Sound Assistance

Sound Assistance offers a highly readable and easy-to-understand account of sound operations in radio and television studios. By knowing the characteristics of the equipment, such as threshold and compression ratios, it is much easier to achieve professional effects quickly, saving hours of trial and error.


The book will suit anyone wishing to work as a sound assistant but who does not have a thorough grounding in the maths and physics. Written in an informal style with practical 'do's' and 'don'ts', the fundamental principles are explained. Where knowledge of a higher level of maths is helpful, this information is given in handy 'fact files'.

Particularly appropriate for students, training officers and supervisors who have the task of passing on this information in a simple, easy-to-digest format, Sound Assistance is written in easy-to read language with a minimum of maths.

This second edition now has more on:
* Microphone sensitivities
* Loudspeaker listening tests
* Domestic colour code for stereo
* Stereo transmission in radio
* Stereo PPM interpretations
* MiniDisk
* Digital radio
* Recordable CDs.

Michael Talbot-Smith is a freelance audio consultant and author of Audio Explained, and coauthor of The Video Studio. He is editor of The Audio Engineer's Reference Book (now in its second edition) and The Sound Engineer's Pocketbook. He is a former trainer of audio engineers at BBC Wood Norton.