Feb 1, 2003 12:00 PM, COMPILED BY SARAH BENZULY

TEMPLES OF SOUND: INSIDE THE GREAT RECORDING STUDIOS

If you're at all interested in the history of recording, do yourself a favor and pick up the recently released book Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios, by Jim Cogan and William Clark (Chronicle Books, 2002). The authors have put together a wonderful collection of stories and historic photos that convey so much about Mix's favorite subject: the interrelationship between creativity and technology. Cogan and Clark tell how the facilities and the people who operated them helped shape this country's popular music by focusing on the Big 15 American recording studios: Capitol, United Western, Sunset Sound, RCA B (Nashville), Stax, Sun, J&M (that Cosimo Matassa place in New Orleans), Chess, Universal (Chicago), Motown, Sigma Sound (Philly), Atlantic, Columbia (New York City), Van Gelder and Criteria; quite a list!

The authors interviewed many engineers and producers who worked at the studios, coaxing stories about historic sessions (and, yes, equipment). And then there are the photos of musicians and engineers in action: Howlin' Wolf blowing harmonica at Chess; Keith Richards lost in his guitar playing at Sunset Sound as Mick Jagger looks on from a doorway; a solitary Bob Dylan, back to the camera, strumming his acoustic guitar in one of Columbia's big rooms; a short-haired Steve Cropper working on a mix at Stax; The O'Jays harmonizing around a single mic at Sigma; the Everly Bothers laying it down in Studio B; and on and on. Visit www.chroniclebooks.com, or call 800/722-6657.
— Blair Jackson

GET INSIDE DESKTOP RECORDING

Author James Maguire tells you how to turn a home computer into a nearly professional recording studio in TechTV's Secrets of the Digital Studio: Insider's Guide to Desktop Recording. Covering a wide array of basic (and not so basic) recording techniques, Maguire delves into recording, creating a final mix, DJing, developing a home setup and much more. Published by New Riders (www.newriders.com), $24.99.

Send your “Current” news to Sarah Benzuly at sbenzuly@primediabusiness.com.

Mix Books

Modern Recording and Mixing

This 2-DVD set will show you how the best in the music industry set up a studio to make world-class records. Regardless of what gear you are using, the information you'll find here will allow you to take advantage of decades of expert knowledge. Order now $39.95

Mastering Cubase 4

Electronic Musician magazine and Thomson Course Technology PTR have joined forces again to create the second volume in their Personal Studio Series, Mastering Steinberg's Cubase(tm). Edited and produced by the staff of Electronic Musician, this special issue is not only a must-read for users of Cubase(tm) software, but it also delivers essential information for anyone recording/producing music in a personal-studio. Order now $12.95

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