Books vs. eBooks vs. Videos vs. Audiobooks - Which Do You Prefer for Learning?

[Anderton]

There was an interesting tangent in the "What's Your Primary DAW?" thread that I think merits its own thread. To bring you up to speed, here's an excerpt:

 

On 3/11/2023 at 2:40 PM, Bill Heins said:

If you don't know something and would like to...learn it. Ask questions, read... hell nowadays I don't know if people are capable of reading any more so watch videos 

 

KenElevenShadows replied:

 

As for asking questions and reading, I seriously hope that you're not suggesting that people don't read and ask questions any more.

As for who reads more, well, I can tell you that it's not boomers (which was fairly obvious anyway):
 

https://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=2456

 

Of course this topic is of much interest to me, because a lot of my livelihood depends on writing books. So I followed the link that  Ken provided, and it has some interesting data, like a lot of the article relates to reading fiction, and even the non-fiction relates more to things like wellness titles. But I don't know how much that data relates to me. I suspect my "books" are more like manuals that people don't read as a continuous stream for pleasure. As to print vs. electronic, again, it's different for me because fiction books don't need internal links and search. My eBooks outsell my print ones by a huge factor, although part of that may be that I found Hal Leonard to be...well...never mind. 

 

So I decided to dig a little deeper, and check out the source. It's from a company whose income stream is independent publishing services. They're not going to tell potential clients "Hey, don't use us to print your  independent book, you won't make any money." Also, I followed the link for Best by the Numbers, the source of the data. The link takes you to HK Data, a Hong Kong-centric site whose specialty appears to be data on the Hong Kong and Singapore lotteries (although there's probably more to it than that). Also, the article is from August 2020, so it was in the middle of pandemic, which skewed just about any survey about anything. 

 

This isn't to dispute everything they say by any means. Print is most definitely not dead, and I know many people from younger demographics who read books. But a lot of them listen to audiobooks, and still call it "reading." If I ask someone what book they've read lately, they'll say "oh, I read [name of audiobook]." Whereas actually, they listened to it. So I think a complete answer to who reads, what they read, and how they read probably goes a lot deeper.

 

I write a weekly blog for PreSonus and in the comments, I can't tell you how many people write "can you do a video about this?" The PreSonus eBooks have done well, and I asked someone there I worked with (a millennial) about whether a book on creating beats in Studio One would sell. He knows the target audience, and he said "You'd be better off doing a video series." Then again, when dealing with musicians, you're addressing a group of people who have honed a right brain-oriented skill set.

 

I wish there was a definitive answer about physical vs. electronic vs. video vs. text vs. audio, so I could just settle on one format and be done with it. However, I suspect there is no one answer. Some people like print, some people like eBooks, some like video, some like text, etc. 

 

So, I'm trolling for opinions/comments from the esteemed brain trust here at SSS...

[RABid]

The older I get, the less I read and the more I watch videos and use audiobooks. My eyes bother me more and I tend to doze off when reading. But, there is a balance when learning something deep and complicated. I like videos, but I need written support. Even with digital modular synths I watch videos and print out manuals. I'm learning BitWig and a video series is my preferred starting point, followed with a manual that has a good index, and most importantly, a good cheat sheet. I have found that in the modular world cheat sheets are becoming the new medium. Someone even released a popular app of cheat sheets for Eurorack modules. Sadly it is woefully incomplete. 

[Stokely]

In my case, I still watch videos (and listen to them) but I don't often pick up a "real" book.  My eyesight is just not good for reading, while it's ok for distance--which means I can never find my @$%^ prescription "screen readers" when I need them (they are better than regular readers, they have enough distance to help with computers.)

For learning something, I think I favor actually reading and seeing.

For entertainment reading--and I'm almost never without a book in a given day, especially when going to sleep--I now favor audiobooks.   Helps with driving too!  I've found a great voice actor can make a great book that much better, just as with movies and shows.   One in particular I remember was the guy who did The Hobbit--somehow he managed to have a subtly different voice for each dwarf, pretty cool!

[Notes_Norton]

Depends on the subject.

 

If the book requires a straight read through, either an eBook or paper book is fine. I mostly read non-fiction, usually science or nature based.

 

If the book requires going back to reference previous pages or subjects, a paper book is preferred, with post-it notes for index tabs.

 

If it's fiction, I'd just as soon rent a movie, it saves a lot of time.

 

I've never done an audio book, but I have something better. When we get a book we would both like, my wife reads aloud to me. That way we are on the same page, and we can discuss things that come to mind and go off on tangents mid-page if we want. She is a great reader, and I am very good with audio input. In school I'd listen, take notes, never read the notes, and pass with an A or B.

 

We just finished a book about Caracaras (birds), before that the assassination of Abe Lincoln, and we've even done a book on slime mold. How may of you guys would have a wife that will read and enjoy a book on slime mold? I'm lucky.

 

BTW the Lincoln book https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Lincoln was a real page turner. It was passed on to us by a neighbor who also reads non-fiction, and even though I wouldn't have bought it, we thoroughly enjoyed it, and recommend it.

 

Other than rented movies, once a week, I don't watch TV, so books are important. Each way of publishing has its strong and weak points. One way does not replace the other for me, any more than a synth voice will replace an acoustic one. Whatever is best for the task at hand.

 

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

[KuruPrionz]

I can and do use all of the above depending on the material. 

 

Books are easier to reference but I don't always need them to learn something and I try to avoid the clutter of owning many books. 

Which reminds me that I need to drop by our local libraries and see what they have available. 

 

More than once I've taken a photo of a page in a book for reference and stored it on the computer. Once I learn the thing I want to know I generally delete it. 

Sort of a "e-Page" rather than an entire book. 

[Notes_Norton]

2 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

Books are easier to reference but I don't always need them to learn something and I try to avoid the clutter of owning many books. 

When done with paper books, we usually either pass it on to a friend, or donate it to the library.

 

That is a big advantage over an e-book. It's sold once, and many can read it for years and years to come without repurchasing it.

 

We do have a small library at home of books we don't want to part with, but most of the ones we read have been enjoyed by others.

 

Notes ♫

[RABid]

One problem with technology books is they have a short life. I don't know how many books I have bought on Photoshop, Visual languages, cameras, etc... only to have a big update render my printed book outdated. Some people do free updates if you buy a digital book from them.

[Sundown]

For me, it all depends on the subject matter and the context.

 

Physical, printed books are dead to me. I still own some, but I have actually re-bought some material just to have the Kindle-ized version (I use an iPad to read with the Kindle app). I read in bed a lot and the backlighting and ability to quickly recall highlighted sections is priceless. I also like that I can be on vacation anywhere and try new books and have them delivered immediately. 

 

I prefer to read news. If I click on a link expecting an article and a video pops up, I get pissed. I can read much faster than someone can speak and I don’t want to sit through ads, etc. 

 

If I’m learning about recording and studio technique, generally I prefer to read about it. I don’t listen to podcasts as much anymore and I don’t want to sit through videos. Bobby Owsinski’s books are a favorite of mine (particularly the Mixing Engineer’s Handbook).

 

I still read owners manuals when it’s a deep piece of equipment (e.g. Cubase, my Kurzweil, etc). I also enjoy books about software. Craig’s book about Cubase SX from 2003 is still a favorite, twenty years later. That’s how I learned to mix with white noise and I how learned to get a super wide stereo image on some parts (hint: It involves adjusting start times of L/R channels). 

 

When it comes to home DIY (another hobby of mine), or learning a specific technique with software, that’s when I turn to YouTube videos. I can follow the step-by-step and see how something is done. I can also hear the results, if it’s an audio technique.

 

Todd

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anderton]

4 hours ago, RABid said:

One problem with technology books is they have a short life. I don't know how many books I have bought on Photoshop, Visual languages, cameras, etc... only to have a big update render my printed book outdated. Some people do free updates if you buy a digital book from them.

 

I doubt that I will ever do a paper technology book again. It makes no sense for the author, the reader, whoever is selling it, or the environment. My Studio One book is already up to v1.4 (which brought the book current with Studio One Version 6) and I'm working on v1.5. So far all the updates have been free, but like software, if the goes to v2.X I'll consider it a new book. Even then, owners of the existing books will be able to get the new edition at half-price.

 

Doing updatable eBooks also takes tremendous pressure off the author. I don't have to wait to make sure there isn't a new version coming soon, or be too concerned if I omit something. It can always go in the next free update.

 

Another advantage is that whatever people buy is current. I was concerned that with the free updates, once version 1.0 came out there would be no more income, because people would just get the free updates. That has not been the case at all. Because people seem to like the books, the word gets around. When the next version comes out, the fence-sitters end up getting a copy. 

[dmitch57]

I prefer eBooks for pretty much everything.

 

For recreational reading, the main issue is font size - I'm no spring chicken anymore, and I need a larger font than a lot of paper books and magazines provide. So many advantages: variable font, font size, and format; portability; zero space taken up on my full bookshelves; instant dictionary lookup; text search; footnotes as links; download a new book anywhere in seconds; etc.

 

For technical reading I also prefer eBooks, for different reasons, though variable font size is important here too. I don't like videos for learning because I have yet to see one that dispenses with the chit chat and gets down to business and that runs as fast as my comprehension. They all try my patience. With an eBook, I go through at my own pace. Also: I'm generally using a technical eBook while I'm trying to learn something at a computer...and why not have the book right there in a window next to what I'm working on? Also: updates to technical eBooks are great; my thanks to all the authors and publishers who provide them (thanks, Craig!). Also: paper technical books have a bad habit of having standard binding, meaning you can't lay them flat or on a music stand while you're busy working on whatever the book is teaching you. Huh? Also: on general principles, paper books are so 20th century. 🙂

[Stokely]

I'd give audiobooks a shot, especially if you are into fiction.  I never thought I'd enjoy them but if you find a great voice actor it adds so much more to the story.   There are many on youtube actually--for example some excellent readings of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, I was just listening to those yesterday as I did some gardening   

I'll miss one thing about paper books--being in a room full of them is a comfort zone for me (keeping in mind that books as they age, especially paperbacks, can be somewhat of a health issue or so I've heard).   I have a big bookshelf in my studio space, it does more as a sound diffuser than anything else these days!  It's sort of like how a room full of music gear has a vibe to it that I miss--I'm 100% "in the box" due to the convenience and excellent sound of software.  That said, I have enough live gig gear cluttering up the joint to make it still feel a bit like a studio!   

[KenElevenShadows]

I read all of the above except for audiobooks. 

 

I prefer reading physical books for pleasure, although I read a fair amount of e-books as well.

 

If it's a manual that I refer to continuously, I would prefer paper. If it's a manual in which I just need to look stuff up upon occasion and/or want it to be portable, I prefer PDFs.

 

I like video for things such as post-processing or fixing things around the house because it's more challenging to impart that in a book although certainly you can do that too. But I just find it's a little easier if it's something visual.

 

[Notes_Norton]

8 hours ago, KenElevenShadows said:

If it's a manual that I refer to continuously, I would prefer paper. If it's a manual in which I just need to look stuff up upon occasion and/or want it to be portable, I prefer PDFs.

You are so correct. I missed that one.

 

I have some online manuals that I have printed out so I can refer to them without booting up the computer, and have page markers in the "see page ____" notes.

 

Notes ♫

[KenElevenShadows]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:56 AM, Notes_Norton said:

You are so correct. I missed that one.

 

I have some online manuals that I have printed out so I can refer to them without booting up the computer, and have page markers in the "see page ____" notes.

 

Notes ♫

 

It's just making the form of the manual work for you. I love PDFs because they don't take up much space and they're portable. But I love manuals if I need to splay the book open and keep referring to it. 

[Nowarezman]

Paper books for depth, digital media for quick dips.  There are exceptions, and habit is a big factor, regardless of "best" format.  Videos can be fantastic for short lessons on this and that.  I have a big list of YouTube subscriptions - mostly music, science, and how to fix it videos. 

 

I read my Kindle quite a bit - it's a constant companion. Interestingly, my adult children prefer printed material almost exclusively, except for the quick stuff they look up on their phones.  Both of them were English majors - I was a History major.  

 

But this is a bookish family at heart.  Nothing beats a good book on good paper with good lighting and a rainy evening to just sit and read.  I've got a lot of hardbound books - some collector items, 'tho I'm  a reader, not really a collector.  I particularly love coffee table books for artwork and photo essays and big, indulgent books on science or history or music or whatever.  At least half of my reading is re-reading.  Some books I've read too many times to keep track. 

 

This is golden age for used book buyers.  People are slowly abandoning the format, and the used book stores are crammed with (mostly junk, but occasional) treasures.

 

nat

 

[Anderton]

1 hour ago, KenElevenShadows said:

I love PDFs because they don't take up much space and they're portable. But I love manuals if I need to splay the book open and keep referring to it. 

 

Another advantage of PDFs is that even with the free version of Adobe Acrobat, you can make comments, and highlight or underline text. Highlighting text in various colors makes it easy to find sections you refer to a lot when scrolling through.

 

I also do something with my eBooks that no one has complained about, at least not yet: No index! Instead, the Contents section drills down 4 layers of headings. You can find pretty much any topic easily from the Contents, click on it, and you're there. Then within that topic, there will be internal links to related sections, so you don't have to go back to an index. 

 

I totally get reading physical books for pleasure, and PDFs for tech topics. My goal with using PDFs with my tech books is to use the PDF's tools to make it as easy as possible to find topics. I even do things like use colors behind topic headings that match colors used in the products for what's being discussed.

[Nathanael_I]

Ebooks for everything reading related by default. Paper books only for things that aren’t available other ways. Videos if they are crisp and to the point. Ableton videos made by Ableton come to mind. As soon as someone says, “hey guys, “ to start their rambling unplanned introduction, I’m gone. Loopop is great. He gets the medium. Has navigation always visible. 

[Anderton]

46 minutes ago, Nathanael_I said:

As soon as someone says, “hey guys, “ to start their rambling unplanned introduction...

 

Followed by "Okay, we're going to move the mouse here...oh wait (enables something)...fumbles with mouse some more...so what you want to do is move the mouse here and click [wait 20 seconds for window to appear]...yeah this cool pro trick is used by all the famous producers. So now you got your compressor, and you.................."

[Bill Heins]

I prefer physical books first, then ebooks(epub, pdf, etc.). pdfs are great for manuals and such...I miss physical manuals! I have no use for vids...I've tried to watch 'em but I can't...I've probably got about 500 books here between paperbacks and hardcovers and just enjoy the book reading experience

 

Bill

[KenElevenShadows]

3 hours ago, Nathanael_I said:

 As soon as someone says, “hey guys, “ to start their rambling unplanned introduction, I’m gone.

 

"Subscribe, hit the bell. We're sponsored today by ______. Okay, Let's just jump right into it."