AES New York 2009
Workshop Details
Friday, October 9, 10:30 am — 12:30 pmW1 - Following The Score: Film Music from Composition to Recording to Postproduction
Chair:
Ron Sadoff, NYU Film Scoring Program - New York, NY, USA
Panelists:
Lawrence Machester, Late Night with Jimmy Falon - New York, NY, USA
Ira Newborn, NYU Steinhardt - New York, NY, USA
Tim Starnes, NYU Steinhardt - New York, NY, USA
Dominick Tavella, Sound One Studios - New York, NY, USA
Abstract:
In tracing the progressive stages from composing, recording, mixing, and re-mixing, a film score undergoes transformation through a collaborative process. Featuring discussion and demonstrations, key professionals will reveal how their craft and interactions impact the final product.
Friday, October 9, 12:00 pm — 1:00 pm
W2 - Max for Live
Chair:
Yukio King, Ableton AG - Berlin, Germany
Panelists:
Gerhard Behles, Ableton AG - Berlin, Germany
Mari Kimura, Juilliard School - New York, NY, USA
David Zicarelli, Cycling '74 - San Francisco, CA, USA
Abstract:
The integration of Max/MSP/Jitter into the Ableton Live platform is meant to expand the possibilities of how digital audio workstation software can be used. By empowering a worldwide community of technology-saavy musicians and creatives with the co-developed product Max for Live, Ableton and Cycling '74 are inviting users to increase the interoperability of their projects and embrace community-generated software solutions. This workshop will feature a discussion of Max for Live from the perspective of violinist and composer, Mari Kimura, in the context of her own ongoing work with interactive performance technology. Buttressing Kimura's artistic perspective will be David Zicarelli, CEO of Cycling '74, and Gerhard Behles, CEO of Ableton, who will provide insight into the overall vision of this joint platform.
Friday, October 9, 2:30 pm — 4:30 pm
W3 - Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
Chair:
Thomas Sporer, Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology - Ilmenau, Germany
Panelists:
Jon Boley, LSB Audio, LLC - Lafayette, IN, USA
Poppy Crum, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine - Baltimore, MD, USA
Jon Shlens, New York University - New York, NY, USA
Abstract:
Listening tests have become an important part of the development of audio systems (CODECS, loudspeakers, etc.). Unfortunately, even the simplest statistics (mean and standard deviation) are often misused. This workshop will start with a basic introduction to statistics, but room will be given to discuss the pertinence of some commonly-used tests and alternative methods will be proposed, thereby making it interesting for more experienced statisticians as well. The following topics will be covered (among others): experimental design, distributions, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, analysis of paired comparisons and ranking data, and common pitfalls potentially leading to wrong conclusions.
Friday, October 9, 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm
W4 - Mastering in an Ever Expanding Universe (2009 and Beyond!)
Co-chairs:
Gavin Lurssen
Joe Palmaccio, The Place . . .For Mastering - Nashville, TN, USA
Panelists:
Vic Anesini, Battery Studios - New York, NY, USA
Andrew Mendelson, Georgetown Masters - Nashville, TN, USA
Michael Romanowski, Michael Romanowski Mastering - San Francisco, CA, USA
Mark Wilder, Battery Studios - New York, NY, USA
Abstract:
Change has touched every corner of the professional audio community. This is all too true for the once bedrock institution of mastering. Like its cousin, the multiroom recording studio, mastering engineers and the studios they work in have splintered into many smaller, customized businesses. This panel assembles both those who have made the leap from larger facilities to owner-operator models and those who continue to work at larger facilities. Together they will discuss a state of the state of mastering in 2009. Topics will include: The burgeoning business of artist funded projects. The state of surround mastering. Mastering engineers becoming mixers. The box, the whole box and nothing but mixing in the box. Loudness—is there a backlash against LOUD? Vinyl is dead? Not so fast! What used to take a day, now takes how long? Is anything like it used to be? Gear, techniques, and acoustics. What is the future of the full service mastering facility? Where are we headed in 2010?
Friday, October 9, 5:00 pm — 6:30 pm
W5 - What Will Perceptual Audio Coding Stand for 20 Years from Now?
Chair:
Anibal Ferreira, University of Porto - Porto, Portugal, ATC Labs, Chatham, NJ, USA
Panelists:
Jürgen Herre, Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS - Erlangen, Germany
Youngmoo E. Kim, Drexel University - Philadelphia, PA, USA
Bastiaan Kleijn, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology - Stockholm, Sweden
Mark Sandler, Queen Mary University of London - London, UK
Gerald Schuller, Ilmenau University of Technology - Ilmenau, Germany
Abstract:
As a follow-up to the Historic Program on “Perceptual Audio Coding—The First 20 Years” that took place during the 125th AES Convention in San Francisco (2008), this workshop focuses on how new trends are likely to reshape the meaning and scope of Perceptual Audio Coding (PAC) during the next two decades. A panel of experts will discuss current issues and will highlight consistent signs existing today and that suggest significant shifts and gains. In particular: how did we get here and what are the main tools of the trade? What new paradigms and divide-and-conquer approaches will shape the future of PAC? Will PAC be driven by auditory scene analysis? Will PAC move from a set of techniques that perform fairly well with general audio, to a large set of compression techniques highly tuned to specific auditory objects (or audio objects/sources) and thus highly efficient? How efficiently can we compress speech or singing and what new advances are likely to take place? How efficiently can we compress individual instrument sounds?
Saturday, October 10, 9:00 am — 10:15 am
W6 - What Shape Will User Interfaces for Audio Take in the Future?
Chair:
Ellen Haas, US Army Research Laboratory - Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
Panelists:
Jeremy Cooperstock, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Jörn Loviscach, University of Applied Science - Bielefeld, Germany
Abstract:
An international panel of researchers and engineers will describe trends and envisioned possibilities in interfaces, applications, and systems associated with audio. Whereas the present generation of interfaces for acquisition, manipulation, and presentation of audio can be characterized as a largely homogeneous collection of physical knobs, dials, buttons, or their graphical equivalents, we foresee possible advantages in an evolutionary move toward interfaces encompassing technologies including body- and brain-based sensors, virtual environments, spatial and context awareness. This workshop will explore a variety of such interfaces that may be relevant for applications ranging from audio production to information display to mobile audio experience. Audience members will be encouraged to share their design challenges with the panel in order to stimulate discussion of known and potential issues. Participants will gain a knowledge of research directions, as well as trends that could influence product design.
Saturday, October 10, 9:00 am — 10:30 am
W7 - Virtual Haydn: Recording and Performing in Virtual Acoustics
Chair:
Wieslaw Woszczyk, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Panelists:
Tom Beghin, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Martha de Francisco, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Doyuen Ko, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Abstract:
Keyboardist, record producer, and virtual acoustics architect have joined forces to apply “virtual acoustics” for the first time on a cutting-edge commercial recording of Virtual Haydn to be released in September 2009 on four Blu-ray discs by Naxos. More than fourteen hours of music are performed on seven instruments in nine “virtual rooms.” Featured rooms range from Haydn’s own study in his Eisenstadt home to the Holywell Music Room in Oxford, England. They have been acoustically measured, digitally mapped, then precisely recreated in the recording studio allowing the performer to interact with his virtual surroundings in real time, as if he was actually performing in those rooms. The panelists will present interdisciplinary challenges of this project and celebrate the 2009 Haydn Bicentenary at AES.
Saturday, October 10, 10:30 am — 11:15 am
W8 - Interacting with Semantic Audio—Bridging the Gap between Humans and Algorithms
Chair:
Michael Hlatky, Hochschule Bremen (University of Applied Sciences) - Bremen, Germany
Panelists:
Rebecca Fiebrink, Princeton University - Princeton, NJ, USA
Peter Grosche, Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik - Saarbrücken, Germany
Sebastian Heise, Hochschule Bremen (University of Applied Sciences) - Bremen, Germany
Jay LeBoeuf, Imagine Research - San Francisco, CA, USA
Jörn Loviscach, Fachhochschule Bielefeld (University of Applied Sciences) - Bielefeld, Germany
Michela Magas, Goldsmiths, University of London - London, UK
Vincent Verfaille, McGill University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Abstract:
Technologies under the heading "Semantic Audio" have undergone a fascinating development in the past few years. Hundreds of algorithms have been developed; first applications have made their way from research into possible mainstream application. However, the current level of awareness among prospective users and the amount of actual practical use do not seem to live up to the potential of semantic audio technologies. We argue that this is more an issue concerning interface and interaction than a problem concerning the robustness of the applied algorithms or a lack of need in audio production. The panelists of this workshop offer ways to improve the usability of semantic audio techniques. They look into current applications in off-the-shelf products, discuss the use in a variety of specialized applications such as custom-tailored archival solutions, demonstrate and showcase their own developments in interfaces for semantic audio, and propose future directions in interface and interaction development for semantic audio technologies ranging from audio file retrieval to intelligent audio effects.
The second half of this workshop includes hands-on interactive experiences provided by the panel.
Saturday, October 10, 11:00 am — 1:00 pm
W9 - Microphones—What to Listen For and What Specs to Look For
Chair:
Eddy B. Brixen, EBB-consult - Smorum, Denmark
Panelists:
Gary Baldassari, DPA Microphones - USA
Jason Corey, University of Michigan - MI, USA
David Josephson, Josephson Engineering
Douglas McKinnie, Middle Tennessee State University - TN, USA
Ossian Ryner, Danish Broadcasting - Denmark
Abstract:
When selecting microphones for a specific music recording, it is worth knowing what to expect and what to listen for. Accordingly it is good to know what specifications that would be optimum for that microphone. This workshop explains the process of selecting a microphone both from the aesthetical as well as the technical point of view. What to expect when placing the microphone is explained and demonstrated. This is not a “I feel like...” presentation. All presenters on the panel are serious and experienced engineers and tonmeisters. The purpose of this workshop is to encourage and teach young engineers and students to take advantage by taking a closer look at the specifications the next time they are going to pick a microphone for a job.
Saturday, October 10, 11:30 am — 1:00 pm
Semantic Audio Demos
Saturday, October 10, 11:30 am — 1:00 pm
W10 - Can 21st Century Technology Outdo the Audio Achievements of the 20th?
Chair:
Terry Manning, Compass Point Studios
Panelists:
Oliver Archut, TAB/Funkenwerk - Gaylord, KS, USA
Larry Janus, Tube Equipment Corporation
Jeff Roberts, Latch Lake Music - Eagan, MN, USA
Abstract:
This Workshop will discuss continuing, and outdoing, audio design achievements of the 20th Century into the 21st. Our panel of experts will discuss criteria that made classic gear great, and how the designs created them and the philosophies implemented them are to continue into future. Attention is paid to the designs themselves, the needs and uses in the studio, and the difficulties encountered. Archut, Manning, Roberts collaborated in construction of the CS-1 Microphone, which hearkens back to classics, yet is also innovative. With Janus taking the lead, all contributed to the Moonray Preamplifier, and are working on other innovative products.
Saturday, October 10, 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm
W11 - Redundancy in Audio Networks
Chair:
Umberto Zanghieri, ZP Engineering srl - Rome, Italy
Panelists:
Kevin Gross, AVA Networks/QSC Audio Products - USA
Al Walker, KlarkTeknik/Midas - UK
Jérémie Weber, AuviTran - Meylan, France
Varuni Witana, Audinate - Australia
Abstract:
Redundancy within a data network focused on digital audio transport has specific requirements compared to redundancy for usual data networks, and for this reason several practical solutions offer dual network ports. Ideas and solutions from current formats will be presented, detailing requirements of specific use cases, such as digital audio transport for live events or for install. The discussion will also include non-IP audio networks; different topologies, and switchover issues will be presented.
Saturday, October 10, 3:30 pm — 4:30 pm
W12 - Teaching Electronics to Audio Recording Students, Why Bother?
Chair:
Michael Stucker, Indiana University - IN, USA
Panelists:
Eric Brengle, Swinghouse Studios - CA, USA
Eddie Ciletti, Tangible Technology - MN, USA
Dale Manquen, MANCO - CA, USA
Walter Sear, Sear Sound - NY, USA
Bill Whitlock, Jensen Transformers - CA, USA
Abstract:
There is little doubt that recording engineers can benefit from a knowledge of electronics, so it makes sense to include it in an audio recording curriculum. However, with recording technique, music theory, acoustics, listening, and computer technology demanding more and more course time, how can we integrate electronics into an audio recording curriculum yet ensure that it remains pertinent and applicable to the audio industry of today?
This workshop aims to get feedback from professionals about what level of electronics knowledge they would like from graduates entering the field and encourage an enhanced dialog between the recording and education communities. The workshop will identify goals and outcomes for a practical electronics curriculum, determine an ideal skill set for students that are entering the 21st century marketplace, and investigate an instruction methodology to achieve those ends. The panel will consist of professionals and educators and will explore issues such as teaching materials, lecture vs. lab-based instruction, project based learning, a core knowledge base, and methods for building a continuing dialog between professionals and educators.
Saturday, October 10, 4:30 pm — 6:00 pm
W13 - 1080p and MP3: We Got the Picture. What Happened to the Sound?
Chair:
Michael Fremer
Panelists:
John Atkinson, Stereophile
Steve Berkowitz, Sony/BMG
Greg Calbi, Sterling Sound
Alan Douches, West West Side Music - New Windsor, NY, USA
Randy Ezratty
Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering & DVD - Portland, ME, USA
EveAnna Manley, Manley Audio Labs
Abstract:
Over the past decade, video has gone from 480i 4:3 to 1080p 16:9—the bigger the screen, the better. Audio? Not so much! The bigger the audio system, the more you are mocked for hearing quality that supposedly doesn't exist. The "mainstream" audio standard has degraded from 44.1 K/16 bit (arguably insufficient to begin with) to low bit rate MP3, now considered "more than adequate" by mainstream listeners. As a consequence, people "hear" music while engaging in other activities. Actively listening to music (to the exclusion of all other activities) once commonplace, is almost unheard of (pun intended) in 21st Century life. This has had terrible consequences for both professional and consumer audio and the engineers working in both areas. Most consumers have never heard their favorite music on a good audio system and because of "big box" retailing can't even experience high quality 5.1 soundtrack sound on a good home theater system when they shop. How does the industry reconnect consumers to good sound? And why are young people snapping up vinyl records when they can download MP3s cheaply or for free?
Sunday, October 11, 11:30 am — 1:00 pm
W14 - Considerations in Choosing a Digital Audio Converter
Chair:
Bruce Whisler
Panelists:
Bob Bauman, Lynx Studio Technology - Cosa Mesa, CA, USA
Ian Dennis, Prism Sound - Stretham, Cambridgeshire, UK
Michal Jurewicz, Mytek Digital - New York, NY, USA
John Siau, Benchmark Media Systems - Syracuse, NY, USA
Abstract:
Analog-to-digital conversion is a critical operation in the digital recording of audio. Whether the task at hand is the preservation of historical analog materials or the recording of new digitally-born material, the accuracy and transparency of the A/D converter should be of utmost concern to the audio engineer. This workshop features a panel of experts in the design of digital audio converters. Topics to be covered include sampling and filtering methodologies, sample clock issues, and the performance compromises that must be considered in the design of digital audio converters.
Sunday, October 11, 2:00 pm — 4:00 pm
W15 - Blu-ray as a High Resolution Audio Format for Stereo and Surround
Chair:
Stefan Bock, msm-studios - Germany
Panelists:
Gary Epstein, Dolby - USA
Tom McAndrew, DTS - USA
Johannes Müller, msm-studios - Germany
Ronald Prent, Galaxy Studios - Belgium
Abstract:
The decision for the Blu-ray disc as the only HD packaged media format also offering up to 8 channels of uncompressed high resolution audio has at least eliminated one of the obstacles of getting high-res stereo and surround sound music to the market. The concept of utilizing Blu-ray as a pure audio format will be explained and Blu-ray will be positioned as successor to both SACD and DVD-A. The operational functionality and a double concept of making it usable both with and without screen will be demonstrated by showing some products that are already on the market.
Sunday, October 11, 4:30 pm — 6:00 pm
W16 - Introduction to Audio Forensics
Chair:
Durand Begault, Charles M. Salter Associates, Inc. - San Francisco, CA, USA
Panelists:
Eddy B. Brixen, EBB-consult - Smorum, Denmark
Robert Maher, Montana State University - Bozeman, MT, USA
Tom Owen, Owl Investigations - NJ, USA
Jeffrey Smith, University of Colorado, Denver - Denver, CO, USA
Abstract:
This is a non-technical introduction to the field of Audio Forensics, sponsored by the Technical Committee on Audio Forensics, intended for persons new or interested in the field. Audio Forensic professionals associated with the AES will review basic methods, challenges, and history related to the field. Opportunities for education (and certification) will also be discussed.
This event is sponsored by the Technical Committee on Audio Forensics.
Monday, October 12, 9:00 am — 11:00 am
W17 - Scalable Audio Coding—Pleasing All of the People All of the Time?
Chair:
Noel McKenna, APTX - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Panelists:
Rick Beaton, DTS, Inc. - CA, USA
Jürgen Herre, Fraunhofer IIS - Erlangen, Germany
Gary Spittle, Cambridge Silicon Radio - Cambridge, UK
David Trainor, APTX - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Abstract:
Scalability is becoming an important characteristic for audio coding, particularly with the increasing variety of audio coding applications and equipment. The concept that more unified approaches to audio coding can elegantly scale and adapt across a wide range of deployment scenarios, while still delivering good levels of coding performance, is very appealing. Scalable audio coding is often considered in the context of scaling the coded bit-rate, but many other important forms of coding scalability exist. A panel of experts will discuss coding scalability across various characteristics, including coded bit-rate, computational complexity, robustness, and type of audio content. Consideration will be given to the challenges that real-world applications present for scalable audio coding and how future coding techniques might evolve to promote higher levels of scalability.
Monday, October 12, 11:00 am — 1:00 pm
W18 - Intelligent Digital Audio Effects
Chair:
Christian Uhle, Fraunhofer IIS - Erlangen, Germany
Panelists:
Joshua Reiss, Queen Mary University of London - London, UK
Udo Zölzer, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität - Hamburg, Germany
Christof Faller, Illusonic LLC - Lausanne, Switzerland
Abstract:
Intelligent Digital Audio Effects (I-DAFx) process audio signals in a signal-adaptive way by using a high-level analysis of the input. Examples are the control of time parameters in tremolos, auto-wahs and vibrato effects using beat tracking, the application of blind source separation techniques to upmixing for multichannel reproduction, and signal-adaptive audio effects using feature extraction. Tools for automated live mixing have been developed recently that analyze the multichannel input of a mixer to control the effects, leveling, and panning. These and other techniques are in the scope of this workshop. It presents an overview of I-DAFx and demonstrations of practical implementations with sound examples.
Monday, October 12, 2:00 pm — 4:00 pm
W19 - Audio Myths—Defining What Affects Audio Reproduction
Chair:
Ethan Winer, RealTraps - New Milford, CT, USA
Panelists:
Jason Bradley, Intel Corporation - Hillsboro, CO, USA
Poppy Crum, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine - Baltimore, MD, USA
James Johnston, DTS, Inc. - Kirkland, WA, USA
Abstract:
Human auditory memory and perception are frail, and expectation bias and placebo effect are stronger than many care to admit. The result is endless arguments over basic scientific principles that have been understood fully for more than fifty years—the value of ultra-high sample rates and bit depths, the importance of dither, clock jitter, and ultra-low distortion, and so forth. If you move your head even one inch, the frequency response changes substantially due to acoustic comb filtering. Masking makes it difficult to hear artifacts even 40 dB below the music, yet some people are convinced they can hear artifacts 100 dB down or lower. Therefore, the purpose of this workshop is to identify what really matters with audio reproduction and what does not.
Excerpts from this workshop are available on YouTube.
Monday, October 12, 2:00 pm — 4:00 pm
W20 - Turn it Down! Consequences of the Ever-Escalating Loudness Wars
Chair:
Martin Walsh, DTS Inc. - Scotts Valley, CA, USA
Panelists:
Bob Katz, Digital Domain - Altamonte Springs, FL, USA
Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering and DVD - Portland, ME, USA
Thomas Lund, TC Electronic A/S - Risskov, Denmark
Susan Rogers, Berklee College of Music - Boston, MA, USA
Abstract:
The adage that "louder is better" has been put to the ultimate test in recent years. Modern recordings have gradually been mastered louder and louder over the past twenty or so years using techniques such as aggressive dynamic range compression. In some of the latest album masters, this ever-increasing loudness "arms race" is reaching its limit, whereby the average level is almost the same as the peak level. This leads to audible distortion and listener fatigue. In this workshop we will describe the history of the"loudness wars" along with their impact on modern mastering. We will also provide examples of extreme loudness mastering (or re-mastering). A tutorial will be provided by an invited "master" mastering engineer on how one can provide maximum loudness without incurring audible distortion. Finally, we open the discussion to the floor with a variety of topics relating to today's loudness wars and the possibilities of brokering a peace process in the future.
Monday, October 12, 4:00 pm — 6:00 pm
W21 - Pimp Your Mix
Panelists:
Bob Brockmann
Ryan West
Abstract:
Grammy winning mixers Bassy Bob Brockmann (Christina Aguilera, Babyface, Fugees) and Ryan West (Rihanna, Kanye, John Legend) bring a popular feature of their Elements of Mixing seminar, Pimp your Mix, to the AES. Ryan and Bassy take a production that has already been mixed by an upcoming producer and tear it apart and put it back together using state of the art and vintage analog gear and some of their fave plug-ins to add luster, drama, impact, and clarity to the mix. Ryan and Bassy demonstrate some of their tips on how to make the vocal shine, how to organize the bass frequencies, and how to use balancing , eq, and reverb to create a sense of space and clarity in the mix. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the makeover process, and Ryan and Bassy will do a Q and A about the mix after the print.
Monday, October 12, 4:00 pm — 6:00 pm
W22 - Microphones for Extreme Environments
Chair:
David Josephson, Josephson Engineering - Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Panelists:
D. J. Atkinson, NTIA Institute for Telecommunications Studies - Boulder, CO, USA
James Johnston, DTS, Inc. - Kirkland, WA, USA
Kenneth Link, Dauntless Fire Company - Ebensburg, PA, USA
Ashley Strickland, Plainfield Fire Department - Plainfield, IN, USA
Don Wright, Glendale Fire Department - Glendale, CA, USA
Abstract:
Microphones are essential components in many places outside broadcast and studio recording. The quality and reliability of a microphone can be a matter of life and death rather than just a question of flavor of sound. Firefighters in a burning house have to rely on clear communication system and face new challenges with the use of low bitrate coders in their radios. The same need applies to divers, astronauts, pilots, tank drivers, bike riders, etc. However, many microphone designs now in use work poorly in high noise environments and cannot be depended on to play the role of being a lifeline. Why is that? Couldn’t this be changed? In this workshop a number of people who have studied the problem faced by emergency responders try to identify the special requirements for microphones used under these conditions.
