<Admin - please reply privately, or to the OT list> Hi Robert > I'm currently recording a demo and am probably going to > master it myself, in hopes that later, some label will pay > for a mastering pro to do it. Would you recommend Bob's book > for me, or is it too deep? I personally believe everybody involved in audio production at any level should own and read Bob's book. Yes some of it is heavy going and fairly technical, but there are some fairly complex issues to address in the world of digital audio, and Bob does it with authority as well as keeping the details as digestible as possible. There's also a load of stuff which is just fascinating, great tips on preparation of media, some interesting gear comparisons etc. Plus he challenges lots of current practices and beliefs, like our communal obsession with squashing the f*** out of mixes in order to make them as loud as possible, the truth about jitter, samplerates etc. There's a great section on monitoring as well, and much of the content is as relevant to production and mixing as it is to mastering. I could go on all day. It sits by my mixer every day and is regularly referred to. One problem - be prepared for a serious case of GIS (Gear Inadequacy Syndrome) after you've read it! Actually he's not about telling everybody to buy the biggest and best, but you will undoubtedly uncover some shortcomings in your studio, I certainly did. Hope this helps. Jules PS. I promise I have nothing to do with the great man, in case anybody suspects I have a vested interest!