The Future of Sound Reinforcement: Opening Up the field of Possibilites?

Mar 7, 2024 2:00pm ‐ Mar 7, 2024 2:00pm

Current systems of sound reinforcement largely include immersive sound and spatial audio. Most of them rely on channel-based mixing in combination with Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) or amplitude-based panning for the spatial sound reproduction. It is interesting to understand why, in the context of sound reinforcement, these technologies are favored rather than others such as Ambisonics for instance. Besides, what are the future trends of signal processing development to improve the control of sound reproduction and spatialization? Another recent evolution is the extension of live events to virtual reality (VR), from live-streamed events to in-game concerts, allowing to revisit listeners’ experience. Unexpectedly, this could lead to the use of headphones in sound reinforcement. 


What do we need to know about boundary-layer meteorology (and why), for effective outdoor sound propagation modelling and measurement?

Mar 6, 2024 8:00am ‐ Mar 6, 2024 8:00am

In this keynote presentation, Mark Kelly will give an overview of concepts, methods, and data characterizing the atmospheric boundary layer [ABL] which are relevant to outdoor sound propagation. Aiming to link theory with application and practice, the focus will primarily be on the ABL. This is due in part to the quite thorough descriptions of outdoor sound propagation and associated statistics given in the book by Ostashev & Wilson (2016), as well as a number of review presentations and advances since its publication (in addition to my primary work for the past 2 decades being in theoretical and applied ABL meteorology).

A brief review of the parallel recent histories of outdoor sound propagation and applied ABL meteorology will be given, within the context of the evolution of the state of the art regarding measured and modelled statistics; as the science has developed, a move from first to second-order predictions has occurred. This includes uncertainty quantification, driven by the sensitivity of outdoor propagation modelling to atmospheric parameters, along with statistical representativity issues unique to the ABL that are not commonly understood in applied acoustics and other applications (e.g., my current area of wind energy). Dimensionless metrics pertaining to characterization of the ABL state, and issues incurred around their neglect or sampling, as well as associated atmospheric modelling, will be discussed.

The types of relevant atmospheric models which give data that can inform outdoor propagation calculations, from global to weather to computational fluid dynamics, will be reviewed; this will also include emphasis on the limitations of these models and their outputs, as well as how to get needed atmospheric parameters or data. This will also be complemented by a statistical view of such models and data, towards use in different acoustics applications; a bit on noise standards arises here, too.
Some relevant aspects of atmospheric flow that are not (yet) typically addressed by outdoor propagation modelling, including recent advances, will be introduced (e.g., wind veer). What we don’t know quite well yet in the ABL—i.e., the “edge” of the state-of-the-art—will also be discussed. Lastly, consideration will be given to variation in practical application, not only in terms of the calculations and data, but beyond engineering and modelling, linking to the psychosocial aspect such as community acceptance.


Why the System Design Process Matters: Connecting the Art of Sound

Mar 5, 2024 1:00pm ‐ Mar 5, 2024 1:00pm

Why the System Design Process Matters: Connecting the Art of Sound


Let’s Talk About Encanto: Revealing the Secrets Behind Encanto’s Music and Mix

Mar 1, 2024 11:00am ‐ Mar 1, 2024 11:00am

Step inside the world of Encanto as AES takes a deep dive with the award-winning music team of Disney’s hit animated film. Set to an incredible score, and eight original songs, Encanto comes to life, drawing from traditional Colombian instrumentation making anyone who hears it want to definitely “talk about Bruno.” Encanto won Best Score Soundtrack and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2023 Grammys. The film itself nabbed the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature in 2022. But how did the music all come together? Composer Germaine Franco, producer Mike Elizondo, and sound engineer David Boucher break it down in this exciting AES training and development webinar.

Speakers:
Germaine Franco, Composer
Mike Elizondo, Producer
David Boucher, Sound Engineer

Moderator:
Jeanne Montalvo


AES Scottish Group Christmas Lecture 2023

Jan 5, 2024 8:00am ‐ Jan 5, 2024 8:00am

Into the Groove: Exploring the Resurgence of Vinyl Records in the Digital Age

The arrival of the Compact Disc format and digital audio in the early 1980’s caused many people to predict the end of the vinyl record. Indeed, the sales of vinyl did drop in the following years, but here we are, nearly 40 years later, and sales of vinyl records are now increasing!

We get down into the groove of the vinyl disc and examine why it is so appealing. Why is it the playback medium of choice for many people serious about listening to music? Using interviews with key players in the industry, demonstrations, and a panel discussion, we hope to explain some of the reasons behind the resurgence of the vinyl record in a digital audio world.


AES 2023 Annual Business Meeting

Jan 4, 2024 4:00pm ‐ Jan 4, 2024 4:00pm

AES 2023 Annual Business Meeting

Agenda

  • President Address
  • Report of Secretary
  • Report of Treasurer
  • Result of Elections
  • Unfinished Business
  • New Business

AES 4th Immersive Audio Academy

Sep 20, 2023 8:00am ‐ Sep 20, 2023 8:00am

Streaming networks have helped lead the industry into new horizons, and set many of the standards and best practices that engineering teams use in producing and delivering compelling immersive content. In this fourth edition, sound engineering leaders from Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Netflix will share a 3-hours long panel to help engineers across the world make sense of the workflow and deliverables commonly requested across the industry. The panel will be moderated by AES Past-President and immersive audio designer Andres Mayo.


AES LA Section - Mixing for Film and Maximizing Control Surface Workflow

Sep 14, 2023 1:00pm ‐ Sep 14, 2023 1:00pm
Ellis Burman of Burman Sound and Roundabout Entertainment covers the ins and outs of mixing for film, and shares his approach to maximizing control surface workflows to manage high track counts and focus on artistic objectives. Ellis will walk us through his mix templates and demonstrate how the control surface is much more than a $100,000 mouse!

AES Atlanta Section - Jumping Into Dolby Atmos for Music (and More)

Sep 11, 2023 10:00am ‐ Sep 11, 2023 10:00am

Dave Stagl explained the concept of Dolby Atmos compared to stereo and surround sound. Here are few points that he touched on:

  • Not channel based, but object based
  • Metadata positions sound
  • Renderer replaces the mix bus
  • Scalable to the listening configuration
  • Some modern devices can consume Atmos without special equipment

He answered questions, including ones about his monitor/speaker configuration, Dolby recommendations and other compatible gear and software requirements.

He did a quick demonstration of the Dolby Atmos Renderer.


AES Indiana Section - Diving Deeper Into Dante

Sep 8, 2023 4:00pm ‐ Sep 8, 2023 4:00pm

Frank began by providing some background on Dante. Dante as a platform includes both hardware components and software tools for control and interfacing, all integrated with a single management layer. This has recently expanded to include video integration in Dante AV, all managed from familiar Dante software. Dante AV includes options for lossless, low-latency video and multichannel audio, intermediate latency and video quality, and high-latency and lossy video.

Frank then moved to the evolution of Audio over IP (AoIP) systems. Early systems employed local, isolated network within a single room or facility, with all equipment interfacing through a single network switch. Similarly, a dedicated virtual LAN could be dedicated to AoIP use. As the network world expanded, IT departments became increasingly involved in these network, bringing a focus on network bandwidth requirements, larger coverage areas, Layer 3 routing, and security considerations.

To appreciate the complexities of modern systems, Frank took a dive into network architecture. The traditional Layer 3 network includes a core, distribution, and access layer, where newer network architecture often relies on a “spine and leaf” structure. Similarly, network security requirements have also expanded from a “defense in depth” paradigm to modern “zero trust” systems where every device’s interconnection must be configured. This, combined with increased network segmentation for differing uses, means that today’s AoIP network is a significant departure from the typical audio-visual professional’s focus on physical interconnection!

Dante Domain Manager (DDM) serves as a hub to simplify and integrate the varying hardware and software components in a modern network. Frank explained that DDM allows for device management and network segregation, as well as tiered access for users, monitoring and logging, and multi-subnet support, all within a single interface. This is particularly useful when using DDM to serve as a management layer for advanced routing between networks. In essence, DDM is a network engineer’s solution to AoIP. DDM can create customized dashboards, network monitoring, or GUIs, allowing for a streamlined user experience while maintaining security and network integrity.

Frank then dove into the future of AoIP and Dante. Dante Connect can transmit uncompressed audio through a cloud-based system to provide in-sync, lossless audio to remote users. Using Dante Gateway ,low-latency local networks can integrate with high-latency cloud distribution to bridge these networks. Further developments leverage WebRTC, to allow remote contribution of lossy audio, as well. Frank wrapped up taking some questions from the attendees.