An Introduction to Music Technology (review)

Dan Hosken's An Introduction to Music Technology is a well-written book that would be an excellent choice of textbook for university courses on music technology. Hosken covers topics including acoustics and psychoacoustics, digital audio, audio equipment, software for composing, notation, mixing, pedagogical applications, sampling, synthesis, and how computers function. He explains these subjects in a clear, accessible style and includes numerous figures and photos. The text is aimed at a wide range of college-level students with no background in music technology, and seems appropriate for conservatory performers, composers, and beginning audio production students.

The text is divided into five main sections: Sound, Audio, MIDI, Synthesis and Sampling, and Computer Notation and Computer-Assisted Instruction. Each of these sections contains two to four chapters that focus on aspects of the main topic. Following the main sections there is an appendix titled The Music Computer, containing two additional chapters that explain fundamentals of computer hardware and software. Each chapter ends with a list of important terms introduced in it; each section ends with suggested readings and activities to further explore the ideas discussed. A Web site related to the book contains links to additional materials and some audiovisual examples made specifically for the text. In his preface to instructors, Hosken suggests that the text may be used for a one- or two-semester course, perhaps with some chapters omitted in the former case.

The first major section of the book, Sound, encompasses Chapters 1-3. Here Hosken presents the essentials of acoustics, human sound perception, and sound measurement, accompanied by illustrations that help clarify these concepts. There are explanations of the relationships between frequency and pitch and between amplitude and decibels (SPL), as well as a discussion of timbre, with a focus on the overtone series. One example of the text's targeting of beginners is that through these chapters (and the entire book), the mathematics rarely moves beyond arithmetic.

The second major section, Audio, includes the chapters Audio Hardware, Digital Audio Data, Digital Audio Software: The DAW, and Audio—What Do I Need? Among these, the first is especially useful for conservatory-type musicians attempting to work with music technology, as it explains the types and uses of microphones and preamps, microphone-, line-, and instrument levels, the types of audio connectors, the anatomy of mixers, digital audio interfaces, amplifiers, and loudspeakers. Obviously, the materials covered in this one chapter could warrant at least an entire book for more advanced students, but this chapter, generously illustrated, serves as a clear and simple starting point for students and could be expanded upon by further explanation and demonstration during class. For example, the explanations of cables and connectors, with photos of each, will likely be valuable to, and bookmarked by, newcomers.

The Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) chapter is a mostly successful attempt to explain DAW functions without referring to a specific application. Fortunately, software has evolved to the degree that most major commercial DAWs share many functions and even methods for enacting them through the graphical user interface. Hosken includes illustrations from Pro Tools, Logic, Digital Performer, Cubase, and Reason.

Chapter 7, Audio-What Do I Need?, is another nice addition for those just entering the music technology field. In it, Hosken proposes four audio systems to help students know what hardware and software they might want to acquire to meet their artistic goals. Interestingly, the first, "Audio System 0," is merely one's existing computer along with additional information about freeware. Later in the text, Hosken follows up on this discussion with MIDI-What Do I Need? (Chapter 11).

The third section of the book, MIDI, includes Chapters 8 through 11: MIDI Hardware, MIDI Messages, MIDI Sequencing, and the aforementioned MIDI-What Do I Need? Interestingly, in the preface to the text Hosken admits that it was difficult...