If you read our recent review of Patch & Tweak (also published by BJOOKS), you’ll know that we’re absolutely in love with the new series of coffee-table books coming out of this publishing house. The care, attention to detail and (improved) quality of the book’s paper and binding totally justify the asking price.
Like the Moog-rich Patch & Tweak, this volume is jam-packed with stunning photos, examples of synthesizer design as well as analyses and deep-dives into the aesthetics and functionality of today’s electronic instruments. Each section is full of its own surprises, and the newly revised version adds a few dozen instruments not available when it was first published a few years back, as well as the afore-mentioned better printing quality and foreword by Jean-Michel Jarre.
If you’ve ever had even a passing interest in synth design, drum machine architecture, or other similar-themed nerd topics, this is something you should pick up for yourself ASAP (or at the very least, put it on your holiday wish list).
Clocking in at around 350 pages, there’s something here for everyone — PUSH TURN MOVE explores every knob, pitch/mod wheel, keybed, case design, color scheme and display screen imaginable, all in wonderful detail. Plus, there are extended, geeky dives into some of the more esoteric electronic instrument designs out there, like expressive gloves, capacitance touch designs and much more than we can hope to cram into this overview.
Bottom line – we spent weeks poring over its contents, discovering something new with each turn of the page. The graphic design and layout are clear and modern, well-structured and never confusing or overwhelming.
Kuods to the BJOOKS team for upgrading an essential addition to any serious musician’s bookshelf. Highly recommended.
