Hello all,
I am writing a book called How To Make Music At Home for Virgin Publishing - due to be published in November.
I am mid-way through the book, but am looking for two things.
1. General tips on home recording in general: so, if you feel as though there is something I shouldn't miss, please get in touch.
2. The book will feature a number of profiles on artists/producers/engineers, who record at home. I have a series of questions I am inviting people to answer.
If you would like to be featured, or want to get involved, please post back here, or drop me an email: [Email]nicolaslade@yahoo.co.uk.[/Email]
Thanks in advance,
Nicola


SOS DISCLAIMER:
Another novelist also called Nicola Slade, author of romantic comedy Scuba Dancing has made contact with SOS and requested that we point out that the Nicola Slade who started this Forum thread is not her. SOS is happy to oblige to help clarify this fact.


Edited by Forum Admin (16/05/07 01:20 PM)

There are about 100 books and 10,000 websites on this subject. What will be different about yours?

I don't normally try and be the voice of any other members of this forum, but...

What kind of deal have you struck with Virgin Publishing, and more importantly...

What's in it for us?

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www.thediplomatz.com

Hello again,
I'm not prepared to disclose the nature of the deal I have with Virgin, since it's my business. However, I am already a published author and journalist, so I'm above board, if that's what you're asking. This book is aimed newcomers to home recording. It will cover the basics to get someone off the ground. It's not meant to be the last word, or a 'bible' so to speak.
Sure, there might not be 'anything in it for you', but I like to give people the opportunity to make suggestions and potentially, be featured.
Thanks
Nicola

Hi Nicola

Are you the author of "Scuba Dancing"

Welcome to the forum

Download: The Lowdown

I assume this is you? What sort of market are you catering for? I'm fairly certain that anyone who wants to get into home recording would start with Sound on Sound and get nicely led to Paul White's, "Home Recording Made Easy".

What exactly will your book provide that Paul White hasn't already. I'm not sucking up to Paul, BUT, his books are pretty comprehensive!

SJ.

EDIT: Oops just noticed your second post. Like has already been said, it's been done to death. And very well too.

Edited by Simon Mitchell (07/05/07 04:11 PM)

Having read this thread again, one thing comes to mind....

Shouldn't this book be written by someone who is already involved in home recording?
As you are asking people that are doing this it seems that this is not your area....

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www.sounds-and-images.co.uk
http://twitter.com/soundsandimages

There's only one thing I hate more than dabbling amateurs, and that is dabbling amateurs who haven't got a clue.

If Virgin was serious about their subject then it would have engaged someone who knows about the subject. Let's face it, there are quite a few of us out here.

Shame on Virgin!

Quote leslawrenson:

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There's only one thing I hate more than dabbling amateurs, and that is dabbling amateurs who haven't got a clue.

If Virgin was serious about their subject then it would have engaged someone who knows about the subject. Let's face it, there are quite a few of us out here.

Shame on Virgin!

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Why are we assuming that he knows nothing about the subject? (Not that I care, really...)

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James
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake" ~Napoleon Bonaparte~

Quote Doublehelix:

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Why are we assuming that (s)he knows nothing about the subject?

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Good question.

The skill of a writer is writing, researching and presenting the material in a way that's easy to understand.

Quote leslawrenson:

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Let's face it, there are quite a few of us out here.

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If you can write a better book I'm sure you can find a publisher.

Quote Not that fool again!:

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There are about 100 books and 10,000 websites on this subject. What will be different about yours?

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I don'y understand the umbridge. There's well over 100 books on the subject. So what? There's well over 100 books about The Beatles and well over 100 of them are superfluous. Who cares?

Publishers and writers don't survive by limiting their interest to the "necessary" books any more than studio managers limit their work to the "necessary" recordings... if you get my drift.

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www.bemuso.com

what's wrong with all you people? Why would you be so bitter about this? (this, obviously aimed at those who clearly are strangely annoyed)

She's only writing a book, not stealing your ideas...and let's face it, there aren't too many 'original' ideas anymore, anyway...

it's never going to harm a publication like SOS, nor is it going to tell anything particularly new, so why be so negative about it?

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I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over
Twitter

Rob C - only one skill of a "technical" writer is to write about "their" subject is a way that is easy to understand. I don't accept that that is the only skill or, indeed, the most important skill.

The first skill of a writer of any technical subject is to understand their material, not to get others to effectively write the material for them. Otherwise, what comes out usually is nothing more than a pretty, but technically useless coffee table book. The market certainly does not need one of those.

And not only do I think I could write a book on the subject that is being proposed, I'm also certain that I could find a publisher. But I don't have to, nor do I want to write such a book. As someone has already pointed out, there are already a welter of books on this subject, written by technically able persons. In any event, your point does not do anything to advance your argument.

What appears to be being proposed here, is that those with the technical knowledge actually provide the material for the person seeking to write the book without remuneration. That's vanity publishing at its direst.

Edited by leslawrenson (07/05/07 06:56 PM)

Quote leslawrenson:

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Rob C - only one skill of a "technical" writer is to write about "their" subject is a way that is easy to understand. I don't accept that that is the only skill or, indeed, the most important skill.

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Why is that addressed to me? I didn't say it was the only or most important skill.

Quote leslawrenson:

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What appears to be being proposed here, is that those with the technical knowledge actually provide the material for the person seeking to write the book without remuneration.

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That might be your understanding, but it's by no means certain. We don't know what knowledge Nicola has or what other resources Virgin is providing. It's not unusual for a writer to draw on a variety of sources, and many of them might not be paid.

Quote leslawrenson:

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That's vanity publishing at its direst.

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Vanity publishing is where an author with no deal or audience pays for a print run of their book. I don't see how this could be vanity publishing in any way. The author has been commissioned and if the book is accepted it will be commercially published.

I'm flabbergasted that you see fit to make so many negative assumptions about a new poster and attack them (along with the others) in this way.

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www.bemuso.com

But you don't know the form of the book do you? Our authoress has asked for general tips and for people to feature in Q&A's. So the book may not be about the technical issues around home recording, it may be based on say; the journey of a person getting into home recording. In fact i think our heroine points out in another post that it isnt supposed to be a bible on the subject.

Victoria Wood has just done a very informative set of TV documentaries on the Bristish Empire. She isn't an expert on the Empire, it has taken the form of a journey of enlightenment.

Not all books are technical. This one may well be about the phenomenon.

I think it's quite nice that the lady has sniffed out this place as a potential source of wisdom....

No need to give away your best secrets.

Rob C - I addressed my reply to you since you responded directly to something I said.

Indeed, we don't know "for certain" what Nicola meant, but her post strongly suggests to me that she has little knowledge of this area and is looking for those with the subject matter (ie those involved in home recording) to provide her with her material. If that is not the case, then not only has she not been very clear, but she has been IMO misleading. Certainly, if anyone posts a thread like that on this forum they must be prepared for some flack. Perhaps she might care to set out the depth of her experience, and clear up any misunderstanding.

I understand very well what the classic definition of vanity publishing is, but thank you for reminding me. However, what appears to be being proposed here is that "contributors" supply material for not cost, but perhaps get a mention in the book. To me, that is vanity publishing by a different name. Even if Nicola does have experince in this field, that does not address this particular point, I would suggest.

Nicola, a secret everyone should know:

If you want your recordings to sound really professional the secret is in making it sound loud. This is achieved after mixing your song, place a compressor on the main output buss and get rid of all the dynamics. Now use a limiter (sometimes called a maximiser) to get your mix as loud as possible. Exciters and EQ can make it sound even 'better'. Now your mixes will sound like the rubbish.. ahem... awesome tunes you hear on the radio!

- Simon Mitchell

(if you want to use this it's going to cost you, it's a little secret I don't tell many people! )

Quote leslawrenson:

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Certainly, if anyone posts a thread like that on this forum they must be prepared for some flack. Perhaps she might care to set out the depth of her experience, and clear up any misunderstanding.

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I don't see why she should get any flack, and I'd be surprised if she returns. Like ow says it makes sense to me that she would come here for material.

Paul Zollo: Songwriters On Songwriting - did the interviewees get paid?

Howard Massey: Behind The Glass - did the interviewees get paid?

Quote leslawrenson:

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I understand very well what the classic definition of vanity publishing is...

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Excuse me for not understanding your use of the common phrase had a new meaning (I guess I should be prepared for some flack on that).

But you're busy doing your flack... don't mind me.

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www.bemuso.com

Quote Simon Mitchell:

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Nicola, a secret everyone should know:

If you want your recordings to sound really professional the secret is in making it sound loud. This is achieved after mixing your song, place a compressor on the main output buss and get rid of all the dynamics. Now use a limiter (sometimes called a maximiser) to get your mix as loud as possible. Exciters and EQ can make it sound even 'better'. Now your mixes will sound like the rubbish.. ahem... awesome tunes you hear on the radio!

- Simon Mitchell

(if you want to use this it's going to cost you, it's a little secret I don't tell many people! )

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Nicola, make sure this man gets front page credit for his wise words .. that is S-I-M-O-N M-I-T-C-H-E-L-L... I'm sure he'll be forever greatful for all the references that will undoubtedly result from this

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When I finally discovered the meaning of life, they changed it...

Rob C - you seem to be more intent on criticising my points of view than in engaging in any argument. You've obviously got your take on this and I have mine. Sorry if I have touched a sore point for you. But please let me have my point of view. I'm quite content for you to hold yours.

And quoting instances where others have been ripped off by publishers, for contributing material that they did not get paid for, does not make it right this time round.

If you want to encourage people to get involved in a book for which they will get no payment, please be my guest.

Hi Nicola

Welcome to the forum.

I'm afraid you're going to find this a tough subject to research because as you're already seeing people are going to resent the fact that you're being paid to write what is really a technical guide to a highly complicated process of which you (I'm assuming) have little or no experience. Of course people always throw their toys out of the pram when professional writers are hired to do these sorts of things because they don't consider the fact that the publisher needs a safe pair of hands...but this subject is not really one you can research in this way. Say for example the book was called "Great Home Recordings" you would be able to go out and research it, collating technical information that's been given by those who've done the recordings...fair enough...but in this situation you can't hope to gain an understanding of the variables involved in anything less than years of research and experience. It's no accident that the successful recording manuals out there are written by seasoned pros.

I understand that nature of your job and I would be more than happy to give you the benefit of the experience that I've gained as a professional engineer and producer. The problem is that I HONESTLY have no idea where to start. I can't help feeling that your publishers have given you a poisoned chalice here.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck. Feel free to PM me if you think there's anything I can do for you.

Jack

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www.jackruston.com

Quote leslawrenson:

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And quoting instances where others have been ripped off by publishers, for contributing material that they did not get paid for, does not make it right this time round.

If you want to encourage people to get involved in a book for which they will get no payment, please be my guest.

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Let's just put this one to bed.

It's a common editorial technique to cite and interview experts who are willing to share their knowledge gratis... for the goodwill, the publicity, or the sheer joy of being alive.

Here's an excellent site that's full of outside comment (Matt will be able to say whether they paid Supergrass for example... I'd guess not).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic/recording/

And a quick look across my bookshelves shows too many titles to mention using the same kind of approach.

OK, you wouldn't do it, but a lot of people do. I've done it myself (although home recording isn't something I know enough about).

Here's the kind of thing you might get:

Room treatment...

Bloke A "I don't use any... my room is... so... "

Bloke B "I use a bit... I did... because... "

Bloke C "I've got a fully pro room, and what I did was... because... "

You'd be surprised how helpful people are. If they don't think they've been ripped off... they haven't been.

Excuse the criticism... nothing personal... you're simply wrong.

I'm done.

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www.bemuso.com

Whereas I myself like to jump in and criticise some things which i find a little unfair and maybe which are of no real use and which may equate to being a rip off in some way.... In this instance I feel that it's only a book!

A book which may or may not do well? Just let the poor girl (or guy?) get on with it, if you do not wish to help then do not. At least it's not yet another website leading you to believe that for the incredibly low price of £*** you just might get the contact you need to gain some ground with your compositions!

It's not a con job or a scam or a confidence trick, it's an as yet unwritten book. Cynically written or laudable intent? It doesn't really matter. At this stage. I hope it's a good book.

Let's all lighten up here. My sister is not austistic and (once) knew nothing about it. She came across a family with a great story and went to live with them, and wrote their story, and it was made into a film. Now she's (unashamedly) ghost-writing the mother's story for a major publisher - with a lot of help from the mother. Off the back of that, the publishers have asked her to do another book about a well known cancer sufferer and fundraiser.

The relevant point here being she knows how to write and to communicate and to research facts. Rare skills, as any denizen of this forum can testify.

Welcome to the forum, Nicola. Thank you for seeking us out as a bunch of people who might be able help you in your researches. My personal apologies for the rather odd reception you have received.

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Dynamite with a laser beam...


Edited by Steve Hill (07/05/07 09:20 PM)

Rob, you would contribute to a project where the publisher and his editor takes money, and I would not.

I am not wrong, any more than you are right. There is no right or wrong. Just different points of view. That's why I contribute to this forum, because I like to express an opinion. You have your point of view and I have mine.

Others will decide for themselves whether or not they want to help make Branson richer than he already is for nothing in return. As for you and I, we've argued this one to a stand still.

I don't take what you said personally. I'm old and ugly and like an argument.

Edited by leslawrenson (07/05/07 09:26 PM)

Quote Steve Hill:

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My personal apologies for the rather odd reception you have received.

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You don't have to apologise for anything I've said. I've expressed my honestly felt (and, hopefully, cogently argued) views.

I'm certainly not apologising for that.

Quote leslawrenson:

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There's only one thing I hate more than dabbling amateurs, and that is dabbling amateurs who haven't got a clue.

If Virgin was serious about their subject then it would have engaged someone who knows about the subject. Let's face it, there are quite a few of us out here.

Shame on Virgin!

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What, not even this bit???

Quote ow:

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Quote leslawrenson:

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There's only one thing I hate more than dabbling amateurs, and that is dabbling amateurs who haven't got a clue.

If Virgin was serious about their subject then it would have engaged someone who knows about the subject. Let's face it, there are quite a few of us out here.

Shame on Virgin!

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What, not even this bit???

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Eh?

Edited by leslawrenson (07/05/07 09:38 PM)

What you don't even feel you should apologise for that insult on someone you know nothing about?

Following a chat with a fellow moderator behind the scenes, I've come to think the poster's intentions were not contravening the forum rules. As such I've reinstated this thread, I hope Nicola will get all help she needs.



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Imagination is more important than knowledge - A. Einstein

Edited by Frank Eleveld (08/05/07 12:59 PM)

Quote leslawrenson:

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There's only one thing I hate more than dabbling amateurs, and that is dabbling amateurs who haven't got a clue.

If Virgin was serious about their subject then it would have engaged someone who knows about the subject.

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Quote Nicola Slade:

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I wrote Download the Lowdown. I have been a music journalist for almost ten years - my speciality is music and technology. I edit Record of the Day - a music industry mailout and magazine and was digital editor at Music Week for four years.

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Just tidying up loose ends.

Wise move Jeraldo. Very wise.

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www.bemuso.com

Nicola doesn't have to ask anyone here for anything. The most rudimentary reading of the current and past forum pages has everything she asks for ("invites?")

Admittedly, opinions vary on this, but arriving new on the forum and asking what she did raises all sorts of red flags for me. She seems, at very best, to be clueless about what's already on the forum, and at worst, ..........

If she was unable to read (or consider to read) the content of the forums, then I question both her information gathering skills as well as her (complete lack of) motivation.

It is Nicola who needs to "get involved," the writers on these forums already are.

yeah i have a question:

has Sir Richard still got any of that good pot to sell?

I see you decided to post here too.

Quote Jeraldo:

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Nicola doesn't have to ask anyone here for anything. The most rudimentary reading of the current and past forum pages has everything she asks for ("invites?")

Admittedly, opinions vary on this, but arriving new on the forum and asking what she did raises all sorts of red flags for me. She seems, at very best, to be clueless about what's already on the forum, and at worst, ..........

If she was unable to read (or consider to read) the content of the forums, then I question both her information gathering skills as well as her (complete lack of) motivation.

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Quote Nicola Slade:

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I am mid-way through the book, but am looking for two things.
1. General tips on home recording in general: so, if you feel as though there is something I shouldn't miss, please get in touch.
2. The book will feature a number of profiles on artists/producers/engineers, who record at home. I have a series of questions I am inviting people to answer.

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Jeraldo: how is she going to find artists/producers/engineers to feature by reading the forum? Asking each of the 60,000 members individually perhaps? And how is she going to know if you have a home recording tip you'd like to pass on? Did you post it here? How do I find it?

I've been around the forum for several years and I can't see how that's possible. Maybe you should be less free with your insults... and hey, isn't insulting people a forum rules "no-no" anyway?

Quote Jeraldo:

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It is Nicola who needs to "get involved," the writers on these forums already are.

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And her book is a further opportunity to get involved, don't you think?

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www.bemuso.com

Damn!

I've totally misunderstood the point of a forum. I always thought that it was a place where you could come and ask questions. Either people answered you or they ignored you. I didn't realise that you had to read ALL the previous threads before asking something.

Sorry Jeraldo, I'll spend the next ten weeks going through all the past threads, sorting out the wheat from the chaff, before even considering being so rude as to ask a question.

For heaven's sake Jeraldo, she's doing what writers call "research". She turns up where (supposedly) experts congregate and asks for opinions.

I see she comments "I wrote Download the Lowdown. I have been a music journalist for almost ten years - my speciality is music and technology. I edit Record of the Day - a music industry mailout and magazine and was digital editor at Music Week for four years."

She'll have punctured a fair few egos with that reply. I can almost hear the cries of "I'm the only gay in this village".

Quote Fotografics:

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Damn!

I've totally misunderstood the point of a forum. I always thought that it was a place where you could come and ask questions. Either people answered you or they ignored you. I didn't realise that you had to read ALL the previous threads before asking something.

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um.. what's a question?

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www.myspace.com/wapskallionremixes

Why don't you write a book about things that you yourself have knowledge and experience?

Like about cooking or removing lipstick stains or something?


If you are looking for tips that worked for the person who gave them to you, I think you need to be a bit more generous than offering a "hey, but you'll be featured! Cool, huh?"


If you are looking for tips that didn't even work for your desperate loser bedroom guitarist advisor with a crack Cubase, then I have no idea who would need to read such a garbage. It would be like, "I don't need to pay you to be reminded what a loser I am..."

That's just daft.

B.

Quote Barish:

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Things must be bad when you come along with one of your typically negative and arrogant comments.

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madtheory creations
Synths and pianos for Kontakt

I am genuinely ashamed that I have recommended this forum to people.


It's stopping from today.

Quote Barish:

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Why don't you write a book about things that you yourself have knowledge and experience?

Like about cooking or removing lipstick stains or something?


If you are looking for tips that worked for the person who gave them to you, I think you need to be a bit more generous than offering a "hey, but you'll be featured! Cool, huh?"


If you are looking for tips that didn't even work for your desperate loser bedroom guitarist advisor with a crack Cubase, then I have no idea who would need to read such a garbage. It would be like, "I don't need to pay you to be reminded what a loser I am..."

That's just daft.

B.

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is this a joke? or did you get out of the wrong side of the cave?

Uh! Sorry... I didn't know that you guys were already getting involved.

Never mind my cynicsm.

Okay Nicola, sorry. Count me in too. I'll give you the best of my tips.

What not to get by reading comments about it in online forums. Straight from my Ebay second hand sales reports. Not kidding you. The items that I'd bought upon the forum appraisals I'd read, and then got rid of 6 months later.


And the so-called "vintage pro" equipment such-and-such was told to have used in their hit record, that I've discovered to have serious design faults, of course after buying them, only to find out that some people pumped them up in forums purely because they were desperate to get rid of them. And after selling theirs, you never saw them commenting on those items ever again, or just watched them cheekily turning to slag them off for their faults. Ehehehe.

That's how you become a "pro" in this internot world, without even recording a track worth listening to. (Yes, that's me.)

I mean, who would want to learn how to record from a guy who can't even get his music heard for free?


That doesn't make sense.

Go talk to those who make music people "pay" to hear. (Yes The Producer Formerly Known As Jack, who has already offered his help, could be a good start.) They have home-recording set-up for themselves too. At least you would put a book together that is worthwhile reading. Otherwise you'll be just contributing to this already-saturated disinformation pollution. I suggest you don't do it, for the sake of the pride of the writership.

But please, either way, please don't say "well, you'll be "featured" in a book by Virgin publishing (k-ching, was it a name dropped in there?), isn't that nice?" That's an insult to the knower. Why don't you keep the "featured writer" title while we get paid, huh? Just for a change in the pattern, you know. We are writing what you are intending to write everyday, here on these forums. For years. For free.

And oh, on another note, anybody can get cancer, but not anybody can record, or understand how recording process works to the level they can explain it to the others. So listening to a cancer patient and typing it is not really the same as listening to a bunch of recordists, making a sense of it and then typing about recording music.


Bitterly yours,

B.