My Time at AES San Francisco

A few observations from the 133rd AES Convention in San Francisco California.

• The rough economy has definitely taken a toll on the show. Compared to the very first AES convention I went to, this one is a shadow of what it once was. I am blaming the economy, but the internet also has a lot to do with it. Let me explain what I mean. 

• The economy is very tight for audio equipment manufacturers, so the expense of making an exhibit happen stretches the other advertising budgets.
• The internet is available to all people. So if you are interested in finding out about the latest and greatest audio equipment all you have to do is search the web for it.  
• Having a good web presence allows the audio equipment manufacturers to maybe forgo the convention and just give information about their products on the web. 
• Also, many of the audio equipment manufacturers did not have to set up individual booths because the retailers were displaying much of the gear that they sell.

• Another part of the convention is not about new equipment. It is about learning the craft of audio. There are classes for every level of audio enthusiast, from the student to the advanced user. There are student competitions and mentoring. There are master seminars with some of the industry greats giving insights and stories about their careers. This is the part of the show that I enjoy more than the gear. Most of the time I don't learn much except for a tidbit or two to try out, but sometimes the classes mean being validated that what you're doing is right, and that's helpful, too.  

• The third part of the show, and maybe one of the most important parts for me, is the networking. You get to meet others from all over the world and people in all different fields of audio. From the actual designers, to sales people, to computer gurus, to tracking engineers, to mastering engineers, and everyone in between.  

So, for me, I truly enjoyed the experience of AES. Even with the gear offerings being small compared to past years.  The show stood out to me as a good example of audio people getting together and showing greatness.

I will leave this post with the quote that stood out to me. Related by Ed Cherney, a grammy award winning audio engineer, as told to him by his mentor Bruce Swedien: "No one leaves the studio dancing to the gear".  I like the intention of this.  While we all agree it takes a certain amount of gear to make a good recording, the song is king.