AES News

— AES members can attend all four days for just $40; other Advance Registration options for non-members also available —

The AES Academy is a four-day, intensive series of educational and training events open to audio engineers, musicians, students and anyone aiming to hone their skills in a variety of audio applications. From home recording and professional studio applications, to all levels of sound reinforcement and live sound for gigs and events, career development, technology showcases and more, AES Academy sessions cover an array of core and cutting-edge topics. Technology and techniques are brought to life by over 120 presenters and panelists, offering their insights and experiences from all facets of audio engineering and related industries, and give attendees an opportunity to have their questions answered and help complete the circle of knowledge that is at the core of the Audio Engineering Society’s mission to promote advances in audio and in the dissemination of new knowledge and research.

The AES Academy also serves as a hub of activity and networking for the AES, where members, organizers, committees and staff come together in, and around, sessions, sharing in the latest developments, events and section activities going on around the world. Participants are encouraged to interact and explore what the AES has to offer, from vast scientific and video resources, to international conventions and conferences, as well as regional and local events hosted by over 200 professional and student sections. 

Best pricing on AES Academy passes, as well as a special offer to attend The NAMM Show 2020 at a discounted rate, can be found at aesacademy2020.com. 

About AES Academy 2020

Designed especially for AES members and those looking to experience what the Audio Engineering Society has to offer, AES Academy 2020 offers four days of sessions covering core audio topics and issues of interest to attendees looking to take their production skills to the next level. Taking place in conjunction with The NAMM Show 2020, January 16 – 19, 2020, AES Academy sessions offer insight into Line Arrays, Entertainment Wireless Technology, In-Ear Monitoring, Recording Studio Technology and Applications, Microphones: Studio and Live, Electronic Dance Music, Sound System Measurement and Optimization, Sound for House of Worship, Audio Education, Audio Careers, Audio Science & Technology, Live Console Training, and more. Advance Registration pricing ends January 4, and AES Members receive a deep discount on badges, while non-Member registration includes one year of free AES Membership and access to exclusive AES resources and networking opportunities. Visit aesacademy2020.com to register now. 

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 — Expert presenters, practical education, live console training and more slated for AES Academy at The NAMM Show 2020 in January —

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— The Audio Engineering Society event will educate and train house-of-worship technical ministry staff on audio and production technologies and applications —

The Audio Engineering Society has announced the opening of registration for the new AES Worship Sound Academy, set to take place March 10 – 11, 2020, at the Johnson Center on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Offering technical presentations covering core audio topics and practical, actionable advice, the AES Worship Sound Academy will bring together experts in worship sound and related fields for two packed days of experiential sessions. The Academy program will address the special needs of technical worship ministry teams, designed to expand their knowledge, build their confidence and deliver tips and techniques that they will be eager to apply. Manufacturer and service provider partners will be on hand to lend their expertise and demonstrate products in the Academy’s exhibition space.

The first-ever AES Worship Sound Academy, produced in collaboration with the AES Nashville Section and Belmont University, will cover topics such as mixing FOH and monitors, personal monitoring, miking, wireless systems, streaming, podcasting, recording, acoustics, system optimization and more. Whether providing sound reinforcement for a startup congregation, or for the most advanced, purpose-built house-of-worship facility, the AES Worship Sound Academy provides tech team members an unprecedented chance to listen, learn and connect with industry professionals and with peers that share their challenges and goals.

Early Bird online registration for the AES Worship Sound Academy is open through January 31 at a special rate of $150 (includes lunch both days) at www.aesworship.com.  

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 — Technical Presentations, Career Development, Expert Presenters and Hands-On Training come together for four days of events during AES Academy at The NAMM Show 2020 in Anaheim, CA —

The upcoming AES Academy 2020 at the NAMM Show, taking place January 16 – 19, in Anaheim, CA, offers an unprecedented chance to join the AES for four days of expert presentations and hands-on training from a diverse group of top names in the industry. Whether you’re a seasoned AES Convention attendee or new to the industry, AES Academy offers an affordable way to experience some of the many resources that the Audio Engineering Society has to offer. Advance Registration pricing begins at a slashed rate of $25 for AES members, and the non-member rate of $150 ($75 for students) includes a full year of AES membership and benefits. 

AES Academy 2020 is set to feature some of the most talented audio engineering practitioners covering a range of educational topics of importance to audio engineers, musicians and students, alike. For one low price, attendees are offered over 100 topical session and events, such as taking part in an Audio Careers mentoring session with living-legend Leslie Ann Jones of Skywalker Sound and mastering engineer Jett Galindo of The Bakery, getting studio production training insights from Produce Like A Pro’s Warren Huart in the Audio Education Academy or learning studio design from the renowned John Storyk in a Control Room Academy session. Other presenters include famed engineer and producer Sylvia Massy, noted engineer and author Bobby Owsinski, musician and mix engineer Brad Divens who leads mix instruction at fixintogetmixin, audio engineer for music and film Lenise Bent, AES Academy program director and touring monitor engineer Mark Frink, AES’s next President-Elect and mastering engineer, Jonathan Wyner, and dozens more.

Another unique aspect of AES Academy is the hands-on training, with sessions set to include Allen & Heath dLive training, as well as Yamaha training on the Rivage PM10/PM7 and CL/QL Series consoles. These popular events are open to a limited number of participants and require separate registration, affordably priced at $25 per session.

Visit aesacademy2020.com for complete program and presenter information. Register before January 10 for best pricing on AES Academy badges, as well as a special offer to attend the The NAMM Show 2020 at a discounted rate.

About AES Academy 2020Designed especially for AES members and those looking to experience what the Audio Engineering Society has to offer, AES Academy 2020 offers four days of sessions covering core audio topics and issues of interest to attendees looking to take their production skills to the next level. Taking place in conjunction with The NAMM Show 2020, January 16 – 19, 2020, AES Academy sessions offer insight into Line Arrays, Entertainment Wireless Technology, In-Ear Monitoring, Recording Studio Technology and Applications, Microphones: Studio and Live, Electronic Dance Music, Sound System Measurement and Optimization, Sound for House of Worship, Audio Education, Audio Careers, Audio Science & Technology, Live Console Training, and more. Advance Registration pricing ends January 10, and AES Members receive a deep discount on badges, while non-Member registration includes one year of free AES Membership and access to exclusive AES resources and networking opportunities. Visit aesacademy2020.com to register now.

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The Journal of the Audio Engineering Society — the official publication of the AES — is the only peer-reviewed journal devoted exclusively to audio technology. Published 10 times each year, it is available to all AES members and subscribers.

The Journal contains state-of-the-art technical papers and engineering reports; feature articles covering timely topics; pre and post reports of AES conventions and other society activities; news from AES sections around the world; Standards and Education Committee work; membership news, patents, new products, and newsworthy developments in the field of audio.

Read the latest edition of the Journal online, now, with features including the AES Headphone Technology Conference Report, article "Headphone Technology: Hear-Through, Bone Conduction, and Noise Canceling," a feature on new AES Officers for 2020, and more at aes.org/journal

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The aisles were bustling, the booths packed, the energy and enthusiasm high as the attendees of AES New York 2019 surged into the Convention’s Exhibition Hall in October. Leading members of the professional audio community and exhibitors at the 147^th AES Convention shared their thoughts on the event’s success. 

“AES was a tremendous event to be a part of as it has expanded its reach to a very diversified audience,” stated Antoine Ibrahim, communications manager for professional audio software developer iZotope. “During the show, we were able to connect with our valued customers as well as engage with professionals in all aspects of programming that have never gotten a first-hand look at our products. We were happy to be able to contribute and feel its success will only continue.”

Like iZotope, iconic microphone-maker Shure participated in providing technical content during the AES Convention along with its exhibition hall presence. “The AES Show proved again to be incredibly valuable for sharing ideas and best practices in audio,” commented Celino Ullegue, Shure Pro Audio’s senior marketing specialist. “From first-time student attendees to veteran engineers, we’re excited to support the audio community and look forward to AES New York 2020.” 

The Audio Engineering Society’s 2019 New York Convention’s registration exceeded 14,000, with a similar registration count for the co-located NAB Show New York 2019. The open access of registrants of either show to both exhibitions allowed content creation and media production professionals and future professionals to intermingle while exploring the latest offerings from hundreds of audio and visual media gear brands and service providers.

AES New York 2019 evidenced fruit of the Society’s ongoing outreach initiatives into underrepresented industry segments and genres. Focusrite Novation director of marketing Hanna Bliss expounds that “AES was a real success for Focusrite and Focusrite Pro because we were talking both to our existing customers about advancing their journey with us into new upgraded products or solutions, and to new customers by way of more women, more students, more non-traditional audio professionals. The crowd was more diverse and inclusive, and the shift towards a new wave of acceptance in the audio industry was visible, palpable, and encouraged.”

“Not only was traffic up, but there seemed to be a great deal of optimism. The students that came through were very inquisitive and interested, which alone made the AES show a worthwhile investment,” stated Gary Boss, Audio-Technica Marketing Director, Professional Markets.

Professional audio manufacturers choose the annual AES Convention to launch new products and make corporate announcements, as with Solid State Logic, which announced a new all-analog console, new U.S. operational management via distributor Group One Limited and the return of an industry veteran to work with the Group One team. “This year’s AES Show was significant for two reasons,” says Phil Wagner, now SSL’s North American-based senior vice president. “First, I’m pleased to return to my alma mater, SSL. Second, we specifically chose AES to introduce the new Origin Analog inline audio console because we knew it would be the perfect audience. This was truly the most exciting show ever; we had crowds around our booth from open to close.” 

Avid, who exhibited its hardware and production tools during AES New York, also welcomed over two dozen collaborators into the Avid Partner Pavilion in the Exhibition Hall. “This show enables us to engage with our customers, helping them better understand our portfolio, grow our business, launch new products, and showcase our developer partners,” stated Avid audio product evangelist Greg “Stryke” Chin. “Avid is proud to be an exhibitor and partner with AES and look forward to what’s to come!”

The 149^th AES International Pro Audio Convention – AES New York 2020 – will return to the Javits Center October 21 to 24, 2020 (Exhibition October 21 – 23).

For more information on the Audio Engineering Society, visit www.aes.org. 

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— AES Best Papers Awards highlight top research and advancements in the field of audio engineering —

The winners of the Best Peer-Reviewed Paper and Best Student Paper presented during the recent AES New York 2019 Convention were announced in the Convention’s Opening Ceremonies on October 16 by Journal of the Audio Engineering Society Editor Bozena Kostek and 147^th AES International Pro Audio Convention Papers Co-chairs Areti Andreopoulou and Braxton Boren. The awards highlight outstanding contributions from among the submissions of 100 authors from around the world covering the latest research on topics including Loudspeakers, Audio Quality, Applications, Spatial Audio, Processing, Perception, Audio Education and more.

This year’s Best Peer-Reviewed Paper Award goes to Ulrike Sloma, Florian Klein, Stephan Werner, and Tyson Pappachan Kannookadan for their paper “Synthesis of Binaural Room Impulse Responses for Different Listening Positions Considering the Source Directivity.”

Abstract:
A popular goal in research on virtual and augmented acoustic realities is the implementation of realistic room acoustics and sound source characteristics. Additionally, listeners want to move around, explore the virtual or augmented environments. One way to realize position-dynamic synthesis is the use of binaural technologies on the basis of real measurements. While this approach allows the successful reproduction of the real acoustic environment, many listening positions need to be measured. To reduce time and effort, new methods have been invented to calculate binaural room impulse responses from few positions. The presented work enhances existing synthesis methods by including predefined sound source directivities into calculation of binaural room impulse responses. The results are analyzed in a physical and in a perceptive way.

The Best Student Paper Award goes to Robert Hupke and co-authors Lukas Beyer, Marcel Nophut, Stephan Preihs and Jürgen Peissig for their paper “Effect of a Global Metronome on Ensemble Accuracy in Networked Music Performance.”

Abstract:
Several rhythmic experiments with pairs drawn from a group of 23 subjects were performed to investigate the effect of a global metronome on the ensemble accuracy in Networked Music Performance (NMP). Artificial delays up to 91ms were inserted into the audio transmission between the subjects. To investigate the dependencies between delay times, ensemble accuracy and the highly synchronized global metronome, the experiments were evaluated in terms of tempo acceleration, imprecision and subjective judgment of the ensemble play. The results show that the global metronome leads to a stabilization of the tempo acceleration caused by the delay. The imprecision stays constant to a threshold of about 28ms and 36ms, depending on the delay compensating strategy the subjects used.

The full lineup of Papers presented during the AES New York 2019 Convention is available now in the AES E-Library at aes.org/e-lib. 

— The 147^th Audio Engineering Society International Pro Audio Convention rocks the Javits Center with four days of everything audio — 

Under the banner Inspire, professional audio’s annual family reunion returned to New York City’s Javits Center for four October days where inspiration was abundant as leading audio innovators shared their knowledge and experience alongside gear designed to spark creativity and imagination while enhancing productivity. The personal contact that makes the audio industry a community was intertwined with educational experiences and the sharing of information crafted to provide attendees with resources to propel their careers forward.

“The program rocked, and the exhibits were packed with people. Everyone was very excited to be there,” shares Agnieszka Roginska, AES New York 2019 co-chair and AES president-elect. “No time in AES’s history has seen a more diverse, innovative and forward-looking program.” Convention co-chair and AES Secretary Valerie Tyler elaborates, “We expanded the comprehensive technical program to include more genres, a broader range of new technologies and a wider breadth of voices than ever before.” 

“We’re so proud of the team that came together to make this convention a reality,” adds Jonathan Wyner, the third of the Convention’s co-chairs. “From the technical program to the exhibition hall, the interests of every attendee were met. Expanded topics drew new attendees and let long-time attendees expand their horizons.”

The Convention’s wealth of opportunity – more than 750 of professional audio’s leading innovators presenting in the more than 330 sessions in the All Access Technical Program and the 130 sessions on the Exhibition Hall’s Inspiration Stages and in its topical Theaters, alongside 236 exhibiting brands – was evident in the registration numbers, according to Colleen Harper, AES Executive Director. “Registration for the Audio Engineering Society’s 147^th International Pro Audio Convention again topped 14,000,” she says. “That includes a 20% increase in individuals opting for an All Access badge for the full Technical Program. The AES and our events are more relevant than ever to an industry where technology and its application are in a constant state of change.” 

“Over the last few years,” says producer/engineer and AES New York 2019 presenter Warren Huart, “AES has actively been bringing in and cultivating young Engineers. This year’s show was amazing testament to this. Plus, all the exhibitors brought their ‘A Game’! Everyone’s booths showed a massive range of products, and the diversity of modern and legacy products was the best it’s ever been. It was so gratifying to see the huge amount of innovation on display!” 

That blend of modern and vintage was exemplified by console maker API’s presence at AES New York 2019, where the company celebrated its 50^th anniversary. It was “a great show for API,” says the company’s owner and president, Larry Droppa, “aided by the museum display in our booth, which provided not only a history lesson for the younger generation, but a chance for our contemporaries to reminisce over the 'glory days' of tape-based recording. Attendees were enthusiastic about the state of the industry. We were particularly pleased with the number of student groups and younger audio engineer/producers who value the listening process as much as the advances in technology."

Showing further appreciation for AES’s nurturing of the audio professionals that are the future of both the Society and the audio industry, Genelec Inc.’s marketing director Will Eggleston sums up AES New York 2019 by declaring, “The AES audio community is alive and vibrant, indeed. It’s so great to see so many enthusiastic young audio professionals participating and doing so many cool things.”

On the AES event calendar for 2020 are the AES Academy in January in Anaheim, the AES Worship Sound Academy in Nashville in March, the AES Vienna 2020 Convention in May, the Audio Educators Conference in Murfreesboro/Nashville in July and the AVAR Conference in Redmond, Washington in August. AES New York returns to the Javits Center October 21 – 24, 2020. To learn more about AES regional events, International Conferences and Conventions, visit www.aes.org/events. 

The opening ceremonies of the 147^th Audio Engineering Society Convention took place on Wednesday, October 16, at the Javits Center in New York, featuring the presentation of this year’s AES Awards, along with welcoming remarks from AES President Nadja Wallaszkovits and AES New York Convention committee members Agniezska Roginska, Valerie Tyler and Jonathan Wyner. Awards were presented by Alex Case, AES Awards Committee Chair.

The awards presented include the following: 

The Silver Medal Award, given in recognition of outstanding development or achievement in the field of audio engineering. This year’s recipients are:

• Marina Bosi, in recognition of outstanding achievements in the development and standardization of audio and video coding and of secure digital rights management.
• Louis D. Fielder, for extraordinary contributions to the field of perceptual audio coding, and years of service to the Audio Engineering Society. 

The Board of Governors Award, given for outstanding contributions to the Audio Engineering Society, has been presented to:

• Gavin Kearney, in recognition of co-chairing the 2019 AES International Conference on Immersive and Interactive Audio.
• Mariana Lopez, in recognition of co-chairing the 146^th AES Convention in Dublin.
• Michael Santucci, in recognition of co-chairing the 2018 International AES Conference on Hearing Disorders.
• Jim Starzynski, for outstanding leadership and contributions to the AES Audio Guidelines for Over the Top Television and Video Streaming Technical Group within the Broadcast and Online Delivery Technical Committee.
• Jonathan Wyner, in recognition of co-chairing the 145^th AES Convention in New York.  

The Fellowship Award, given to a member who has rendered conspicuous service, or is recognized to have made a valuable contribution to the advancement in or dissemination of knowledge of audio engineering or in the promotion of its application in practice, has been presented to:

• Anthony Agnello, for the continuous invention of influential disruptive audio technologies.
• Martha de Francisco, for conspicuous commitment to audio education and mentorship and support of the Audio Engineering Society.
• Michael Kelly, for significant contributions to the Society’s leadership in Game Audio.
• John Krivit, for conspicuous commitment to audio student education and mentorship.
• Jan Abildgaard Pedersen, for advancements in the field of loudspeaker design and for his substantial contributions to the Audio Engineering Society. 
• Josh Reiss, for valuable contributions to, and for encouraging and guiding the next generation of researchers in, the development of audio and musical signal processing.
• Takehiro Sugimoto, in recognition of his diverse contributions to the development and standardization of 22.2 multichannel sound broadcasting systems. 
• Terri Winston, for providing training, resources, and leadership, greatly expanding the participation of young girls and women in the field of audio engineering.

The Citation Award, given in recognition of services to the Society or industry accomplishments by non-members, has been presented to:

• Pat Parker, for over 40 years of invaluable contributions to Audio Engineering Society conventions. 

The Honorary Member designation, given to persons of outstanding repute and eminence in the science of audio engineering or its allied arts, has been given to:

• Grandmaster Flash, for pioneering revolutionary and influential implementations of audio and music technologies for performance.

The Distinguished Service Medal Award, given in recognition of extraordinary service, has been presented to:

• Garry Margolis, in recognition of more than 20 years of dedicated service to the Society as a Section Officer, Governor, Treasurer and President.