AES NYC 2022: What’s New at the Big Audio Show
As a touch of autumn hits the air, our instincts tell us that the annual AES New York Convention is near. Unlike the last two years that went fully virtual due to Covid, 2022 sees the gathering happening again in real life.
Real people are the biggest innovation of all at AES NYC 2022.
The AES New York 2022 Convention is taking place at the Jacob Javits Center on October 19–20, with additional training opportunities on October 18 and Tech Tours plus Networking events on October 21. On October 26–27, an additional online event will offer its own separately curated program of workshops and papers.
This pivotal conference is headed up by Jonathan Wyner, AES Convention Chair. Wyner is a familiar face for SonicScoop readers, serving as the 2021 AES President (visit here to see an in-depth video interview with him about that experience.) While he could have easily just hit the proverbial beach after guiding the society through unprecedented challenges, this committed audio advocate went right back to work heading up the 2022 expo.
For Wyner, the idea wasn’t just to get the show “back to normal”, but to go all-in on a next-gen convention. Here’s his viewpoint on what to expect.
Jonathan, the AES New York 2022 Convention has returned to IRL, being held in NYC Oct. 19 & 20. Why does it matter that it’s back to being an in-person event?
While we have been online by necessity at times, and there have been many innovations to make online meetings more engaging, in person interactions offer richer and more varied experiences. In the same way that live musical performance creates shared experiences and a sense of community, so does the in-person AES convention.
Some of the obvious benefits are:
– hands on exhibits that you can wander through and ask questions
– extended/coincidental/accidental conversations and discussions with friends old and new
– by the sheer numbers, you’ll be surrounded by the largest group of audio practitioners and professionals you’ll ever encounter
– and some of your audio heroes will be roaming the aisles…step up and say hello!
I can say from personal experience that all of the above is true! You served as AES President in 2021, and now you’re chair of the AES 2022 convention. Why did you jump back in so fast to AES executive duties when you could have taken a break?
Jonathan Wyner is Convention Chair of the AES New York 2022 Convention.
I care a lot about our community and wanted to do what I could to help create the kind of experience that enriches all of us. I have been privileged to be able to give back. I’m sure others would do the same if they could!
You’ve told me that you wanted to make sure this year’s convention would be different than past ones. What are some key new initiatives that attendees can expect?
– We have focused training and skill-building sessions unlike anything we have done before. Attendees can bring laptops and headphones and learn about mixing, working in immersive audio for music, immersive audio in the game engine, audio repair, programming the GPU/SDK and more.
– We’ll have a BUNCH of off-site tours on Friday (October 21) that range from visits to storied facilities such as the Power Station at Berklee NYC to speaker manufacturers, the new Clive Davis facilities, and the TIny Desk production facilities.
– The new audio trend sessions are bound to offer mind expanding insights into what’s next in audio and music production.
The producer, engineer and researcher Susan Rogers will be delivering the keynote address. What is her message, and why do you feel it’s so important for audio engineers to hear right now?
First off – stay tuned…we’ll have more than one keynote! In Susan’s case, she is the spokesperson for the modern audio human. She’s a badass music producer, a doctor of psychoacoustics and a keen thinker. She helps us understand our motivations, how creativity and science are consonant and ultimately helps us be better in our work and our world. I can’t wait to learn from her – again!
See you in NYC!
What do you think constitutes a successful convention for an attendee? In other words, what do you hope that someone comes away with from the AES New York 2022 Convention?
Fullfillment, exhaustion of the best kind, a renewed enthusiasm for their work and some possibilities for new directions.
That sounds good to us! Anything else important you’d like to add?
For those that want all-access passes, it always pays to be an AES member since the discounted rate means in essence you get a free membership. For all that come whether just to browse the exhibits or to take a deeper dive I can’t wait to see you there. Please find me and say hello!
— David Weiss is an Editor for SonicScoop.com, and has been covering pro audio developments for over 20 years. He is also the co-author of the music industry’s leading textbook on synch licensing, “Music Supervision, 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide to Selecting Music for Movies, TV, Games & New Media.” Email: david@sonicscoop.com
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