INPUT
The Conscious Sound Byte
Electronic Music Pioneer & Technologist Thomas Dolby to Keynote AES New York
T
he Audio Engineering
Society has announced that
Thomas Dolby will deliver
the keynote address during
the Opening Ceremonies
of the AES New York 2018
International Convention.
Since he burst onto the music scene in
the 1980s with genre-warping composi-
tions and a pioneering production style
that embraced and exploited emerging
technologies, Prof. Dolby has been a semi-
nal influence on legions of musicians, fans,
and audio professionals alike. For decades,
his work has been introduced to suc-
cessive generations of audio production
students as instructors use his recordings
as examples of sonic excellence in music
engineering and critical listening courses.
While most widely known for his
work as a musician, producer, film score
composer, and filmmaker, Prof. Dolby is
also one of the world’s leading innova-
tors in digital technology and has served
as a technical consultant on emerging
entertainment platforms during his 35-
year career, including Laserdiscs, computer
games, interactive TV, virtual reality instal-
lations, and location-based entertainment.
His latest role is as an educator. Since
the fall of 2014, Thomas Dolby has held the
post of Homewood Professor of the Arts at
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.
With the title “The Conscious Sound Byte,”
Prof. Dolby’s AES Keynote address will
focus on next-generation sound technolo-
gies, in particular adaptive/non-linear
music and audio for games, VR/AR, “wear-
ables,” and other new media platforms.
“A big difference between ‘real’ and
‘electronic’ sounds is that electronic
sounds have zero awareness of each
other,” shares Prof. Dolby. “Sound bytes
blindly follow orders, and fire off (usually)
as instructed by a human. Yet musicians
playing ‘real’ instruments listen, resonate,
and respond to the music, the room, and
to each other, in a matter of microseconds.
“In the hands of master arranger or
programmer, this is not a problem,” he
continues. “Many of the nuances of real
music can be simulated quite effectively
as processor speeds, bandwidth, and
“Many of the nuances of real music can be simulated quite effectively as processor speeds,
bandwidth, and resolution improve. But as entertainment becomes more interactive, with
games and augmented reality and ‘wearable’ technologies, it is increasingly vital that
electronic sounds and music learn an awareness of the context in which they are playing.”
-Prof. Thomas Dolby
resolution improve. But as entertainment
becomes more interactive, with games
and augmented reality and ‘wearable’
technologies, it is increasingly vital that
electronic sounds and music learn an
awareness of the context in which they
are playing.
“Soon,” Prof. Dolby concludes, “all the
accumulated craft and skills of a century
of post-production legacy will have to
operate in real time, controlled not by the
programmer, but by the users themselves
via the choices they make. Is it time for us
to reconsider why our sound and music
files are so ‘dumb’ and rigid?”
“Thomas Dolby is uniquely qualified to
address the role of emerging technologies
in entertainment,” says Bob Moses, special
events chair for the 145 th AES International
Convention. “As the AES celebrates this
70 th anniversary of its own leadership in
technological innovation, there’s no more
appropriate voice to set the stage for four
days of immersion in all things audio.
Thomas’ influence on the way artists and
content creators embrace technology
is nothing short of iconic. His keynote
address is sure to be a highlight of the
convention.”
Prof. Dolby’s keynote address will fol-
low the opening ceremonies on Wednes-
day, Oct. 17 th , and is open to all AES New
York registered attendees.
AES New York 2018, happening Oct. 17-20
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
in New York City, will feature four full days
of technical program research presenta-
tions, workshops, and tutorials (October
17-20) and three days of exhibition floor
showcases and demos (October 17-19)
from leading names in professional audio
manufacturing and services, along with
the popular Project Studio Expo, Live
Sound Expo, and other specialized events.
www.aes.org/145.
PROFESSIONAL SOUND 9