The Csound Book: Perspectives in Software Synthesis, Sound Design, Signal Processing, and Programming (review)

Richard Boulanger, editor: The Csound Book: Perspectives in Software Synthesis, Sound Design, Signal Processing, and Programming. Softcover, 2000, ISBN 0-262-52261-6, 740 pages, illustrated, appendices, bibliography, discography, index, CD-ROMs (2); The MIT Press, 5 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1493, USA; telephone (800) 356-0343; electronic mail mitpress-orders@mit.edu; World Wide Web mitpress.mit.edu

There are a relatively small number of texts that might be considered absolutely essential for the library of the computer music practitioner. Among the volumes on the studio shelf we might find The Technology of Computer Music by Max Mathews, Elements of Computer Music by F. Richard Moore, Curtis Roads' Computer Music Tutorial, Computer Music by Charles Dodge and Thomas A. Jerse, and possibly John R. Pierce's The Science of Musical Sound or Eduardo Reck Miranda's recent Computer Music Techniques for the Electronic Musician. New for 2000, and highly anticipated, The Csound Book, edited by Richard Boulanger and featuring a host of computer musicians as contributing authors, is destined to find its rightful place alongside the classic contributions to our field. The actual printed text is accompanied by two CD-ROMs chock full of several more books' worth of material. This package is a remarkable reservoir of information specific to the Csound compiler; it is also very useful as a general text concerning many aspects of computer music techniques and synthesis methods. Csound is certainly one of the most important tools for the creative computer musician. It is likely that this book will bring many more musicians into the fold and become a catalyst for further development of the art of computer music composition and music software design. Undoubtedly, it will also inspire continued innovations of the Csound software itself.

The Csound Book does not replace the other important computer music texts that have a more general or theoretical premise, nor does it seek to. It does, however, make a great companion book, allowing the reader to explore practical applications of concepts such as Fourier synthesis, digital filter theory, chaotic systems, reverberation, and algorithmic composition. This is accomplished very elegantly and always with reference to direct sonic experience with the aid of numerous examples of Csound code. The text serves an important function by providing concrete examples of myriad synthesis methods, digital signal processing techniques, and specialized applications within one conceptual framework.

While it is clear that Mr. Boulanger has conceived his text with pedagogical intent, as evidenced by his own excellent tutorial chapter, this is also a book which will bring significant enlightenment to composers and sound designers who already have considerable experience working with this software or with other computer music systems. Those of us who work closely with Csound have come to rely on its considerable depth, relative ease of programming, excellent sonic quality, and technical generality. As one becomes more expert with the language, more and more possibilities for its use seem to reach to the horizons of creative imagination. Many have lamented, however, the terse documentation of the Csound manual. This is not to suggest that the documentation is flawed; on the contrary, it is quite excellent and well maintained as new opcodes are added and the language continues to develop (a complete manual is found on the accompanying CD-ROMs). It is simply that the manual does not provide sufficient examples of how the various opcodes and features of the language may be used by composers and researchers. Such insights have up to now been rare and sorely missed by beginner and expert alike. The Csound Book succeeds brilliantly in filling the void. Even for the seasoned computer musician, the text provides numerous opportunities for "ah ha!" moments and spurs renewed creative responses to musical problems. Part of the reason for this lies in the abundant resources of the language itself (now comprising over 450 opcodes) and its continued development...