News

Tours Get Technical at the Convention

New York City (October 9, 2003)--The following is a list of the Technical Tours that are slated for the 115th AES Convention.

Friday, October 10

9 a.m--noon
T-1: Ed Sullivan Theatre--Upgrade to High Definition

1 p.m.--4 p.m.
T-2: Sync Sound Recording Studio
Sync Sound is a full-service, 12-room, audio post-production facility specifically designed to accommodate all aspects of analog and digital sound for pictures. The facility features sound editing and design, ADR, Foley, an extensive sound effects library, mixing in stereo, surround, 5.1 for DVD and laybacks to all video formats

.Saturday, October 11

9 a.m.--noon
T-3: The History of FM and Alpine Tower
Richard Burden and Leonard Kahn will lecture on the history of broadcasting as you are whisked to Edwin Howard Armstrong's facility. While in college, Armstrong invented the regenerative circuit, ushering into existence the first amplifying receiver and the first reliable continuous wave transmitter. In 1918, he invented the superheterodyne circuit, a highly selective receiver, which greatly amplified weak signals. Upon these designs rest the development of radio and television. In 1933, Major Armstrong invented FM. This facility was the first home of FM and the nucleus of the Yankee Network.

9 a.m.--noon
T-4: Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center
The former Acoustics Laboratories of Columbia University houses the world's first electronic synthesizer, designed by inventor Harry Olson and built by RCA in 1939. It comprises 10 bays of 524 tubes. Such composers as Milton Babit, Luciano Berio, Charles Wuorinen, Walter Carlos and many others have composed on this very machine.

1 p.m.--4 p.m.
T-5: The Movies Gain A Voice!--The Loew's Jersey Theater
In the Loew's Jersey Theater, one of the few remaining "movie palaces" that were ubiquitous in 1920's America, resides the only complete Vitaphone sound system, the first sound for movies. Ron Hutchinson of the Vitaphone project will give a site visit of this historic equipment.

Sunday, October 12

9 a.m.--noon
T-6: Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall
Replacing the cinema and carved from Manhattan bedrock under Carnegie Hall resides the new 644-seat Zankel Hall. The acoustician is AES Fellow Chris Jaffe. Tour of the sound system is by Danny Mei and Paul Garrity of Auerbach theatrical consultants.

1 p.m.--4 p.m.
T-7: KAS Music & Sound at Kaufman Astoria Studios
While we won't see the Marx Brothers, Bill Cosby or Woody Allen, we will see KAS Music & Sound, the resident recording studio at this nation's first multi-stage movie studio. Dating from 1920, Kaufman Astoria Studios boasts nine sound stages for film and television production. Be on the lookout for Kermit and Miss Piggy doing a spot for the Army's Signal Corps.

Monday, October 13

9 a.m.--noon
T-8: Studio Open House--Avatar and The Hit Factory
Avatar: Some of the finest acoustic recording space in New York was created in 1977 when Tony Bongiovi transformed a Con Edison power station into a 33,000-square-foot multi-room facility. The four premium studios contain four classic consoles and a history of more than 400 gold and platinum albums out of the thousands of rock and jazz recordings created there.
The Hit Factory: Established in 1975 by Edward Germano, The Hit Factory is one of the premier recording facilities in the history of the recording industry. A virtual who's who of the recording industry has recorded at The Hit Factory from their first major record, Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life to Beyonce's Crazy in Love. This facility houses seven recording studios, four mastering suites and five pre-production rooms.

1 p.m.--4 p.m.
T-9: Vinyl Rules!--Brooklynphono Pressing Plant
With ever more demand for vinyl, a new record pressing plant, Brooklynphono, is birthed under the tender care of Thomas Bernica, master of the 120-ton ram. He is ably assisted by international mastering engineer, Paul Gold.