My Latest Book Is Out! "Secrets of Equalization" - and There's Also a Bundle

[Anderton]

The details on the book are in the Sweetwater Publishing Support forum, but the short form is 10 chapters and over 200 pages, including extensive info on dynamic EQ. However, perhaps what's of greatest interest to forumites is that Sweetwater is currently offering a bundle with the book and the FabFilter Pro-EQ 3 (which is a helluva EQ - check out the customer reviews) for the same price as the plugin by itself. 

 

I'm really proud of the book, I think it fills a knowledge gap about some of the deeper ways to use EQ. 

 

[Sundown]

Very cool, Craig. I’ll have to get it. I definitely need to improve my EQ chops and I always learn a lot from your books. 

 

I already own Pro Q3, but I would agree, once you experience it it’s hard to use something else. The display, the control, and the workflow is hard to match (not to mention the fact that it’s a Dynamic EQ, which is great in and of itself). I rarely use anything else for mixing.

 

Todd

[Anderton]

I'd love to know if you find the book helpful, what could be done to improve it, and what additional info should be in the v1.1 update - it's never too early to think about the next free update!

[Greg Mein]

This is definitely on my list but I'm going to wait until I get back home in a couple of weeks.

[Anderton]

When you get it, let me know your requests for v1.1. I'm currently updating the Big Book of Dynamic FX to v1.1, and am surprised at how much more stuff I wanted to add - like a big section on dynamic EQ, expanded info on automation and MIDI control, more applications, and examples including more DAWs. I love being able to put a book out in the world knowing that I can keep tweaking it. One of the reason the updates are free is because it gives me the freedom to keep learning about a topic, and have readers benefit from it 

 

I guess it's kind of like a benign subscription model LOL

[bill5]

Huge props! I have thought of and once tried to write a book...it's a huge undertaking. My hat's off to anyone who actually does it. Will there be any book signings across the country   

[KenElevenShadows]

On 11/11/2023 at 4:39 PM, bill5 said:

Huge props! I have thought of and once tried to write a book...it's a huge undertaking. My hat's off to anyone who actually does it. Will there be any book signings across the country   

 

It's a lot of work, even if it's a relatively short book in terms of words. I have published three books on history, stories, and night photography (with one more on the way), and it really is a ton of work.

 

[Anderton]

On 11/11/2023 at 6:39 PM, bill5 said:

Huge props! I have thought of and once tried to write a book...it's a huge undertaking.

 

It is!! Technical books are particularly difficult because they have facts involved - like I have to make sure that the SSL bus compressor I'm talking about has a feedforward and not feedback design. In many cases, companies aren't forthcoming about technical details, so I have to do testing myself to find out things like what slopes are used for crossover filters, or how much a "tape" emulation includes the effects of biasing and tape formulation. Then there are the little things, like making sure all the figure numbers remain sequential after doing cuts and pastes to move sections around, and of course some books have audio examples and presets that need to be proofed and tested.

 

People are super-impressed that I've written over 50 books but considering that I started in 1975, that's only an average of about one a year. I'm no Isaac Asimov, who wrote almost 500 books in his lifetime. 

 

I will say the "free point update" aspect (like software) is fantastic from an author's standpoint, not just a customer's. It's a lot easier to make frequent incremental changes than trying to write a book with a long shelf life, and then doing a complete rewrite for a new edition. I also edit the updates to make the text ever-tighter and more beginner-friendly, it's not just about including new material.

[bill5]

7 hours ago, Anderton said:

 

It is!! Technical books are particularly difficult because they have facts involved - like I have to make sure that the SSL bus compressor I'm talking about has a feedforward and not feedback design.

It's funny how perspectives differ...I get what you're saying, but for me that makes it easier, because facts don't require any creative processes; tech info is "built in" text for the book (disclaimer: I'm a technical writer, so that probably factors into it  ). 

 

 

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People are super-impressed that I've written over 50 books but considering that I started in 1975, that's only an average of about one a year. I'm no Isaac Asimov, who wrote almost 500 books in his lifetime. 

 

Writing one book is impressive IMO. I can't imagine 5, let alone, 50, let alone 500!

 

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I will say the "free point update" aspect (like software) is fantastic from an author's standpoint

I bet, esp for technical material, since tech is constantly evolving!

[Anderton]

2 hours ago, bill5 said:

because facts don't require any creative processes

 

It's not really that different from writing a screenplay. You have characters (the topics), character development (how you go from basic to complex), plot points (do you introduce limiting before or after compression?), and there has to be a flow from beginning to end. It's a very different process compared to writing manuals, which of course I've also done. With a manual, the product rules the narrative. With a book that covers a broad topic like mixing, the narrative has to be done just right so that concepts can build on previous concepts that are well-understood. Otherwise, people drop off along the way.

 

I also must admit I'm a lousy first-draft writer. In fact, I'm just not that good a writer. But I am really good at editing. Kind of like my vocals  

[NewImprov]

6 hours ago, Anderton said:

 

It's not really that different from writing a screenplay. You have characters (the topics), character development (how you go from basic to complex), plot points (do you introduce limiting before or after compression?), and there has to be a flow from beginning to end. It's a very different process compared to writing manuals, which of course I've also done. With a manual, the product rules the narrative. With a book that covers a broad topic like mixing, the narrative has to be done just right so that concepts can build on previous concepts that are well-understood. Otherwise, people drop off along the way.

 

I also must admit I'm a lousy first-draft writer. In fact, I'm just not that good a writer. But I am really good at editing. Kind of like my vocals  

Well, whatever it is that you're doing, it works! I can't say that I've read all your books, but I have read several, and I think they are among the best in the industry for explaining music technology in a way that is readable and enjoyable. I read/was obsessed with Electronic Projects for Musicians, and Electronic Recording for Musicians when I was in High School, and that contributed a lot to my career choice. Thanks!

 

Haven't used Pro-EQ3, but I do use Oeksound's Soothe, which does something similar. I think I might check out the bundle deal.

[KenElevenShadows]

10 hours ago, Anderton said:

 

 

I also must admit I'm a lousy first-draft writer. In fact, I'm just not that good a writer. But I am really good at editing. Kind of like my vocals  

 

My wife is a former journalist and helps me edit the books, which is immensely helpful. I could get there eventually, but it would take a good number of edits.

[bill5]

10 hours ago, Anderton said:

I also must admit I'm a lousy first-draft writer. In fact, I'm just not that good a writer. But I am really good at editing. Kind of like my vocals  

I have not read your books, but suspect you are much better than you give yourself credit for. That said, I'm a better editor than writer too, I think. In fact, somewhat off topic, but I always felt (or deluded myself) that I would have made an awesome "gun for hire" to watch a movie before it came out and as applicable tell them what needed fixed.  

[Nowarezman]

Just bought the bundle from Sweetwater.  

 

However, Craig's link above does not lead to the bundle (at least at this point in time.)    I emailed my "engineer" ie salesperson at Sweetwater and he sent me a link to the bundle.  I've provided the link below if anyone else can't find the bundle on the website:

Sweetwater - FFProQ3eBkBn2

 

Looking forward to e-reading and e-qualizing!

 

nat

 

 

[Anderton]

7 minutes ago, Nowarezman said:

However, Craig's link above does not lead to the bundle (at least at this point in time.) 

 

Thanks for the heads-up. There appears to be some issue with these links. I clicked on it and yes. it didn't go to the bundle. I went to change the link, but the link was already correct. So, I clicked again. This time it went to the bundle.

 

I'll see if Sweetwater can let me know how to fix this, but I can't reproduce the problem. I mentioned this once before when someone had a problem with a link, but they clicked on it and it worked. I'll pursue further. 

 

I hope you enjoy the book and the plugin!!