Why AES?
Designers and manufacturers may derive different benefits from involvement in AES than engineers and artists, which is part of the beauty of AES. Some join for the member benefits, some for the camaraderie, and others because, as the preeminent audio society, we are the place students and professionals go for Standards and technical advice. We are an expansive organization including brilliant scientists and practitioners involved in the art and science of audio, ranging from those who are just breaking into the business to those who are retired and giving back. We share a love of audio and value the depth and history that brought us here. We have come a long way in the 76 years since AES started as the first organization dedicated to audio, and we remain the only significant organization that continues that tradition of innovation, education, and sharing information.
What tradition? I’m glad you asked! AES was founded by a group of scientists and manufacturers in 1948. Their reasoning was sound (no pun intended!). Many of them worked for record labels or radio stations, companies like RCA, Columbia, Capitol, Decca, and Victor. These companies were competitors and did not share information with each other, however the scientists and designers who worked for them recognized that by sharing their discoveries and methods, they made the entire industry stronger. That underlying philosophy of camaraderie and collegiality still informs AES today. When I attended my first AES convention 42 years ago at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, this congenial atmosphere among the most brilliant people in our business is what jumped out at me and what drew me in. Here we were, in a most competitive business, yet we were talking, laughing, sharing our thoughts, discoveries and ideas, and having a great time together!
And we still do that today, 76 years later!
Of course we have come a long way since then. We no longer hold our US conventions in hotels, and while so much of what we do has moved to electronic means, there is still nothing that compares to those in-person events! I look forward to all the great events this year, Conventions in Warsaw May 22nd-24th, Mexico City August 15th-17th, and Long Beach, California October 23rd-25th, along with Conferences on Breaking Barriers in Audio April 3rd-5th, Headphone Technology in Aalto, Finland August 27th-29th, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning in London September 8th-10th. These events continue the tradition of education informed by audio history, sharing ideas, and having fun with like-minded people.
As far as where we are today and how far we have come, I invite you to explore the AES website at aes.org. For those who cannot make it to our in-person events, or for something to check out between events, our website offers an expansive view of audio ranging from our humble beginnings through to the cutting-edge technology of tomorrow.
I visit the website frequently. I was there today and once again enjoyed a state of wonder and amazement over all the incredible resources that are available.
First, I wandered into the AES E-library under Publications. I usually go there when I have something specific to research, or when I'm showing a student how to use this valuable resource (and reminding them they need to be signed in). This time, I just stumbled around and ran into whatever I ran into, starting randomly with a search for the letter ‘S’. The first hit was a paper from 1958 about Equalization. The rest of the offerings spanned 76 years of our history on topics too varied to cover here, even if I devoted this entire message to the task!
The wealth and depth of shared knowledge and the audio history revealed in the E-Library is consistently mind-boggling. A significant part of the reason I stepped into leadership at AES 20 years ago was to connect our past to our future. This resource does that. It gives our students and young engineers access to everything audio that came before. It connects them to what we do, how it used to be done, and how and why that has changed. More than that, the recent papers in the E-Library show us all what’s on the horizon – exploring new ideas and new technology. Want to know what we’ll be talking about next year? Check out the Journal of the Audio Engineering Society and recent entries in the E-Library to see what’s coming up.
Next I wandered over to AES Live: Videos under Resources at aes.org, someplace I usually visit with students who are visual learners, and clicked on Recording and Production (a subject near and dear to my heart). I was greeted with interviews and talks by industry giants like Al Schmitt and George Massenburg. If you haven’t been there in a while, I strongly suggest a visit; it’s more entertaining and enlightening than anything I’ve seen on TV in a while!
I feel like I learn something new and insightful – even brilliant – every time I dig a little deeper into the website. I probably learn as much through our rich online resources as I do at our events! I mentioned those events earlier, and I hope to see you there. We have a strong lineup of events for 2025, all listed above and on the AES website, and I encourage you to take a look and see which ones fit your interests and your schedule.
And when I see you at one of the six great events coming up this year, maybe you can tell me what part of aes.org is your favorite!
About the Author
AES President Gary Gottlieb’s professional career spans over a decade of recording and production as an NY engineer, 30 years in education – including 15 as a Professor and Chair at Webster University among other colleges – writing, broadcast work, sound design and sound reinforcement. The width and breadth of his career demonstrates how many unique facets there are to audio, and he enjoys serving all constituencies in an effort to continue the growth of the AES. To ensure all are welcome, Gottlieb has served as the Chair of the Conference Policy and Events Coordination Committees, as Regional Vice President, on the Board of Governors, and on the section level as a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Faculty Advisor and Liaison. In over 40 years of attending AES conventions, including 20 years active in leadership, he has focused on transparency, member engagement and technical advancement. Through his diverse career path, he has built a strong interest in bridging the past and future of audio, and he is currently working on Second Editions of two of his three books.