AES Show 2024 NY

By now we know a lot about how immersive microphone arrays work, from fully coincident, to semi-coincident, to fully spaced etc., and how they can be used to make spectacular 3D productions, But what happens when we use the same recording techniques in very different acoustic spaces with different size ensembles etc.? Various hi-resolution immersive recordings of acoustic music from around the globe made in extraordinary acoustic spaces including Skywalker Scoring Stage, Zlin Concert Hall, Notre Dame University, NYU's Paulson Center, CNSO Studios, Smecky Studios, and other exceptional churches and concert halls will be presented. Along with critical listening exercises, we will share microphone set-ups, multi-track recordings, videos and photo documentation of the spaces with the participants.

In a perfect world, one would record projects in the perfect space with musicians performing in perfect balance, with perfect results, but for us, the perfect world doesn’t exist and we’re presented with projects that were never intended for surround or immersive presentation, In this illustrated talk, we will play projects that were recorded (even in the last century!) and have been turned into successful immersive and surround recordings..

Volumetric sound recording techniques , where multiple 3D sound signals are captured throughout the recording area and mapped later for playback, have shown great promise in the world of positional tracking immersive experiences. But is volumetric sound capture an effective and plausible technique for music production ? What advantages does volumetric have over more traditional recording techniques and single position Ambisonic recordings and how the signals are combined for a stationary immersive listening experience ? These questions will be addressed by sharing immersive recordings, documentation, and discussing the outcomes of recent and ongoing work conducted at New York University and McGill University.

Join veteran audio engineer Matt Boudreau, who has mixed in ATMOS for Alanis Morissette, Green Day, and Deafheaven, as he delves into immersive audio mixing. In this session, Matt will discuss his approach to mixing in ATMOS and stereo simultaneously and provide a look into his Pro Tools mixing template. Drawing from his extensive experience and his Mixing in Stereo and ATMOS course, Matt will share practical tips for creating dynamic mixes that excel in both formats. Whether you're new to ATMOS or refining your skills, this presentation offers valuable insights for all audio professionals.

The demand for the production, distribution and playback of audio content in surround or immersive multichannel formats and flexible playback setups has continued to grow in the cinema, broadcast and music industries. This trend motivates the continued development of multichannel audio signal processing methods for the conversion of recordings between different multichannel and spatial audio formats or layouts, including down- or up-mixing. These operations leverage a well researched frequency-domain processing framework nowadays commonly referred to as parametric spatial audio signal processing, to solve challenges including the primary-ambient decomposition of audio recordings. Bringing ML/AI techniques to bear in the development of novel spatial audio analysis/synthesis methods can unlock practical applications with transformative impact. In this workshop, we will review and discuss the fundamentals and recent progress in these methods.

The field of audio production is always evolving. Now with immersive audio formats becoming more and more prominent, we should have a closer look at what possibilities come with it from a technical but most importantly from an artistic and musical standpoint.
In our Workshop, "Unlocking New Dimensions: Producing Music in Immersive Audio," we demonstrate how immersive audio formats can bring an artist's vision to life and how the storytelling in the music benefits from them.
In order to truly change the way people listen to music and provide an immersive experience, we must transform how we write and produce music, using immersive formats not just as a technical advancement but as a medium to create new art.
In this session, we will explore the entire production process, from recording to the final mix, and master with a focus on how one can create a dynamic and engaging listening experience with immersive formats like Dolby Atmos. We believe that immersive audio is more than just a technical upgrade—it's a new creative canvas. Our goal is to show how, by fully leveraging a format like Dolby Atmos, artists and producers can create soundscapes that envelop the listener and add new dimensions to the storytelling of music.

Philosophy

Artists often feel disconnected from the immersive production process. They rarely can give input on how their music is mixed in this format, leading to results that may not fully align with their artistic vision. At High Tide, we prioritize artist involvement, ensuring they are an integral part of the process. We believe that their input is crucial for creating an immersive experience that truly represents their vision. We will share insights and examples from our collaborations with artists like Amistat, an acoustic folk duo, and Tinush, an electronic music producer known for his attention to detail. These case studies will illustrate how our method fosters creativity and produces superior immersive audio experiences.

New workflows need new tools

A significant pain point in current immersive productions is the tendency to use only a few stems, which often limits the immersive potential. This often happens because the process of exporting individual tracks and preparing a mixing session can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. We will address these challenges in our presentation. We have developed innovative scripts and workflows that streamline this process, allowing us to work with all available tracks without the typical hassle. This approach not only enhances the quality of the final mix but also retains the intricate details and nuances of the original recordings.
Our workshop is designed to be interactive, with opportunities for attendees to ask questions throughout. We will provide real-world insights into our ProTools sessions, giving participants a detailed look at our Dolby Atmos mixing process. By walking through the entire workflow, from recording with Dolby Atmos in mind to the final mix, attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the steps involved and the benefits of this approach to create an engaging and immersive listening experience.

Building on the industry standard that saw the development of Parametric Equalization as the first step in providing the audio engineer with complete control of spectrum modification, this presentation concerns the application of a new update, built on Parametric equalization technique to professional audio control. Invented in 1998 by Roey Shamir, now is a product in its alpha stage of development. The technique and product will be fully demonstrated by the inventor and well known mix producer (Roey Shamir).
The co developer of the hardware Useful Arts Audio / Peter Swann will also discuss matters of the hardware while its being developed. Peter  built his first console in 1982, and has been working ever since to create signal processing devices that don’t just measure well on the bench, but translate sound to compliment the perceptual mechanisms of the human ear and brain. In 2017, he launched Useful Arts Audio, which manufactures specialty front-end gear designed to accentuate musical performances by taking advantage of the natural emphasis the brain places on dynamics and harmonic content. Mr. Swann creates original designs aimed at translating incoming musical signals into compelling listening experiences.

Only the proof of concept Software will be demonstrated the hardware will not be ready for AES NY Convention Fall 2024.

There will be a well known song played in immersive 7.1.4 with examples of the new technique in the elements of the immersive mix.

Sound for Visual Media finalists will make presentations, we will hear their submissions, and the judges will give their comments.

Join Focusrite Group’s Lee Whitmore in an interactive panel conversation and listening session with 19-time GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY winner Rafa Sardina, Dolby’s Tom McAndrew, and ADAM Audio’s Mark Cummins. Listen to Dolby Atmos Music mixes by Rafa Sardina, and chat with industry experts about best practices for creating, mixing, and playback of immersive audio for music, film, TV, gaming, audiobooks and podcasting, as well as considerations for your studio and workflows.

Also held on 10/10 at 12:45pm

Joseph J. Chudyk is a multi-platinum mixer and educator with significant experience mixing albums in immersive audio. In addition to teaching at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, some of his recent notable Atmos mixes include work with Elle King and Miranda Lambert, and Mitchell Tenpenny. In this session Joe will play some of his Dolby Atmos Music mixes, talking about his experience, sharing tips and best practices, and more, with ample opportunities for attendees to ask questions.

These non-competitive sessions are an opportunity for AES student members at all stages in their studies to receive feedback on their mixes from a panel of industry professionals – live and in-person. Join us to hear mixes by other students, and get tips, tricks, and advice to push your skills to the next level! Advance submission procedures for each event will be posted at www.aesstudents.org. Very limited sign up will be available on-site. Maybe one of your mixes can be featured!

Justin Gray is a leader in Immersive Audio music production and has presented at numerous AES events on the topic. As an early adopter of object-based technology for music production, Justin has mixed and mastered over 2000 songs in immersive formats (Dolby Atmos and Sony 360).

In 2020, Justin began composing new music for a project specifically conceived for immersive production. This project was recorded over 40 days in a world-class studio in Toronto, Canada, and included over 40 musicians from across the globe. The music draws influence from a diverse range of musical traditions and was composed, orchestrated, recorded, edited, mixed, and mastered with immersive intent at each stage.

Justin has drawn upon his broad musical experience as a composer, arranger, performer, recording engineer, producer, and engineer to bring this musical project to life. He is inspired to share the music, philosophy, and immersive production process with the AES community.

As Immersive Audio continues to expand its scope in the global music community, Justin believes that the next step is for artists to integrate immersive design into their creative practice. This can begin at the initial composition stage, and carry through each stage of a musical production.

In this workshop, Justin will share examples from the project in Dolby Atmos. He will also explore composing and orchestrating music with immersive intent, a rarely discussed topic in this field. The presentation will also include an in-depth look into immersive production techniques, including contemporary immersive recording techniques and immersive mixing philosophy/aesthetics.

Each performance in the project was filmed at a cinematic level, further supporting the learning experience.

Justin also rigorously documented the technical aspects of the project and will have additional visual content to support the presentation.

This AES event will be one of the first public previews of the music. The full album will be released in various cities worldwide in Dolby Atmos movie theatres in early 2025.

The workshop will offer an insight into what develops beside Dolby Atmos and immersive live applications. A brand new LED Dome project in LA will be introduced and how audio will be managed not only on a 40-channel custom configuration but also in other areas of the venue like different bars, launches, and broadcasts. The challenge is dealing with various spaces and formats, interactively, and how to create content for such a location.

This dynamic presentation will showcase methodology behind the capture and studio presentation of the most significant rocket launches in the world into immersive audio. Audio educator, producer, & AES member Gabe Herman and former NASA extraterrestrial audio engineer Jason Achilles will share their recent experience at the launch pad of Starship IFT-4, highlighting the unique challenges involved in planning, execution, and post-production. Students are encouraged to learn how their passion for audio and acoustic science can lead to unexpected & thrilling opportunities. Attendees will witness a roof-shaking immersive audio demonstration and join in remote Q&A with fellow team members Andrew Keating (Cosmic Perspectives) and Benny Burtt (Skywalker Sound).

These non-competitive sessions are an opportunity for AES student members at all stages in their studies to receive feedback on their mixes from a panel of industry professionals – live and in-person. Join us to hear mixes by other students, and get tips, tricks, and advice to push your skills to the next level! Advance submission procedures for each event will be posted at www.aesstudents.org. Very limited sign up will be available on-site. Maybe one of your mixes can be featured!

Join us to close out the convention, and to find out who the competition winners are.

Join Focusrite Group’s Lee Whitmore in an interactive panel conversation and listening session with 19-time GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY winner Rafa Sardina, Dolby’s Tom McAndrew, and ADAM Audio’s Mark Cummins. Listen to Dolby Atmos Music mixes by Rafa Sardina, and chat with industry experts about best practices for creating, mixing, and playback of immersive audio for music, film, TV, gaming, audiobooks and podcasting, as well as considerations for your studio and workflows.

Also held on 10/9 at 1pm

In immersive sound recording with a microphone array, height channels are crucial for delivering realistic and enveloping auditory experiences. To maximize the benefits of these added channels and effectively capture height information, a solid understanding of the psychoacoustic principles of vertical stereophonic perception is essential. This tutorial/demo session will provide an overview of the key psychoacoustic principles that recording engineers should consider when creating immersive recordings with a microphone array. Various microphone array techniques and practical workflows for 3D sound capture will be introduced, along with a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages. The session will include demonstrations of various 7.1.4 recordings.

The journey of Bob Marley’s music from analog to atmos will be discussed. In 2022-23, Burnin’, Catch A Fire, Exodus and Kaya were mixed in atmos by Nick Rives with the Marley estate’s approval. Eliot Kissileff created the stems used for the mixes. Nick went on to work on the Marley feature film released in 2024. Chris Walch, UMG VP of Assets and Archives will give some background on how the original tapes are preserved, digitized and presented for various projects. The panel will give insight into the evolving processes for creating the stems and focus on Nick’s creation of the atmos mixes, giving the audience insight into the processes and evolution of the format.

3D audio productions can be realized in different ways: in acoustic rooms with hand-played instruments or in the box, where the sound is only created during production. What they have in common are the psychoacoustic rules that apply to all audio productions. The artistic work goes hand in hand with the psychoacoustic layer, crucial for immersive productions' perceived result: content resolution, transparency, and auditory connection/separation.
A high content resolution can be achieved with many individual sounds and useful tools such as reverb plug-ins. In the first part of the workshop, Lasse Nipkow presents a strategy for achieving a high resolution in 3D audio with mobile recordings and various sound bodies, thus creating mixes.
On the playback side, we now have a dozen or more loudspeakers. Therefore, the tools we need for mixing must overcome new challenges that do not exist in stereo. In the second part of the contribution, Grammy-nominated sound engineer Ronald Prent and Lasse Nipkow present outstanding plug-ins explicitly developed for 3D audio in recent years. Using impressive sound examples from various genres, they show how they use these tools effectively for their mixes.
This second contribution is related to a first, previous contribution by Lasse Nipkow and Konrad Strauss: ‘Psychoacoustics for Immersive Productions’.