My Bookshelf
Below is a collection of books I’ve read and found to be helpful and/or interesting as a sound designer but also as an artist and freelancer in general. The first section focuses on just sound and theatre related books, but I encourage you to also explore the other books below. Between being artists, engineers, and business owners all-in-one, theres a lot to learn and improve on in our careers. Hopefully, this list will help me and others continue to learn and foster growth in and out of the industry.
List will be updated as often as I feel like it. If you have a reading recommendation feel free to contact me.
Books on Sound Design and Production
Sound Design for the Stage - Gareth Fry
From the British Sound Designer behind Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Encounter and many many more This is easily one of the most comprehensive texts on being a sound designer. From First contact with directors and producers, to content and system design, all the way to opening night, Fry gives detailed and personal lessons on it all. Not all lessons may apply directly to your career but all the same the insight is incredibly valuable. I regularly use section so this text for my summer teaching. I can’t recommend it more for those exploring a career in this field.
The Sound System Design Primer - Josh Loar
For a long time there was a distinct gap in system design texts for newcomers. This book has gone on to fill that gap and be one of the best resources for up and coming sound people to get an overview in the kids of systems we use today. Loar’s excellent book covers not only large scale sound systems, but also our ancillary responsibilities like video and comm. A great start for anyone looking to join the industry.
Introduction to Show Networking & Show Network and Control System - John Huntington
As out industry starts to blur lines with IT and networking. John Huntington’s introduction and full exploration of networking for entertainment systems is invaluable. Huntington does a great job giving a concise overview of general networking knowledge and pairing ti with our own mission critical applications in the entertainment world.
Sound Systems: Design and Optimization - Bob McCarthy
The infamous “Green Book.” The go to book for system design and optimization principles. McCarthy walks you through everything, from basic system knowledge, array design, and full system optimization and tuning. You won’t find a more comprehensive book on designing large scale systems. Its best read in pieces and coupled with on the ground experience.
Master Handbook of Acoustics - F. Alton Everest & Ken C. Pohlman
While this book is targeted towards architectural acoustic design, it is also a fantastic dive into acoustics and psychoacoustics. You may not need to ever know how to design an acoustically sound studio, but understanding how sound travels in space, is core to visualizing your work in design.
Sound Designer’s Companion - Bill Raoul
This nifty little book is the Composer/Designer’s secret dramaturgical weapon. The companion book is a reference of composers, songs, bandleaders and genres from the first medieval chants to modern tunes. Sorted chronologically and noting each composers country of origin, you can quickly build a list of who and what to listen to for your research and inspiration for each and every production.
Other Books
The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
Whats stopping you from writing that story, or auditioning for that part? Who’s that voice in your head telling you your work is no good? Pressfield calls it “Resistance.” As artists we engage with Resistance every day. This is a profile of that never ending struggle.
Understanding comics: The Invisible Art - Scott McCloud
Don’t be dissuaded by the word comics. McCloud’s dissemination on the form and theories on art as a whole are valuable for anyone pursuing a creative endeavor. The section on the “Six Steps of Art” completely changed the way I approach my work.
Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert
A great book on how to handle your relationship with creativity from the author of Eat, Pray, Love. I especially love Gilbert’s discussion on being a “trickster” rather than a martyr. “You're not required to save the world with your creativity. Your art not only doesn't have to be original, in other words, it also doesn't have to be important.”
This is Marketing - Seth Godin
An important lesson on how storytelling as a form of marketing can affect us as both consumers and creators. Godin shows us that the stories we tell can be a powerful tool to generate change in a culture. An important read for everyone looking to tell stories or make change.
Essentialism - Greg Mckeown
The book that started it all for me. A deep dive into how to generate clarity and remove the non-essential from your life.
Thinking in bets - Annie Duke
One of the best books the act of decision making and the biases that accompany those decisions. Duke’s strength lies in her ability to influence change with direct and applicable practices for us to apply and ruminate on.
Purple Cow - Seth Godin
Purple Cow takes a hard look at what it means to be remarkable. Why remarkable ideas are a necessity. Godin argues that in order to truly create change, to push boundaries, we all need a purple cow: a wholly unique product in a field of similarity. You may stare out the window of the car at the fields of cows but a purple one will make you pay attention.
The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
A great place to start learning about how ideas spread and the basic concepts of marketing. Gladwell’s examination of “Connectors” “Mavens” and “Salespeople” serve as great models for how we become better at spreading stories and ideas of our own.