Last modified: Mon Jan 25, 1999

Magnus Synth Book Page

Magnus/synths/books.html

This is a tryout on an idea to collect book references for Synth DIY folks. I selected to add a number of books in adjacent fields since I felt that these where more or less usefull for people. I hope that people will contribute to make the reference more complete.

For some books have comments been provided, these are the personal views of those persons, may it be good or bad. Some of these books I don't own and thus can't really say much about, you will however see what books I own, since I added a longer comments on these. Others have been very kind to contribute both comments and additional books, there names can be find below. I have marked the comments with a small code, so that one can see who had that comment.

Contributors (in order of contribution):
Magnus Danielson (MD), Jerry Federspiel (for a summary to start from), Anthony ?? (A?), Björn Julin (BJ), Ian Fritz (IF), Steve Varner (for a pointer to MM), Jessica Piper (JP) and Tim Nowaczyk

Craig Anderton Do-It-Yourself Projects for Guitarists: 35 Useful, Inexpensive Projects That Help You Unlock Your Instruments's Potential 1995 (first edition?) by Miller Freeman Books, 176 pages ISBN 0-87930-359-X (softcover): MD: While I don't have this book I have been reading it slightly. It is a beginners book aimed at simplicity.
Craig Anderton MIDI for musicians 1986 by Amsco Publications ISBN 0-8256-1050-8 (paperback) and ISBN 0-8256-2214-X (paperback and cover)
Craig Anderton, Bob Moses and Bartlett Digital Projects for Musicians 1995 by Music Sales Corp ISBN 0-825-61384-1: I know nothing about this book.
John Bates The synthesizer 1988 by Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-321337-0
K. Blair Benson (editor) Audio Engineering Handbook 1988 by McGraw-Hill ISBN 0-07-004777-4: MD: A very good book indeed. It goes into depth on many topic covering hearing, acoustics, tape, records, CDs, cinema, broadcast etc.
Herman J. Blinchikoff and Anatol I. Zverev Filtering in the Time and Frequency Domains 1976 by Krieger Publishing Company ISBN 0-89874-952-2.: MD: This is a very good book on filter theory and also on the various approximate responces like Butterworth, Bessel, Chebychev, Lagendre and Gauss. It also has a chapter on digital filters in the end, but what a chapter! I warmly recommend this book.
Michael Boom Music through MIDI: using MIDI to create your own electronic music system 1987 by Microsoft Press ISBN 1-55615-026-1
John Borwick (editor) Loudspeaker and Headphone Handbook 1988 by Butterworth & Co ISBN 0-408-01387-7: MD: For those interested in the trade of building speakers this book is a very good startingpoint. It contains very good text on various issues in the field.
Robert Brown and Mark Olsen Experimenting with electronic music 1974 and 1984 by Tab Books ISBN 0-830-63666-8 and ISBN 0-830-62666-2 (pocket): I know nothing about this book. To the best of my knowledge it is out of print.
Joel Chadabe Electric Sound: The Past and Promise of Electronic Music 1996 (first edition) by Prentice Hall, 370 pages ISBN 0-131-03231-0 (paperback): JP: This is a very well-researched, well-written book. It traces the history of computer music, focusing on the universities and major electronic music labs. The closest it gets to analog synths and non- or semi-university affiliated individuals is some stuff about Morton Subnotnik, Don Buchla & Pauline Oliveros, and a short bit about Bob Moog. Chadabe goes on at great length, and in great detail, about IRCAM, Max Matthews and the GROOVE project, Serge & Ivan Tcheperin at Harvard, etc. Not without limitations, and written about a more highbrow crowd than many on Synth-DIY (or certainly Analog Heaven) would be interested in, but recommended none the less.
Hal Chamberlin Musical Applications of Microprocessors 1980 (first edition) by Hayden Books ISBN 0-810-5773-3: Note: See second edition below!
Hal Chamberlin Musical Applications of Microprocessors 1985 (second edition) by Hayden Books (A division of Howard W. Sams Books) ISBN 0-672-45768-7 or ISBN 0-810-45753-9: BJ: One of the "Bibles" in electronic music cirquit design both analogue and digital. Signal analysis theory, nonlinear, wosim, wave shaping, FFT, program listnings in BASIC and assembler for the 68k and 6502 CPU. Highely Recomended by BJ.
J. Chareyron Digital Synthesis of Self-modifying Waveforms by Means of Linear Automata 1990 by Computer Music Journal Vol. 14, No. 4 ISBN ??
J. Chowning The Synthesis of Complex Audio Spectra by Means of Frequency Modulation 1973 by Journal of Audio Engineering Society Vol. 21, no 7, p. 526-534 ISBN ??
J. Chowning and D. Bristow FM Theory and Applications by Musicians for Musicians 1986 by Yamaha Music Foundation ISBN 4-636-17482-8
Jim Conger C Programming for MIDI 1989 by M&T Books ISBN ??
Jim Conger MIDI sequencing in C 1989 by M&T Books ISBN 1-55851-045-1 (book), ISBN 1-55851-046-X (book and disk) and ISBN 1-55851-047-8 (disk)
Clyde F. Coombs Jr (editor) Printed Curcuits Handbook, Fourth Edition 1995 (fourth edition) by McGraw-Hill, 1088 pages ISBN 0-07-012754-9 (hard cover): MD: This is a very good book if you want to learn a lot of diffrent issues about making PCBs. It a "brick" book full of papers from various people working in the trade. Many usefull descriptions on manufacturing and mounting techniques as well as description on layout and issues concerning that.
David Cope. "Computers and Musical Style". 1991 by A-R Editions. ISBN 0-89-579256-7.
David Crigger The MIDI drummer: by a drumer for a drummer 1987 by Alexander Publishing ISBN ??
David Crombie The synthesizer and electronic keyboard handbook 1984 by Knopf ISBN 0-394-54084-0 and ISBN 0-394-72711-8 (paperback)
Norman Crowhurst Electronic Musical Instruments 1971 by Tab Books ISBN 0-8306-1546 (hardbound) or ISBN 0-8306-0546-0 (paperback): MD: A very basic book on synthesizers, their theory some curcuits and some pictures of early Monsters (including some shoots of Walter Carlos Moog).
Deta S. Davis. "Computer Applications in Music: A Bibliography". 1992 by A-R Editions. ISBN 0-89579-225-7 or 0-89579-267-2.
Don Davis and Carolyn Davis Sound System Engineering, Second Edition 1986 (second edition) by Howard W. Sams & Co, 665 pages ISBN 0-672-21857-7: Important Note: There is a Third edition, get that!
MD: This is a very good book on various issues on sound systems and how they are designed and measured. It has some very good writings on wiring and grounding among others. If more people would take books like this to their heart it would certainly provide a posibbility for a higher quality sound around us. Very practically oriented in my mind. I must go and get the third edition some day.
Charles Dodge and Thomas A. Jerse. Computer Music: Synthesis, Composition and Performance 1985 by Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-873100-X.
Len Dorfman and Dennis Young Atari ST Introduction to MIDI Programming 19xx by Bantam Books ISBN 0-916439-77-1
Bernd Enders and Wolfgang Klemme MIDI und sound-buch zum Atari ST 1989 by M&T Publishing ISBN 1-55851-042-7
Sergio Franco Design with operational amplifiers and analog integrated circuits, second edition 1998 by WCB/McGraw-Hill ISBN 0-07-021857-9: MD: This is a very good book for anyone that wishes to learn more on op-amp design. I strongly recommend it. Since Dr. Franco has been designing music synthesizers himself it is not supprising that curcuits that play a role for synth DIYers is to be found here. This book outweigth many other op-amp books with much better descriptions as well as practicall orientation and example curcuits with real component values.
Dean Friedman Synthesizer basics 1986 by Amsco ISBN 0-8256-2409-6 (paperback)
Steve De Furia and Joe Scacciaferro MIDI programming for the Macintosh 1988 by M&T Books ISBN 1-55851-021-4, ISBN 1-55851-022-2 (book and disk) and ISBN 1-55851-023-0 (disk)
Steve De Furia and Joe Scacciaferro The MIDI Implementation book 1986 by ?? ISBN ??
Steve De Furia and Joe Scacciaferro The MIDI programmer's handbook 1989 by M&T Pub ISBN 1-55851-068-0
Steve De Furia and Joe Scacciaferro The MIDI Resource book 19xx by ?? ISBN 0-88188-587-8
Steve De Furia and Joe Scacciaferro The MIDI System Exclusive book 19xx by ?? ISBN ??
Paul R. Gray and Robert G. Meyer Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits, Third Edition 1977,1984 and 1993 by John Wiley & Sons ISBN 0-471-57495-3: MD: This is a great book on analog circuits. While oriented towards analog ICs it is not a limiting factor. A good description of many diffrent op-amp cursuit as well as the Gilbert multiplier. I find myself looking at this book in bookstores and such, just to recall that I allready have it.
Thomas Henry Build a better music synthesizer 1987 by Tab Books ISBN 0-8306-0255-0 and ISBN 0-8306-2755-3 (paperback): JP: Is a collection of analog circuits, mostly based on SSM, CEM et al chips. A few discrete modules. An application book, not about theory.
Thomas Henry Electronic music circuits: reprints 19xx by ?? ISBN ??: JP: It's twenty-odd circuits that he had published in periodicals between (roughly) 74 and 85.
MD: Please look here for it.
Delton T. Horn 49 Electronic 6-Volt Projects 1990 by Tab Books ISBN ??: This book is a real beginners book according to my sources. To the best of my knowledge it is out of print.
Delton T. Horn. Music Synthesizers: A Manual of Design and Construction. 1984 by Tab Books. ISBN ??: I know nothing about this book.
Delton T. Horn. Troubleshooting & Repairing Electronic Music 1992 by Tab Books. ISBN 0-8306-3921-7.
Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill. The Art of Electronics, Second Edition. 1989 by Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-37095-7.: MD: This is a book that I strongly recommend. It is a good book on general electronics and covers many fields and contains many good and bad tips to let you ponder over. Contains good references.
Digital Signal Processing Committee of IEEE Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing Society (editor). Programs for Digital Signal Processing 1979 by IEEE Press ISBN ??.
Howard Johnson and Martin Graham. High-Speed Digital Design - A Handbook of Black Magic. 1993 (first edition) by Prentice Hall, 384 pages ISBN 0-13-395724-1 (cloth): MD: This is a very good book for those seeking hands-on tips on how to really design and measure high-speed digital designs. This book doesn't describe any of that digital theory, it assumes you know that and just have trouble making good designs. It is a very crash-coarse oriented book that certainly helped me to clear up several issues. Here you learn the troubles of bypass capacitors, paths of currents, impedance mathching etc. A lot of these techniques makes sound reading even for more modest analog designs.
David Keane. Tape Music Composition 1980 by Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-311919-6.
by the editors of Keyboard magazine Synthesizer basics 1984 (first edition) by H. Leonard Pub. ISBN 0-88188-289-5 (paperback): Note: See second edition!
by the editors of Keyboard magazine Synthesizer basics 1988 (second edition) by H. Leonard Pub. ISBN 0-88188-714-5 (paperback)
by the editors of Keyboard magazine Synthesizer technique 1987 by Hal Leonard Books ISBN 0-88188-715-3 (paperback)
Barry L. Klein Electronic Music Circuits 1982 by Howard W Sams Books ISBN 0-672-21833-X: BJ: Analog synthesiser designs, a mix of 50% custom IC's as CEM and SSM, and 50% discreete designs. Recomended by BJ. Note: Barry has two separat paperback updates and additionals of this book,you can reach him at: Barry L. Klein <barry.l.klein@wdc.com> Barry L. Klein <barryklein@home.com>
Don Lancaster CMOS Cookbook 1988 (second edition) by Howard W Sams, 512 pages ISBN 0-672-22459-3: BJ: Covers most CMOS Logic devices available today, does not cover the latest HC,LV CMOS designs of today. But never the less "a must" book for anyone designing with CMOS IC's. One of the application "Bibles" in electronics design. Recomended by BJ.
MD: I had a great joy reading this book many, many years ago and still misses it. People should be aware that this book is being referenced whenever you may not suspect it.
Marc LeBrun A derivation of the Spectrum of FM with a Complex Modulation Wave. 1977 by Computer Music Journal Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 51-52 ISBN ??
Marc LeBrun Digital Waveshaping Synthesis 1979 by Journal of the AES Vol. 27, No. 4, p. 250-266 ISBN ??
R.M Marston. Audio Circuits Manual. 1989 by Hieneman Newes. ISBN 0-434-91210-7.: BJ: Talks about basic applied OP AMP and discrete AMP designs. VCA design around LM13600,NE570/1.
Bar Grap displays using LM3914/15/16,U237/47/57/67 IC's. And a lot of BBD designs, schemos for Chorus, Delays, Flanger, Phaser,etc using MN3005,MN3004,MN3011,TDA1022,TDA1097,SAD4096,SAD512,SAD1024. Well written ,easy to understand for the novice, no math, a application book. One of the few books i have come across who talks about BBD designs. A nice little pocket book ,Most recomended by BJ.
Howard Massey A syntesist's guide to acoustic instruments 1987 by Amsco Publications ISBN ??
Howard Massey The MIDI home studio 1988 by Amsco Publications ISBN 0-8256-1127-X
Dominic Milano (editor) Mind over MIDI 1987 by Hal Leonard Books ISBN 0-88188-551-7
Dominic Milano (editor) Synthesizer programming 1987 by Hal Leonard Books ISBN 0-88188-550-9 (paperback)
David Miles Huber The MIDI manual 1991 by Howard W. Sams, 250 pages ISBN 0-672-22757-6
F. Richard Moore. Elements of Computer Music 1990 (first edition) by Prentice Hall, 656 pages ISBN 0-13-252552-6 (paper)
F. Richard Moore Table Lookup Noise for Sinusoidal Digital Oscillators. 1977 by Computer Music Journal Vol.1, No. 2, p. 22-29 ISBN ??: Note: Reprinted in Curtis Roads "Foundations of Computer Music"
J.A. Moorer The synthesis of Complex Audio Spectra by Means of Discrete Summation Formulae 1975 by Stanfrod University Music Department Report no STAN-M-5
Dexter Morrill and Rick Taube A Little Book of Computer Music Instruments 19xx by ??. ISBN ??.
C. D. Motchenbacher and J.A. Connelly. Low-Noise Electronic System Design. 1993 by John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-57742-1.: MD: If you are looking for a good reference on low noise cursuits I would recommend this book. It gives a very thorough description of noise and its origin and how to design for low noise. It makes extensive use of SPICE simulations so a reader ought to redo the simulations in a fairly quick way.
Harry F. Olson. Acoustical Engineering 1957, 1991 by Professionals Audio Journals. ISBN ??.: MD: Many so called Hi-fi people think they invent new stuff, this is most often not so. When you read this old classic you will find many interesting and obscure solutions and I often find myself searching in this book when people claim to have something new. While the material is old it was originally written with care so it has survived the time increadibly well. Read about the RCA synthesizer by the man who designed it.
Alan V. Oppenheim (editor). Applications of Digital Signal Processing 1978 by Prentice Hall ISBN 0-13-039115-8
Alan V. Oppenheim and Ronald W. Schafer. Digital Signal Processing. 1975 (first edition) by Prentice Hall ISBN 0-13-214635-5 (cloth): MD: This is a high quality book by real researchers in the field. It is a complementary book to Rabiner and Gold's "Theory and Application of Digital Signal Processing" but can stand on its own. However, these two books cover the field of DSPs so well that many other books become useless. This is a reference book indeed. I ended up getting this book while running across it in Washington DC and found that I had been missing it for some time, it fills in greately where Rabiner and Gold's book have week sections.
Henry W. Ott. Noise Reduction Techniques in Electronic Systems, Second Edition. 1988 by John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-85068-3.: MD: A good book in the issues of EMC. This is a very usefull book and has great chapters on Cabling and Grounding among other things. It should be quite readable for the DIYer as well from someone who wishes to learn more in the EMC field. I did not regret bying this book!
Bonaventura Antony Patruzo. Making Music With Microprocessors. 1984 by Tab Books. ISBN 0-830-60729-3 (hard cover?) and ISBN 0-830-61729-9 (pocket).: JP: The title is misleading; the book is actually about building a hybrid computer-controlled analog synthesizer. The introduction discusses basic music theory, notation, and acoustics. The next sections presents some basic analog synth circuits. (And never mentions the touchy subject of exponential conversion!) The rest of the book discusses using laughably obsolete single board computers such as the KIM-1 to control the synthesizer. All in all a standard mediocre TAB application book.
Clayton R. Paul. Introduction to Electromagnetic Compability. 1992 by John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-54927-4.: MD: A good book on the issues of EMC.
Robert A. Pease. Troubleshooting Analog Circuits. 1991 by Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-9148-0 (hardcover) and ISBN 0-7506-9499-8 (softcover).: MD: This is a book I recommend, it will not provide you with all the solutions, rather it helps you start thinking and provides various hints on how to acheive things. There is plenty of good anecdotes that makes you think a bit different or maybe make you learn what was important and what was not important. He knows his field well and doesn't hide his own failures, rather, they become good stories too in the end.
R.A. Penfold MIDI Projects 19xx by Bernard Babani Press ISBN 0-85934-156-9
Ken C. Pohlmann The Compact Disc: A Handbook of Theory and Use 19xx by A-R Editions ISBN 0-89579-234-6 (cloth) and ISBN 0-89579-228-1 (paper): See second edition "The Compact Disc Handbook, 2nd edition".
Ken C. Pohlmann The Compact Disc Handbook, 2nd edition 1992 by A-R Editions ISBN 0-89579-300-8 (soft cover)
Jeff Pressing Synthesizer performance and realtime techniques 1992 by A-R Editions ISBN 0-89579-257-5
Steve Quinzi Synthesizer orchestration: a creative approach for the arranger and synthesist 1987 by Studio 224 ISBN ??
Lawrence R. Rabiner and Bernard Gold. Theory and Application of Digital Signal Processing. 1975 by Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-914101-4: MD: This is a high quality book by real researchers in the field. It is a complementary book to Oppenheim and Schafer's "Digital Signal Processing". However, these two books cover the field of DSPs so well that many other books become useless. This is a reference book indeed. This book was for a very long time my only book in the field, and this was not much of a limit. May I also say that this is a highly readable book, it really brings the message out.
Curtis Roads A Computer Music History: Musical Automation from Antiquity to the Computer Age 19xx by ?? ISBN ??
Curtis Roads (editor) Composers and the Computer 1985 by A-R Editions ISBN 0-86576-085-3.
Curtis Roads and John Strawn (editors) The Foundations of Computer Music 1985 by MIT Press ISBN 0-26-218114-2
Jeff Rona MIDI, the ins, outs and thrus 1987 by H. Leonard Books ISBN 0-88188-560-6 (paperback)
Joseph Rothstein MIDI: A Comprehensive Introduction, 2nd edition 1995 by A-R Editions ISBN 0-89579-309-1 (softcover)
Francis Rumsey MIDI systems and control 1990 by Focal Press ISBN 0-240-51300-2
Rey Sanchez MIDI guitar 1988 by CPP/Belwin ISBN 0-89898-544-7
Bill Schottstaedt The Simulation of Natural Instrument Tones Using Frequency Modulation with a Complex Modulation Wave. 1977 by Computer Music Journal 1, 4 pages 46-50 ISBN ??
Jorge de Sousa Pires Electronics Handbook 1989 by Studentlitteratur Lund. ISBN 91-44-21021-3 (from Studentlitteratur) and ISBN 0-86238-061-8 (from Chartwell-Bratt): BJ: A 800 pages reference book about standards, fundamental electronics for analogue and digital, more like the book The Art of Electronics but not as big and comprehencive as it. If you have forgott abot that Mesh funktion, then i can recomend this book ,BJ.
John Strawn (editor) Digital Audio Signal Processing 19xx by A-R Editions ISBN 0-86576-082-9
John Strawn (editor) Digital Audio Engineering: An Anthology (Computer Music and Digital Audio Series) 1985 by A-R Editions ISBN 0-86576-087-X (hardcover)
Ben G. Streetman Solid State Electronic Devices, Fourth Edition 1995 (fourth edition) by Prentice Hall, 462 pages ISBN 0-13-158767-6 (cloth) and ISBN 0-13-436379-5: MD: This is a undergraduate student textbook on semiconductors. I must admitt that I read the book more for the fun of reading it than taking the exam of the course (which I BTW still need to take). Never the less, this is a good book and may help to understand what is really happening down there in the silicon (or whatever). I find myself getting back to this book when thinking about exponential cursuits among other things.
Ulrich Tietze, Christopher Schenk and E. Schmid Electronic Circuits: Design and Applications 1991 by Springer Verlag ISBN 0-387-50608-X: I know nothing about this book.
Mark Vail The Hammond Organ - Beauty in the B 1997 by Miller Freeman Inc. ISBN 0-87930-459-6 (paperback): MD: Having a weakness for Hammonds I have found much joy with this book. It's not full of schematics and detailed mechanic descriptions, but rather it gives a overview of the Hammond company, it's products, it's users and a basic walkthrough on how the Hammond works and some tricks on restoration and service.
Mark Vail Vintage Synthesizers 1993 by Miller Freeman Inc. ISBN 0-87930-275-5 (paperback): MD: Gives a lot of nice background history on the creation and uses of classical synthesizers as well as describing the rise and fall of the mythic firms that brought us these creations. It also goes into less known sibblings in the familly.
Robert S. Villanucci, Alexander W. Avtgis, William F. Megow Electronic Techniques: Shop Practices and Construction 1999 (sixth editon) by Prentice Hall, 626 pages ISBN 0-13-779455-X (Cloth): A?: I've been reading this book as a text book in my PCB fabrication class at school (Cal Poly Pomona) and i find that it gives a ton on the making of PCB's,chassis building, etc. Anything in that realm is covered in great amounts of detail.
Wayne Wadhams Sound Advice: a Musician's Guide to the Recording Studio 1990 by Schirmer Books ISBN 0-02-872694-1
John V. Wait, Lawrence P. Huelsman and Granino A. Korn Introduction to Operational Amplifier Theory and Applications 1991 (second edition) by McGraw-Hill, 380 pages ISBN 0-07-067770-0 (hard back) and ISBN 0-07-112885-9 (softback): MD: A very nice book that describes many usefull op-amp curcuits and their theory. Covers both linear and non-linear cursuits as well as op-amp theory and op-amp based filters.
Bob Ward and Marty Cutler MIDI for guitarists 1988 by Amsco Publications ISBN 0-8256-1126-1
John Watkinson The Art of Digital Audio 1988 by Focal Press ISBN 0-240-51270-7: MD: A good book for introduction into various fields of digital audio.
Thomas H. Wells The Technique of Electronic Music 1981 by Schirmer Books ISBN 0-02-872830-0
Jim Williams (editor). Analog Circuit Design: Art, Science and Presonalities. 1991 and 1994 by Butterworth-Heineman. ISBN 0-750-69640-0.: IF: Anecdotes, design techniques and curcuits from 22 authorities, including Philbrock, Pease, Franco etc.
Phil Winsor and Gene DeLisa Computer music in C 1991 by Tab Books ISBN 0-8306-3637-4
Yamaha Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook 19xx by ?? ISBN ??
Paul Youngblood Midi guitar and synthesis: the basics of guitar synthesis 1989 by H. Leonard Publishing ISBN 0-88188-886-9

Publishers

Alexander Publishing
A-R Editions
Bantan Books
Bernard Babani Books
Butterworth-Heinemann
Cambridge University Press
Chartwell-Bratt
CPP/Belwin
Focal Press
Hayden Books
Heinemann
Hieneman Newes
Knopf
Krieger Publishing Company
Hal Leonard Books
McGraw-Hill: Books
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company
Microsoft Press
Miller Freeman Books
MIT Press
M&T Books
Oxford University Press (UK)
Prentice Hall: Search
Howard W. Sams
John Wiley & Sons
Schirmer Books
Springer Verlag
Studentlitteratur

Publisher resources

BookWeb
Publishers's Catalogues Home Page
The World Wide Web Virtual Library: Publishers
WWWiz Magazine Book Resources

Resources

http://www.cs.ruu.nl: MIDI/DOC

Magnus Danielson <cfmd at bredband dot net>