In this market-leading text, Stanley Alten, an internationally recognized scholar and expert in the area of audio production, provides students with an introduction to the basic techniques and principles needed for audio production in media. The text has helped professors effectively teach this technically based course to the introductory audio production student through its clear and current illustrations and photos and student-friendly writing. Comprehensive, technically accurate, and up-to-date, the text covers informational, perceptual, and aesthetic aspects of sound as they apply to each stage of the production process -- from planning to post-production.