This past year has seen not one, but two well written books on how newbies to hard disc recording can decipher Pro Tools. When Producing in the Home Studio with Pro Tools from Berklee Press came out, I was eager to get a copy to help me learn the program. But I found the book too basic, covering not only Pro Tools but the basics of recording. I've already spent many years recording and wanted to cut to the chase so the book didn't work for me, but my friend Matt Levine who'd just bought a 001 really liked the book and got a lot out of it. (reviewed in Tape Op #29). From the title, I thought Athens, GA recording engineer (R.E.M., Cowboy Junkies, Indigo Girls, etc.) John Keane's book might be similar, but this book, while only 116 pages, gets right down to business. If you already know how to record onto analog tape, this book will quickly and easily walk you through how to record with Pro Tools. The basic stuff like different modes of overdubbing and punching in, as well as how to efficiently manage your hard drive space are covered in the first chapter. The second covers mixing. It's the third and final chapter, Advanced Editing Techniques, that is worth the cost of this book alone. In this chapter, Keane walks you through how to edit a shitty drum track. Whether you think this is an OK thing to do or not, it's pretty much become an essential skill for anyone who wants to make a living recording bands. Using audio files on a CD provided with the book, you'll learn how to cheat the devil and do tricks like fixing dragged snares, rushed tom fills, out of tune bass notes and squeaky guitar tracks, making you the hero of every pop-punk band that records in your studio. This is an excellent book for any engineer or home recordist just getting into Pro Tools and it should be noted that Keane went the DIY route and self published this book. There's a more advanced Book 2 on the way, and I'm eager to check that one out as well.
(www.supercatpress.com)