Product Description

The Ultimate Sound Operator's Handbook is written to specifically address the concerns and needs of sound operators of all types. High-quality audio is imperative, whether you're running sound for a rock, country, punk, or jazz band performing in clubs, arenas, or outdoor parks. With the advent and implementation of large-budget multimedia presentations, high-resolution multichannel audio for movies, television, and downloads, any live act must sound great to be well received by today's increasingly savvy audience members. This comprehensive handbook focuses on each aspect of live sound in a way that is straightforward and easy to understand, breaking the process down into principles and practices that assist the modern sound tech in everything from planning and budgeting to mixing and recording the live show.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #313280 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

A good tool for training
This is a good book. Like the man says, it's for operators, not engineers, and there's a meaningful difference between the two. When I train my team, this will be part of my training tools; it doesn't substitute for hands-on time with the sound system, and it doesn't substitute for hands-on time with an experienced sound guy.

I recommend to my trainees that they pick up a copy of this book and leave it on their toilet tank, where they read a few pages every day, and think about how to make use of what they just learned when they're working with the system.

For the record, Bill's methods for running sound aren't 100% in line with mine (I've been doing this for 30 years), but they are trustworthy, they are likely to be effective, and they're presented in a way that makes sense for wannabe sound operators and techs. Good job, Bill!

The "Qualifications" and "Duties" sections alone are worth the price of the book. It's good material, presented well, and while it won't substitute for hands-on experience, it's very useful.

same problems as church sound version
Nearly all of the content of this book is a verbatim copy of the same author's "Ultimate Church Sound Operator's Handbook," and contains the same errors, omissions, and contradictions that the informed reviewers have noted in their critical reviews of the church version. In short, the book promulgates a host of audio misconceptions, ranging from the common to the bizarre, each of which leads directly to bad sonic results, unsafe conditions, wasted money on bad equipment buying decisions, embarrassment, and a prolonged learning curve over that which would be required if the reader chose her or his reading more carefully. There is simply no reason for the consumer to waste money and time by learning audio wrong, and then having to relearn it correctly, when there are many far superior books on the market.

For those who are interested, the similarities between the "live" and "church" versions of the book are as follows:

Chapter 1 and 2 are the same in both versions with only slight changes in terminology and a few additions in the church version.
Chapter 3 of the secular version is the same as chapter 6 of the church version (Volume Issues).
Chapter 4 of the secular version is the same as chapter 8 of the church version (Sound Theory).
Chapter 5 through 18 of the secular book are equivalent to chapters 9 through 22 of the church book (almost word for word the same).

Folks who desire to learn audio from reliable sources should consider Davis's The Sound Reinforcement Handbook, and/or Stark's Live Sound Reinforcement, Bestseller Edition (Hardcover & DVD). Other beneficial resources include Everest's Critical Listening Skills for Audio Professionals, Eargle's Music, Sound, and Technology, and for the definitive reference, Ballou's Handbook for Sound Engineers, Third Edition. For what it's worth, a fourth edition of the latter book is rumored to be on the way by the end of the year. Suffice it to say that audio is a technical subject, albeit one that suffers from a disproportionate amount of uninformed commentary from self-styled "experts." If the sound of your concert, church service, or other event matters to you, or if you plan to make a living providing sound reinforcement services, then it pays to be careful who you listen to, and what you read, about the fundamentals of audio.

This book is written for sound OPERATORS!
As the author of this book, I'd like to say that it is written specifically to help sound OPERATORS. It is NOT written to help design engineers or installers. If you want to do a better job at creating great sounds in the live sound world, this book is for you. It has helped a lot of people and is a very strong offering for sound operators who want practical solutions to everyday concerns.