WORKSHOPS
Version G.1, 2003-10-03
Friday, October 10
9:00 am – 11:00 amW-1 DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS
Chair: David Malekpour, Pro Audio Design, Boston, MA, USA
Panelists:
Chris Athens, Sterling Sound, NYC, USA
Summary:
The Digital Audio Workstation has become the centerpiece of many recording studios, acting as recorder, mixer, editor, router, effects rack and even a host of virtual instruments. The way that DAWs are used in studios is currently evolving at an extremely rapid pace. This workshop will explore the configuration of the DAW and how it fits into the studio and even live environments.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
W-2 HIGH RESOLUTION AUDIO – A LOOK AT THE FUTURE
Chairs:
Alan Silverman (Chair), Arf! Digital Mastering, New York, NY, USA
Malcolm Hawksford (Co-chair), University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK
Panelists:
Graemme Brown, Zen Mastering, Vancouver, Canada
David Chesky, Chesky Records, New York, NY, USA
Spencer Chrislu, Warner Music Group/WEA Studio Services, Burbank, CA, USA
Andrew Demery, SACD Project, Sony Corp. of America, San Francisco, CA, USA
Michael Page, Sony Pro-Audio R&D, Oxford, UK
Sudheer Sirivara, Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA
Summary:
Practicing audio engineers are faced with a daunting array of competing present and future high-resolution formats. The dilemma is compounded by the question of how to encourage demand for high-resolution audio on the part of the general consumer. The pursuit of better quality, a more engaging listener experience, and corporate profit has made this one of the most exciting and contentious areas in audio today. The panel will present new developments and strategies driving high-resolution technologies such as SACD, DVD-A, Windows Media 9, Blu-Ray Disc, and HDTV on the professional as well as consumer level. The workshop is intended to be vital to working engineers, studio owners, broadcasters and educators with an interest in the future possibilities of high-resolution audio. A panel of experts actively engaged in record production, audio coding, digital signal processing, and professional and consumer electronics product development will present and demonstrate significant advancements and discuss their future implications. An interactive segment is planned to enable designers, producers and end-users to exchange views.
Alan Silverman4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Introduction to the panel. Challenges and opportunities in high-resolution audio. Overview of available resources.
Malcolm Hawksford
A vision for the next stage in audio evolution. SDM and LPCM contrasts. High-resolution audio with HDTV and future platforms. Scalability. Distributed-mode loudspeakers. Requirements for a viable future for high-resolution audio.
Spencer Chrislu
The future of DVD-A and how it is being implemented on new products. The impact of DVD-A on major record label production, independent recording and mastering engineers. Overview of DVD-A mastering and authoring.
Andrew Demery
Super Audio CD was launched in the United States at the 107th AES Conven-tion in New York. Now, on the occasion of its fourth anniversary, updates will be given on how the markets for SACD players and software have developed, and are continuing to be developed, and how the rate of title production is advancing.
Sudheer Sirivara
Windows Media 9 tools for video and high-resolution audio multichannel production, editing and encoding on a PC. WMA lossless codec for sample rates up to 24-bits/384kHz. The multichanel audio ecosystem including digital rights management, delivery, and embedding.
Michael Page
SuperMAC as the next-generation pro-audio interconnection for current and future high-resolution formats. The D-MAP DSD signal processor for professional and consumer applications.
David Chesky
Problems and solutions for advancing the art of recording into the new millennium. Creative responses for stimulating the demand for high-resolution recordings. The need for the proper tools for professionals. The use of height-channels and an extended B-format for enhanced spatial imaging. New standards for high-resolution audio in the home.
Graemme Brown
Why do this at all? High-resolution production workflow. Where do I learn how? Format conversion between DSD and LPCM. High-resolution production tools - what we have and what we still need. The cost of entry - a few examples of inexpensive hardware/software solutions to begin high-resolution production without breaking the bank. High-res restoration tools. Storage and archiving, equipment and studio construction requirements, obsolescence and costs.
W-3 AUDIO FOR GAMES
Chair: Martin Wilde, Motorola, Inc.
Panelists:
Rich Green, Rich Green, Ink
Steve Horowitz, The Code International/Nickelodeon Online
Tommy Tallarico, Tommy Tallarico Studios, Inc.
Summary:
Games have long been a staple of the PC computer world. Once exhibiting only paltry audio support, modern computers and native gaming platforms now sport very high quality audio specifications and capabilities. With the advent of multichannel games, these systems are increasingly being hooked up to home theater systems. On the development side, there is increasing pressure to ship game titles on all the major platforms simultaneously, and gaming on the Internet has exploded. In the midst of all this change, it has become an increasingly important and difficult challenge to handle the audio across all of these different channels.
This workshop delivers the goods on all of these issues, and more. From the design studio to the Internet to the living room, come hear our experts address and discuss the nuts and bolts of their real-life experiences in the game audio trenches. There will also be time for your questions, so bring 'em on, and be educated.
Saturday, October 11
9:00 am – 11:00 am
W-4 DESIGN OF TECHNICAL SYSTEMS FOR SPORTS FACILITIES
Chair: Jack Wrightson, WJHW
Panelists:
Dan Abelson, IGS, Inc.
Will Parry, SPL
Brad Ricks, Harman Professional Systems
Summary:
Production values of sports facilities have long been on the rise. Speech intelligibility is no longer the only requirement for most new sports facilities, where full impact music reproduction is also a large part of the production.
This workshop will address the various configurations of systems being used in sports facilities, the differences, between sports, logistical issues in dealing with such large facilities and operational issues.
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
W-5 SOUND FOR BROADWAY
Chair: Scott Lehrer
Panelists:
Tom Clark, ACME
Peter Fitzgerald, Sound Associates
Lou Meade, Autograph Sound, NYC
Summary:
Broadway sound systems are a unique blend of leading edge technology and old-school theatrical production values. From a large numbers of wireless microphones, to complex loudspeaker systems, to sometimes-difficult talent, designing for Broadway presents unique challenges.
This workshop explores how some of Broadway’s leading designers address this set of challenges.
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
W-6 AFTERMARKET AUTO AUDIO
Chair:
Richard S. Stroud, Chairman AES Automotive Audio Technical Committee
Summary:
Developers of automotive audio systems, both OEM designers and the aftermarket installers share the goal of customer satisfaction. Their customers want great sound and, in the aftermarket, the restrictions of cost and space are somewhat modified. Additionally, the expectations of power and bass are magnified.
This workshop will give the AES's OEM-heavy audience a look at opportunities and challenges in the world of aftermarket automotive audio.
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
W-7 LINE ARRAYS
Chair:
Dave Gunness, Eastern Acoustic Works
Panelists:
Ted Leamy, JBL Professional
John Meyer, Meyer Sound Labs
Robert Scovill
Mick Whelan, Telex, Inc.
Monty Lee Wilkes, Transient Response, Inc.
Summary:
The use of line arrays, long a part of sound reinforcement, has become the dominant configuration of concert loudspeaker cluster designs. In the past years, improvements in rigging, DSP control, self powered units and understanding of usage, all have lead to further improvements in line arrays.
This workshop will review the state of the art in line array technology.
Sunday, October 12
9:00 am – 11:00 amW-8 INTERACTIVE IMMERSIVE SONIC SCENES: MPEG-4 AUDIOBIFS MODELS AND STRUCTURED AUDIO IN REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS
Chair: Giorgio Zoia, EPFL, Switzerland
Panelists:
Kevin Larke, Kodiran Inc., USA
Jan Plogsties, Fraunhofer Institute, Germany
Schuyler Quackenbush, Audio Research Labs, USA
Jens Spille, Thomson, Germany
Summary:
With the definition of the MPEG-4 Audio and Systems standards, a comprehensive and universal toolbox for representing audio content became available. Over time, more and more components of this standard have found their way into real-word applications, including general audio coding and scalable coding. This workshop illustrates how another layer of the MPEG-4 content representation is increasingly used to create attractive applications, in connection with other above mentioned components. Represented as individual entities ("objects"), audio tracks can be interactively composed and manipulated to create the final audio mix ("scene") at the user terminal, in a completely platform-independent and configurable manner. The workshop highlights how this is done in a number of recent applications, which make use of the underlying AudioBIFS normative models and structured audio functionality.
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
W-9 DVD AUTHORING
Chair: Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering & DVD, Portland, ME
Panelists:
Craig Anderson, DVD Development, WEA Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Bob Michaels, 5.1 Entertainment, Los Angeles, CA
Rob Pinniger, Abbey Road Interactive
Chance Rutledge, Intellikey Labs, Burbank, CA
Summary:
DVD authoring is a new area, with ever changing set of rules and goals. Audio for DVDs comes in many flavors.
This workshop is designed to explore the current state of DVD authoring, explaining what tools are available and what options they provide.
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
W-10 MASTERING
Moderator: Dave Glasser, Airshow Mastering
Panelists:
Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering & DVD
Darcy Proper, Sony Music Studios
Andy VanDette, Masterdisk
Jonathan Wyner, M-Works
Summary:
Audio mastering encompasses a wide range of disciplines. A panel of veteran mastering engineers will discuss mastering for varied release formats including CD, DVD (V & A), SACD; surround mastering issues; preparing catalog and historical material for reissue; mastering studio workflow and technical infrastructure; and other topics.
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
W-11 PRACTICAL STUDIO DESIGN
Moderator:
John Storyk, WSDG
Panelists:
Chris Bowman, CHBO Construction
David Malekpour, Pro Audio Design, Boston
Mark McKenna, Allaire Studios
Robert Margouleff, Mi Casa Studios
Summary:
Whether in the basement of a home or a major multi-room complex, the design of studios should be done with an eye toward practicality. In this sense, being practical means, making best use of the space available, treatments selected and support facilities, such as power and HVAC systems.
This workshop will review studio design and construction, with an eye toward practicality.
Monday, October 13
9:00 am – 10:30 amW-12 SURROUND FROM STEREO
Chair: David Griesinger, Lexicon
Summary:
In both the home theater and cars, two channel recordings are being processed to create surround outputs. How does this process work, and are the results effective?
This workshop will look at this technology, both to explain the process and review its place in the current market place.
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
W-13 OPTIMIZING SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY
Chair: Peter Mapp, Peter Mapp Associates, Colchester, UK
Summary:
Speech intelligibility is a key requirement of most installed sound systems. In practice however, many systems fail to achieve this basic goal. The workshop will discuss not only what goes wrong but what practical steps can be taken to trouble shoot, optimize and design intelligible sound systems. The workshop will cover the available prediction and measurement techniques and will begin with a brief resume of the fundamental factors involved including loudspeaker directionality, room acoustics and human hearing. The workshop will particularly concentrate on what tests and measurements can be undertaken to help track down problems and the practical steps that can be taken to overcome difficult situations. A number of case histories will be presented that highlight the design and measurement techniques currently available to system operators, installers and designers.
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
W-14 AUDIO GETS SMART - THE WHAT AND WHY OF SEMANTIC AUDIO ANALYSIS
Chair: Mark Sandler, University of London, UK
Panelists:
Michael Casey
Dan Ellis
Juergen Herre
Summary:
In this workshop, three leading international experts will each offer a personal view of the technologies and opportunities brought to audio engineering by Semantic Audio Analysis.
The new Technical Committee of the AES has been established to represent this emerging area, and has as one of its initial aims, the goal of promoting SAA within the Audio Engineering community.
In a strict sense, Semantic Audio Analysis means the extraction of features from audio (live or recorded) that have some human relevance - rhythm, notes, phrases, or have some physical correlate - instrument, moving vehicle, singing bird. This constitutes a form of 'technical metadata' which can accompany a recording or broadcast. It is different, but complementary to human-entered metadata. Thus metadata is an important element of Semantic Audio Analysis, and our experts for this workshop cover both the extraction of features and their semantic representation. The workshop will highlight examples where SAA can supplement all our interactions with music and audio to provide new work and recreational experiences.
