Press Release
April 28, 2005
"Digital Audio Essentials": Create, Record, Edit, and Share Music and Other Digital Audio
Sebastopol, CA--Digital music isn't just for techies anymore. Not so long
ago, downloading music was slow and impractical for anyone but advanced
users. But now, you don't need to have endless time, expensive equipment,
and a technical degree to download music to a PC or portable player; rip
tunes to digital format or burn CDs; organize, find, and create music;
preserve LPs and tapes; stream music off the Web; or even create a
web-based radio station. With a personal computer, an Internet connection,
and a copy of the new Digital Audio Essentials (O'Reilly, US $34.95) by
Bruce Fries and Marty Fries, anyone can join the digital audio
revolution.
Today's digital audio technology "gives you an amazing degree of
flexibility, convenience, and control over your music experience," observe
Fries and Fries. "Bits that were once tied to a plastic platter can now
flow without restriction over cables and wireless connections to different
media, such as a hard disk, a portable player, or even a cell phone. A new
digital music industry has emerged, and the underlying technologies have
matured greatly since the pioneering days of MP3.com and the original
Napster."
Both Bruce Fries and Marty Fries have been involved in bringing digital
music to the masses since the late 1990s. The two self-proclaimed MP3
missionaries set out to teach consumers about the benefits of online music
and the MP3 encoding format. As Bruce recalls, "In 1999, I cashed in my
life savings and went on a hundred-city tour (it actually turned out to be
a hundred and seventy cities) to teach people about computer audio and
online music." One of their goals was to counter some of the
misinformation being perpetuated at the time, such as the belief that MP3
was primarily a tool for music piracy.
Downloading and listening to digital music is much more common today,
but it is still not enjoyed universally. "The online music industry is
relatively new and still evolving. The flood of competing technologies and
new products, along with the associated hype, makes it confusing for new
users to take advantage of all the amazing resources," notes Bruce Fries.
"With the introduction of the iTunes store and the iPod, online music has
finally gone mainstream. But the 'late adopters' tend to have less
computer experience and therefore need more handholding."
Digital Audio Essentials is a comprehensive, reader-friendly guide to
the world of digital audio on computers and the Internet. The book
explains, in everyday, understandable terms, how digital audio technology
works--and how to make it work for one's individual needs and goals. Even
audio enthusiasts and advanced users will learn about invaluable tools and
tricks with the in-depth tutorials, reliable hardware and software
recommendations, killer resources, and real-world advice. The book
balances just enough history and theory for a solid understanding of
digital audio with a wealth of practical advice, tips, product
information, and references for creating the ultimate digital audio
experience.
This compendium of digital audio expertise is for anyone who listens to or
creates music, including those just starting to explore the Internet as a
platform for digital audio. "Newcomers will learn how to download, play,
and record music on their computers," says Bruce Fries. "They'll also
avoid huge amounts of grief and frustration trying to figure out what
software to use and sorting through the confusion of the competing audio
formats and incompatible DRM systems."
From the digital audio tyro to those who are ready to immerse themselves
in recording and editing audio or experimenting with Internet radio,
Digital Audio Essentials shows how to:
Download and share music without breaking the law
Connect a PC or Mac to a home stereo system
Record and rip music from any source to a hard drive or CD
Pick the right online music service from downloadable music stores, music subscription services, file-sharing networks, and Internet radio stations
Get portable by taking music anywhere with an iPod, Rio, or other handheld player, and listen to downloaded music on a car stereo
Burn CDs and DVDs right the first time
Master MP3 and other audio formats
Organize music with jukebox programs and playlists
Create an Internet radio station
Digitize LPs and tapes
Edit audio like a pro: remove pops, skips, static, silence, and more
Understand copyright law as it applies to digital audio
With illustrations and screen shots throughout, Digital Audio Essentials
is the comprehensive handbook for creating, recording, editing, and
sharing music and other audio so readers can make the very most of their
expanding digital music collections.
Additional Resources:
Digital Audio Essentials
Bruce Fries and Marty Fries
ISBN: 0-596-00856-2, 357 pages, $34.95 US, $48.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
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