Linux Music & Sound

Rating:
Summary: Useful for end users, but overpriced
Review: As end users start migrating to Linux, it's only natural that Linux books start appearing on how to obtain and use software (and not just administration and development tools). In that vein, this book contains an extremely thorough survey of audio software that would take quite a while to investigate on your own. If you are a Linux user (or a potential Linux user) interested in finding good tools for music and sound, this book is an excellent resource.

Having said all that, I think the list price the publisher set for this book is ridiculous. For under [price], this book would be a slam dunk. But I expect even a lot of people who are interested in this information will find it hard to justify the price, especially when a lot of it will be obsolete in a year or two. Five stars for the content, one star for value.

Rating:
Summary: An accompanying CD-ROM includes over 100 MIDI applications
Review: Dave Phillips is an expert Linux programmer and a professionally performing musician who draws upon his special expertise and experience to explain the basics of digital sound and Linux-specific software/hardware issues in The Book Of Linux Music & Sound. Phillips covers the general Linux audio set-up, basic and advanced system use, as well as the broad range of Linux sound and music applications. Readers will learn how to record, mix, and add effects to music tracks; work with MOD, MIDI, and MP3 files; use hard disk multi-track recording; explore software sound synthesis programs like Csound; share sound resources over a network or broadcast live over the Internet; use realtime synthesizers; and produce high quality scores with music notation programs. An accompanying CD-ROM includes over one hundred MIDI applications, including digital audio and music notation software, games, and utilities. The Book Of Linux Music & Sound is a "must" for all Linux users wanting to incorporate sound and create music, and take full advantage of their computer's manifold capabilities in the process.

Rating:
Summary: A THOUROUGH list of topics and softwares, quickly reviewed.
Review: First of all, be warned: this is not a book explaining how things work (even though first chapter has something of it), it is more about which softwares are available on Linux. Thus, you won't learn much on midi but you will definetly know which software does what on where and how to get it. A short description tells you how to install it and get started. This is VERY helpful already in our globally immense world... One regret: no mention of ogg-vorbis, the great MP3 replacement. The CD is a very welcome plus.

Rating:
Summary: great starting point
Review: Having a firm grasp of the english language, I feel that I can pay the proper amount of dignity to such a well written book.

Having run Linux for a few years, I felt it was time to venture into the realm of music and sound. Mr. Phillip's book was the perfect starting place. The writing was concise and accurate and it effortlessly guided me through some tough spot's.

When I would hit the wall on some application's the author himself was very prompt and courteous and saw me through it with a volley of email exchange's. Let's see Bill Gates reply to the end user the next time he get's a 'Blue Screen of Death'?!?!

Money well spent. I would recommend this "one of a kind" book to any Linux user curious about the world of computer music and sound. Bravo!

J.

Rating:
Summary: Not for techical minded
Review: Iam sorry to disagree with many enthusiastic readres who seem to have loved the book. I read a good review in LinuxJournal sometime ago and bought the book. To my disapointment, the book had no techincal info on either sound or music beyond HOWTOs. If I want music apps, I prefer downloading it from LinuxApps.com instead of paying 30+$.

Rating:
Summary: Very good book BUT: it's not a programming book
Review: The book's quite good, well made, lot of pictures, covers a lot of ground. However, please adjust your expectations: it is not a programming book. Also, it's not an overall multimedia reference (like the older O'Reilly book), it's only about sound. With that in mind, it's a very helpful book to get a pretty good understanding of the state of computer sound under linux and applications/toolkits available for it.

Rating:
Summary: Why waster your money?
Review: There is little point to buy this book unless you wanted a printed copy with a CD-ROM since the author has made and keep updated the website containing the same information.

Of course, it doesn't mean the content, which is basically just a list and short explanation of a vast range of sound/music related software, is bad especially for linux beginners. However, at this price, I cannnot recommend to buy one.