningful!

[The Culprit]

It as only a matter of time till the aggro started

[blinddrew]

The fact that you didn't send it back is probably more meaningful!

On my reference shelf with post-its sticking out.