Creating great sounds is not an easy task. Most of the time, your sounds for tracks end up sounding disappointing. After wasting hours to make them sound good, they still end up with substandard results. To solve this problem, I have listed the Top 5 Books On Sound Design. These books will help you master the skill of Sound Design.

Reading these books will lead you in the right direction and help you understand the processes that every music producer and audio engineer have to know to achieve a high-quality sound design. 

Top 5 Books On Sound Design

Here is a list of Top 5 Books On Sound Design:

1. Sound Design – by David Sonnenschein
2. Electronic Music and Sound Design – by Alessandro Cipriani & Maurizio Giri
3. Sound Systems: Design and Optimization – by Bob McCarthy
4. Sound Design for Film – by Tim Harrison
5. Sound Design For Beginners – by Screech House

Sound Design by David Sonnenschein

Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema – by David Sonnenschein is a textbook on the sound design that explains the way sound in films works on the human mind.

David Sonnenschein is a sound designer, musician, audio consultant and author of the international textbook "Sound Design”.

Why Do I Recommend This Book

In this book, the author presents a wealth of ideas on how to improve the quality of cinematic sound. He shares his knowledge on how to augment the effects of sound to create a more emotional impact. He goes into great detail on how to analyse a film's possible sound design. and talks about the various elements that should be considered when creating a soundtrack. 

This book features practical tips and experiments that will encourage you to approach sound design with an open mind. It's a theoretical book full of ideas on how to improve the representation of sound in movies.

It also shares testimonials from renowned sound designers, including those who worked in movies like "Star Wars." 

Who Is This Book For

For all audio engineers and filmmakers, beginner or amateur, interested in learning the depths of sound design for film.

Electronic Music and Sound Design

Electronic Music and Sound Design - Theory and Practice with Max 8 - Volume 1 – by Alessandro Cipriani and Maurizio Giri, is an extensive overview of the various tools and techniques used in electronic music by sound designers. 

Why Do I Recommend This Book

In this book, the authors provide comprehensive analysis, numerous sample patches and various exercises that will help you develop your skill in using Max for sound design. They cover topics like introduction to sound synthesis and signal processing, additive synthesis, subtractive synthesis, controls and LFO, Max for Live, granular synthesis and other topics. 

This book provides an overview of the theories and practices of Max and MSP. This book shares digital audios, delay lines, sample sounds and tests that will help you evaluate your progress.

The book is designed to be used in university courses. Reading this book will help you master the various aspects of using Max. 

Who Is This Book For

I recommend the book to anyone who works with Max and wants to master the art of sound design for electronic music.

Sound Systems: Design and Optimization

Sound Systems: Design and Optimization: Modern Techniques and Tools for Sound System Design and Alignment – by Bob McCarthy is a guidebook to sound design and alignment. Bob McCarthy is an experienced audio professional and has worked with many universities. 

Why Do I Recommend This Book

In this book, the author provides real-world examples that show how various strategies and techniques can be utilised to achieve a perfect sound reinforcement system. He outlines how sound is spread over a listening area and delves into the processes of sound system alignment.

Reading this book will help you understand the physics of mic placement, speaker interaction, acoustic treatment and how the placement of speakers affects the distribution of sound. 

This book features the modern tools, various strategies and techniques that are used to achieve optimal sound quality. Reading this book will fulfil your sound design needs. 

Who Is This Book For

This book is a must-read for anyone who is looking to improve their sound reinforcement design or just want to learn more about the various techniques involved in achieving a perfect sound reinforcement system.

Sound Design for Film

Sound Design for Film – by Tim Harrison presents a comprehensive overview of one of cinema’s most powerful storytelling tools i.e. Sound. Tim Harrison is a London-based composer, filmmaker, sound designer and author.

Why Do I Recommend This Book

In this book, the author presents the various stages of the creative process of sound design for film. He shares how sound affects the audience's mood through storytelling. He covers topics like soundscapes, acting with sound, sound maps, motif, recording foley, sound effects, voice production, sound-image relationship, sound manipulation, audio mixing and delivering a film, and more.

Reading this book will help you enhance your storytelling skills through sound. 

Who Is This Book For

This book is for audio engineers and filmmakers interested in learning the skill of sound design for film or the nuts and bolts of post-production.

Sound Design For Beginners

Sound Design For Beginners: How to Make Jaw-Dropping Sounds for Your Song by Discovering the Essential Basics of Synthesis & Sound Engineering – by Cep from Screech House, is a beginner’s guidebook to synthesis and sound engineering. Cep is the CEO of Screech house, a Dutch EDM producer and a bestselling author.

Why Do I Recommend This Book

In this book, the author provides an introduction to sound synthesis and shares his knowledge on how to create a high-quality sound design. He shares his knowledge to help you learn how to use a synthesiser, oscillators, filters, envelops, LFO and other basic synthesiser settings. 

Reading this book will teach you important synthesiser settings, what each setting does and how to use synthesiser properly to achieve the best authentic sounds. 

This book comes with a free audio sample pack. 

Who Is This Book For

This book is a must-read for every beginner sound designer or audio engineer. Read this book and evolve yourself into a master of sound design.

 

If you want to learn about the art of Beat Making, check out this article on Top 5 Books To Learn Beat Making.

Suggested Reads

Suggested Read: Top 5 Books On Studio Miking Techniques

Suggested Read: Top 5 Books On Electronic Music Production

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Suggested Read: Top 5 Books To Learn Sound Recording

Suggested Read: Top 5 Books On Writing Melodies

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