The Universal Guide to Audio

If you like sound,
you'll love
Sound Knowledge

Name: Sound Knowledge
Author: Peter R Monnery

The first complete foundation on professional audio published in over a quarter of a century. 171 illustrations. One book that covers it all.

Publishing September 2026 · Register today to pre-order at discount · Taylor & Francis · by Peter R Monnery

The Story

A great sound practitioner should be like a surgeon.

Skilled, confident, well informed, but above all decisive. True confidence comes from a holistic understanding of a subject, a personal toolkit that can cure problems in a quick and calm manner.

This is not a defining treaty on any single discipline. It is an interlinked careful construction of sound techniques, production values, physics, electronics and acoustics, designed to craft confident and competent sound creatives across every field.

What The Book Covers

A complete foundation. Not fragments.

Sound Knowledge does not separate knowledge into isolated disciplines. It builds a comprehensive, interlinked foundation that serves every audio professional, whether your path leads to the studio, the stage, the airwaves, or the living room.

The Foundation

Sound techniques, production values, physics, electronics and acoustics, carefully interlinked so each concept builds on the last. The maths is either simple, or simply not there. Parallels taken from life demonstrate complex issues.

The Application

Matched to the needs of professional sound operations in radio and music studios. There is a valuable grounding for stage and theatre technicians, AV engineers and home enthusiasts. You will find detailed support for producers, presenters and programme makers, including an expert guide to Podcasting.

171 smart illustrations throughout. Designed for students from both artistic and engineering backgrounds.

Inside the Book

Chapter by chapter.

View all 16 chapters

Introduces the physical properties of sound waves including wavelength, frequency and amplitude. Sound wave behaviour is examined over external terrain and in rooms. The terms Hertz and Decibel are introduced. Harmonics are investigated with a test case made of the clarinet. The physical properties of the ear are revealed, introducing spatial awareness, Equal Loudness Contours, age-rated impairments and physical damage. Four archetypal types of sound perception are discussed alongside the concept behind stereo sound, ending with the Sound Level Meter.

A wide-ranging chapter designed to get an enthusiastic podcaster up and running with concise, targeted information. Different spaces and needs are analysed, rudimentary acoustic tricks introduced, and solid guidance given on gaining a professional result. A targeted precis of material provided in detail across the book, and a solid multidisciplinary guide to achieving a high standard.

Answers in full why a light grounding in electronics is fundamental to learning about sound technology. DC and AC circuits, potential dividers, sound as an AC signal generator, and circuit components which can modify it. An introduction to audio levels, impedance in real circuits, and how this creates low pass, high pass and resonant filters. Transformers, active electronics, discrete transistors, integrated circuits, and RMS volts for sound level measurement.

Introduces the microphone through various transducer technologies, raw directivity and typical uses. The evolution of transducers and differing polar patterns. Microphone characteristic impedance, internal and external transformers, and balanced line working. Microphone positions, stereo recording techniques, the XLR connector, cables, and practical observations for day to day use.

Design of an electricity to sound transducer, driven by the power amplifier. Cabinet and driver phase, passive and active crossover circuits. Three popular enclosure designs. Speaker measurement parameters: frequency response, sensitivity, time alignment and directivity. Stereo monitoring positioning, studio monitoring fatigue, public address specialisms including 100V line, column designs, foldback systems and hearing loops.

Visual metering as a dependable complement to the ear. Two universal world standards in detail. The decibel reevaluated as an introduction to professional levels and their comparison to domestic ones. Connectors for each system. Dynamic range, headroom, the noise floor. Types of system noise. Loudness measurement for analogue metering and LUFS digital metering. Pink noise as a measurement tool, and stereo analogue monitoring in the broadcast chain.

The recording of sound started 150 years ago and has a long, convoluted and exciting history. Much of the nomenclature and work methods in audio technology are still rooted in previous generations of equipment. A guide to what came before digital: from before the invention of electronics through the paths of disk and tape technologies still with us in the 21st Century. Practical tips on handling archive material.

Showing 7 of 16 chapters + 3 appendices · Full listing with synopses on the Book page

About the Author

Peter R Monnery

Peter fell in love with sound aged 11 and started making his own audio equipment using transistors soldered in matrix boards. Over four decades he has worked across BBC Radio, television, engineering, acoustic consultancy, international broadcast clients, and community radio.

BBC Radio 1 & Radio 2 sound operations, production & engineering
Engineering Manager of Maida Vale studios and the Radiophonic Workshop
Heading up BBC Television Centre core engineering and operations
International broadcast clients including EBU, ABC, MTV, Disney

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Frequently Asked Questions

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In the author's experience, the internet is great for audio topics provided you know what you are looking for. However, individual topics are presented outside of a coherent framework. A smart learning process has a structure that provides information in succession and context to build a holistic picture in the mind of the reader, growing knowledge organically through subtle links between subjects and disciplines. A book allows a student to flip between pages to fact check and reinforce topics. The internet has countless cures for skin rashes, bold financial advice and chicken soup recipes, but is there any certainty that the outcomes will be good ones?

Sound Knowledge is written for everyone who loves sound: from those starting out in professional audio; University students reading sound engineering; those on music production or radio courses; through to working professionals looking to increase their understanding of developing practices. It is an invaluable resource for home audio enthusiasts.

Not at all. The maths is either simple or simply not there! It is designed to be equally accessible to those from artistic or technical backgrounds. Complex concepts are demonstrated through parallels taken from everyday life, making the content approachable regardless of your starting point. Whilst the technology level is appropriate for entry into the sound profession, the references at the end of each chapter provide additional reading for those with an engineering bias.

Sound Knowledge is the first complete foundation on professional audio to be published in over a quarter of a century. Rather than treating disciplines in isolation, it builds an interlinked understanding across all areas, from a foundation of basic skills to creative techniques in the studio, working with acoustics, electronics, and both analogue and digital media through to presentation, production values, event planning and fault finding.

Yes. There is a chapter dedicated to finding your feet in podcasting with plain language providing expert guidance on the technical and acoustic setup to optimise your space, and on production values to make your work succinct, engaging and professional. There is encouragement to go further with this book to create a career out of a valued pastime.

Sound Knowledge will have worldwide distribution, initially available in the UK from September 2026 through publishers Routledge, and from Amazon, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and valued local bookshops. Pre-orders open from mid-August 2026 at a discount — register your interest and we'll notify you as soon as you can order. Additional retailer links will be added as they become available.

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If you like sound, you'll love Sound Knowledge