The Dance Music Manual: Tools, Toys and Techniques

After reading the reviews on this book I decided to take the plunge and buy it.I produce tech/trance using both software and hardware, and although I did not expect this book to teach me much, I thought it might give me another perspective in case I'd been missing something obvious.I have just finished reading The mixing engineers handbook - Bobby Owsinski and Mastering Audio - Bob Katz, both of these books I cannot highly recommend enough in the quest for getting your music to sound right, and are both written by long term profesionals who actually know what they are on about.
On opening this book I found it to be full of half-truths on the technical details - Rick Snoman could do with reading the aforementioned books ! If you are just starting out and know nothing, maybe this book might help, but only as a rough guide , and also if you want to write a record that sounds like every other, but even his finished examples sound like something I was writing on my old yamaha DJX ,ie They're not good.
Also check out Rick Snomans credentials, I did after looking at this book, he claims to have remixed madonna, prodigy and a lot of others , so what, my mum could, but it doesn't mean they are any good and I tried googling him to see if any of them had charted , it seems he hasn't really had any success , apart from this book. He has also produced a few white labels ... Wow ! I would recommend this book if you are young and use Fruity loops, Sorry FL studio., but don't buy if you have a reasonable idea of what you are doing and enjoy writing your own style. Sorry Rick !

An invaluable guide (8/8 people found this helpful)

Reading this book made me realise that although the creation and production of electronic dance music is a relatively modern artform, surprisingly, it is founded on well-established principles of music theory, sound manupulation and production values. Rick Snoman explains objectively but with passion, what these principles are and how to use them and the requisite machines effectively. There is also valuable insight into the recording industry and DJ's that ultimately make it all happen. Quite simply, if you want to make a dance record, you can't afford not to know this!!

Hardly any Drum & Bass info but it doesn't matter (8/9 people found this helpful)

This book is staggeringly useful, in particular the hints on dance music theory & advanced track progression / layout are utterly invaluable.

I primarily make drum & bass, and was saddened to see this genre was not included in the 'genre analysis' section - still, you can find out any of that info from websites such as dogsonacid.com.

There are already so many blazing reviews for this book that really I shouldn't bother writing this, but thought I would like to add my voice the chorus of praise ringing out for rick Snoman's hard work.

Minor gripes (for me) would be slightly too much emphasis on Trance, and not enough mention of Jungle / Nuskool breaks. Still, I accept that this is probably because Rick's personal interests shape how he presents the knowledge.

The Holy Grail of Dance Music production (8/9 people found this helpful)

Wow! Thats pretty much all I need to say. If like me, you have some excellent ideas in your head for dance tracks but you get horribly frustrated because you dont know how to use the tools or at the very least, have a direction to head in to get these ideas into an audible reality then you need this book. I have played around with various sequencers, synths, samples and tried desperately to get some of my ideas down but it just feels a bit like I'm finding my way in the dark. This book clean pushed that feeling out the way and gives absolute, solid and complete information on what is needed to get good dance tracks. Not one other book or reference I have looked at comes close. All the other books and guides I have looked at go through the same procedure of assuming you want to learn piano or guitar or other 'classical' instrument. This is good information in itself but it doesnt really provide you with what you need to produce dance. Well done to Rick for taking his time out to put together this excellent reference. He has saved me an immeasurable amount of time and regenerated my enthusiasm for playing around with dance music.

BUY IT NOW IF YOUR SERIOUS ABOUT PRODUCING (9/9 people found this helpful)

If your willing to read it all, you will learn so much, and your music will change alot. It teaches you everything, all about different genres, bit of music thoery, basic acoustics, equipment and software, mixing, mastering, website designing and alot more!

The Dance Music Manual: Tools, Toys and Techniques

Rick Snoman

Reader Reviews:

Not what I was expecting. (3/5 people found this helpful)

An invaluable guide (8/8 people found this helpful)

Hardly any Drum & Bass info but it doesn't matter (8/9 people found this helpful)

The Holy Grail of Dance Music production (8/9 people found this helpful)

BUY IT NOW IF YOUR SERIOUS ABOUT PRODUCING (9/9 people found this helpful)

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