Sound Foundations - by Josh Ottum (Hardcover)

About the Book

This concise workbook provides quick and accessible entry points into different subjects that form the bedrock of commercial music study. With a wide variety of illustrations, prompts, exercises, projects, and hands-on material, it provides snapshots of basic concepts and will help people who are new to commercial music unlock their creativity.

Book Synopsis

Sound Foundations offers a holistic and personalized introduction to music technology, songwriting, and entrepreneurship. With a wide variety of prompts, activities, written exercises, and idea-generating sections, this workbook provides quick and accessible entry points into different topics and concepts that form the bedrock of commercial music study. Using highly accessible language, Josh Ottum provide a scaffolding that allows users to take ownership over technological options and creative processes unique to their own aesthetics.
The book contains uniquely curated aspects of the following:
Basic audio technologyBasics of songwritingSynthesisLive soundRecording toolsMusic business

Review Quotes

"Sound Foundations is a demystifying and door-opening force for curious musicians. It invites you to write some songs, record them, play them live, and do it all over again. Josh Ottum is the perfect creative companion--honest, inspiring, and inventive every step of the way. We love having this book on the shelf and available to students and teachers at our music school." --Brendan Bosworth, founder, Meter Music School

"Josh Ottum's book lays out basic musical concepts in an easy to understand and intuitive way and steers the reader towards individuality and creative expression. Well done!" --James McAlister, musician, composer, and producer (Sufjan Stevens, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, The National)

"Sound Foundations is a valuable resource for those interested in exploring contemporary audio and creative music fields. Ithelps demystify music technology gear and terminology and answers those questions one is too afraid to ask." --Kevin Zhang, assistant professor of music theory and composition, California State University, San Bernardino

About the Author

Josh Ottum is professor of commercial music at Bakersfield College. He holds an MFA in integrated composition improvisation and technology from UC Irvine and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary arts from Ohio University. As a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and performer, he has released several records, toured throughout Europe and the United States, and has music featured in multiple television and radio programs.