AES Convention 2011

Being an audiophile is something I am proud of and wish more audio professionals would understand and become. I’m the type of person who takes that extra step to perfect the sonic capabilities of a song project.  Because of this, I try my best to stay current with the latest audio engineering technologies with hopes to rid the airwaves of less than impressive audio recordings.  Fortunately, there is an annual gathering of like-minded individuals held by the Audio Engineering Society, also known as the AES.

Technically, the AES convention is held bi-annually because the event takes place during two different time periods in both Europe and the United States.  It is the largest gathering of audio professionals in the world: a place where young students and seasoned veterans can mingle and pass on information, old colleagues can catch up on war stories from their studio endeavors, manufacturers and research companies can unleash their developments to awe and/or lure customers and engineers.  With dozens of booths filling the floor, this trade show is a prime opportunity for knowledge, networking, business relationships, and to play with lots of new toys, oops, I mean, evaluate, firsthand, hundreds of new pieces of audio manipulation equipment.  Members of the AES benefit from a discounted rate to attend the convention, as well as lifetime access to the online library of the papers presented at each convention.

This event has a tremendous impact on the music industry, and pretty much any industry that deals with audio.  It provides a multitude of knowledge and experience for those in attendance, helping everyone become better at what they do.  It allows manufacturers to interact directly with their consumer base, which, in turn, allows for better products to be made based on feedback.  The AES convention directly affects the improvement of audio technology.  I really wish I could have attended last week.  After reading so much about the AES, I’ve finally decided to pay my membership dues and join.  AES Convention San Francisco 2012 here I come!!!!!