Audio Engineering Society UK

Title: Loudspeaker Design: Tradition versus Science
Location: Lecture Theatre 1, School of Music, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT
Description: Lecture by John Watkinson
Start Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Date: Tuesday 18th October 2011

Abstract:

Despite enormous progress in understanding how the human auditory system works, most present day loudspeakers cling to outmoded and discredited techniques that have not changed in decades.

The availability of advanced materials and design tools means that the task of advanced speaker design has never been easier, but the necessary steps simply are not taken.

This presentation will look at the criteria for accurate sound reproduction and will show that these criteria can be met. Demonstrations of some alternative loudspeaker designs will be given.

Title: Cutting Edge Research – from Queen Mary, University of London [London]
Location: Royal College of Pathologists, 2 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AF
Description: An introduction to the work of QMUL’s Centre for Digital Music will be given by its head, Prof. Mark Plumbley, and the head of Audio Engineering research, Dr. Josh Reiss. This will be followed by posters and demonstrations from C4DM’s postgraduate researchers
Start Time: 18:30 for 19:00
Date: Tuesday 8th November 2011

A recording of Prof Mark Plumbley’s and Dr Josh Reiss’s introduction to the work of the CD4M is available here (12MB mp3)

Abstract:

The Centre for Digital Music (C4DM) at Queen Mary University of London is a world-leading multidisciplinary research group in the field of Music & Audio Technology. Since its founding members joined Queen Mary in 2001, the Centre has grown to become arguably the UK’s leading Digital Music research group. With its broad range of skills and a strong focus on making innovation usable, the Centre for Digital Music is ideally placed to work with industry leaders in forging new business models for the music industry.

C4DM has over 50 full-time members, including academic staff, research staff, research students and visitors. While the Centre for Digital Music has an underpinning in digital signal processing and computer science, it includes academic and research staff with a much wider range of skills. Many of the academic and research staff and students are themselves active musicians, and are connected into several different aspects of the music community. It is also experiencing rapid growth, and has recently hired four more permanent, research-active academic staff; two lecturers and two professors.

Our projects span many different disciplines, including Music Informatics, Machine Listening, Interactional Sound and Audio Engineering. We emphasize adventurous and trans-disciplinary research, pushing the boundaries of DSP, computer science, philosophy and psychology. We investigate topics such as music information retrieval, music scene analysis, semantic audio processing, object-based audio coding, human machine interaction and digital performance. Most of our research targets real users, seeking to build new algorithms into usable and useful software, realizing both that with public funding we have a duty to take research results to the wider public, and also that their engagement with us helps to take our research in new directions.

At this Cutting Edge Research evening, we will showcase our research with a collection of posters and demonstrations covering such diverse topics as Music 2.0: semantic web applications, audio source separation, music information retrieval, intelligent systems for sound engineering, automatic mixing, microphone artefact removal, audio score alignment, polyphonic music transcription and many more.

For additional information please visit: http://www.elec.qmul.ac.uk/digitalmusic

+++This is a great opportunity for our members with industry experience to discuss, offer advice and opinions, and perhaps even challenge the research conducted by these audio industry practitioners of the future. We would particularly encourage our Sustaining Members to participate in this event.+++

Title: Inaugural Meeting of AES Scotland
Location: Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA
Description: Presentations on Gorbals Sound by Cameron Malcolm and Paul Ferguson, and Audio Education in Scotland by Patrick Quinn
Start Time: 17:30 for 18:00
Date: Thursday 15th September
End Time: 20:00

For further details please go to the ‘News’ section.

Click here to download a .pdf of the full agenda

Title: Chameleon subwoofer arrays – Adaptable loudspeaker polar responses for improved control in the low-frequency band [London]
Location: Royal College of Pathologists, 2 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AF
Description: Lecture by Adam Hill
Start Time: 18:30 for 19:00
Date: Tuesday 11th October 2011

A recording of the lecture is available here (37MB mp3)

Abstract

Current work in the Audio Research Laboratory (ARL) at the University of Essex has engaged in the development of a flexible networked low-frequency response control system, termed a chameleon subwoofer array (CSA) due to its intrinsic capability of adapting to acoustical surroundings. CSA technology provides multiple degrees of freedom towards system correction, achieved either with multi-component subwoofers or standard single drive unit subwoofers calibrated automatically.

CSA correction lends itself to a wide range of applications. Specifically, small-room home theater utilization will be highlighted with the goal to minimize spatial variation of the frequency response over a defined listening area, or alternatively to provide individualized control at a collection of points. Additionally, large-scale live sound applications will be discussed, jointly targeting spatial variation minimization in the audience area and low-frequency energy attenuation on stage.

Simulated examples will be presented using the ARL Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) acoustics simulation toolbox (available online: http://www.adamjhill.com/fdtd ) as well as a discussion on important considerations concerning the practical implementation of a CSA, including experimental results from the prototype system.

One of these practical implementation considerations addresses the common difficulty of controlling particular narrow frequency bands due to a system’s physical configuration. This problem necessitates a supplementary room correction technique exploiting the psychoacoustical capabilities of virtual bass (synthesis toolbox available online: <http://www.adamjhill.com/vb>, whereby the problematic narrow-bands are filtered from the signal and replaced by harmonic components, thus subjectively enforcing the signal in the missing bands. Common time domain and frequency domain virtual bass synthesis methods will be highlighted along with a novel hybrid technique based on transient content detection; all having been evaluated in previously conducted listening tests.

Title: Who decided that RT >1.5 sec is best for good choral tone?
Location: Royal Academy of Engineering, London, SW1Y 5DG
Description: Lecture by William McVicker
Start Time: 18:30 for 19:00
Date: Tuesday 12th July 2011

A recording of the lecture is available here (145MB mp3)

Abstract

William McVicker, organ curator at the Royal Festival Hall and an organ consultant, will provide an overview of the relationship between the acoustician and the architect, with special reference to the Royal Festival Hall.

The question of room acoustics and music will be explored, along with the ways in which our appreciation and understanding of live music has changed, as have the views of architects and acousticians.

Title: High amplification speech systems for crowd management
Location: Anglia Ruskin University, Room 201, Helmore Building, Cambridge, CB1 1PT
Description: Lecture by Paul Malpas, Engineered Acoustic Designs
Start Time: 19:00
Date: Wednesday 29th June 201

Abstract

Paul Malpas has over 20 years’ experience working within acoustic consultancy. The majority of this time he has operated as a specialist designer responsible for the delivery of electro acoustic, audio system and speech intelligibility projects, and solutions within multi-disciplinary design environments. Paul’s seminar will involve, amongst other things, discussion and demonstration of high amplification speech systems for crowd management.

As always non-AES members are welcome. Don’t forget to interact with us on Facebook too at www.facebook.com/aescambridge

Title: Music Performance Acoustics
Location: Anglia Ruskin University, Room 302, Helmore Building, Cambridge, CB1 1PT
Description: Lecture by Nick Durup, Sharps Redmore Partnership
Start Time: 19:00
Date: Wednesday 25th May 2011

No abstract available

Title: Life Behind the Glass: A Recording Engineer’s Journey
Location: The Chairworks, Perseverence Works, Morrison Street, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4BE – directions
Description: Lecture by Walter Samuel
Start Time: 18:30
Date: Tuesday 21st June 2011

Part 1: Life Behind the Glass – a Recording Engineer’s Journey

It’s not every day that you have an opportunity to gain an insight into the mind of a renowned engineer whose career has spanned several decades.

In the first of our three-part event, hosted by Chairworks Studio, Walter will talk about his life as an engineer through the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s.  Starting at Nova Sound Studio in London as a tape operator in 1973, after six months he joined CBS as a junior engineer where he was trained by his mentor Mike Ross-Trevor. After a year Walter returned to Nova as senior engineer.

When a return to CBS was offered, Walter accepted, working throughout the 1980s with artists such as Tina Turner, Talk Talk, Heaven 17 and Blancmange. He also remixed one of the biggest selling singles of the decade, Jennifer Rush’s The Power of Love.

Into the 1990s and the position of chief engineer was offered at Utopia Studios which Walter accepted. A year later he made the decision to become a freelance engineer/ producer and worked at all the major studios in the UK and Europe. During this time he engineered and co-produced albums for Irish legends Christy Moore and Van Morrison.

There will be plenty of opportunity for Q&A, so bring all those burning questions with you!

Part 2: Recording Session with Walter using DPA Microphones

During a recording session arranged especially for this event, Walter will demonstrate the recording techniques he has used throughout his career, using DPA Microphones. On offer will be a wide selection of DPA microphones for your perusal, with on-hand specialist knowledge of their applications available courtesy of Sound Network.

Part 3: Chairworks Studio Tour

There will a guided tour around Chairworks Studio, one of the UK’s most highly-specified studio complexes.

Pre-registration is essential. There are still a few places left, so book now to avoid disappointment. E-mail north[at]aes-uk.org to reserve your place.

Title: The Eigenharp – a radically new musical instrument
Location: Royal Academy of Engineering, London, SW1Y 5DG
Description: Lecture and demonstration by John Lambert and Geert Bevin
Start Time: 18:30 for 19:00
Date: Tuesday 14th June 2011

Abstract

Developed in the UK, the Eigenharp represents a significant departure from previous electronic instruments. A wholly new sensor design, software system and physical form factor combine to make a highly expressive and inspiring experience for the musician who wishes to use software synthesis and sampling. The instrument has a growing following and a number of important artists now own them including film composer Hans Zimmer, Grammy award winner Imogen Heap and saxophonist Courtney Pine.

The talk will introduce the instrument and demonstrate its capabilities, before exploring the engineering challenges that were encountered and solved as part of its eight year development process. The sensor design, physical layout and communications system will be described along with a discussion on the importance of different types of software instruments, the emerging Open Sound Control standard and the use and limitations of MIDI in expressive environments. 

John Lambert will be accompanied by Geert Bevin, a senior software engineer and musician at Eigenlabs who will be demonstrating and playing the instrument.

Time permitting, there will be an opportunity to try an Eigenharp at the end of the talk.

Title: Mixing Out of the Box… The New Way?
Location: Leeds University, School of Music, Leeds, LS2 9JT
Description: Lecture by Simon Humphrey, The ChairWorks Studio
Start Time: 18:30
Date: Tuesday 17th May 2011

Abstract

Simon Humphrey is a recording engineer and producer based at the ChairWorks, a thriving independent recording facility in Castleford, near Leeds.

Simon will discuss the burning questions that ‘float’ around today when it comes to the role of the engineer, producer and recording studio. He will tackle that all-too-often-questioned subject of recording studios and their validity in a modern recording industry – ‘why do studios matter?’

Using the ChairWorks Studio as a blueprint, Simon will discuss ‘how they do it’.  While some may think studios are the ‘kiss of death’, we will hear, perhaps most importantly, ‘why do they do it?’

Moving on to studio equipment, Simon puts forward the question, ‘Mixing out of the box, the New way?’  Computers could have consigned analogue mixers and the outboard rack to history, but they haven’t. Simon will discuss Rack V’s plug-ins and explain how they work together with outboard on a mix.

Simon’s experience working in education has allowed students a privileged door to the inner workings of the music Industry and it seems students everywhere ask the same three ‘golden questions’. Simon will discuss and give his answers to these.

Throughout, Simon will be talking about his career over the past almost 40 years. It is a invaluable look into the life of a seasoned engineer’s career through the decades, whose work many see as the benchmark of engineering today.