29th Tonmeistertagung: Exciting program, fully booked exhibition

From technical to artistic aspects
Recently, the VDT organizers reviewed the many contributions and compiled an extensive congress program for the 29th Tonmeistertagung, highlighting current topics. This time, the large Adenauersaal hall on the ground floor will be dedicated to the topics Musical / Stage, which address issues such as scenic automation and managing large radio installations including intercom. Latest trends in sound reinforcement technologies is another related subject, and will see discussion of technologies such as beam steering and subwoofer array technologies. As always, three acoustically optimized lecture halls with surround systems will be available, as well as one small lecture hall and one large hall for suspending large sound reinforcement systems.
A number of sessions will be dedicated to the arts of sound recording and production. Internationally renowned speakers, both in classical music and in pop, rock and jazz, will share their knowledge with the audience. The congress program is worth a look!

Virtual Reality and 3D audio
3D audio and Virtual Reality or 360° video will likewise receive plenty of attention. The focus will be on recording and reproduction technologies as well as on the artistic questions how and for what purpose this new technology is used best. Various sessions will spotlight trends in developing, recording and producing 3D audio and Virtual Reality. One of the lecture halls will be fitted with a flexible three-dimensional sound reinforcement system that enables all major reproduction standards from Ambisonics, Auro 3D, Dolby Atmos and several special formats. A session will examine binaural reproduction via headphones with a demonstration in the room. Over 30 hours of the VDT program are devoted to VR and 3D audio. The IRT Themed Day, which is particularly popular with colleagues from the broadcasting industry, further emphasizes the importance of these topics: It is dedicated entirely to Virtual Reality.

The focus for young visitors
The Tonmeistertagung has always been a top-class expert meeting for audio professionals of every type. In addition to Tonmeisters, sound engineers and sound technicians in all their facets, this is where producers, artists, manufacturers, suppliers, developers, and scientists find a platform for sharing their experiences and practical information, and gaining fresh perspectives and new impulses. A wide range of diverse fields are discussed, from broadcasting to film and video, recording production, interactive media, distribution and program exchange to stage and events, and production of hardware and software. Research and development as well as apprenticeship and vocational training are addressed separately, ensuring that everyone from the industry will find topics that grab their interest.

The program runs parallel in five halls to ensure that the large number of topics and target audiences are actually satisfied. Again, one of the rooms is devoted to the TMT Academy and our format for discussing recordings, the talkbacks. With this, VDT is specifically addressing young visitors, of which a gratifying number are finding their way to the Tonmeistertagung.

Alongside the IRT Themed Day already mentioned above, the Live Mixing Workshop by d&b, Neumann & Müller, Sennheiser and Yamaha will kick off the event and due to its hands-on approach is particularly popular with younger colleagues starting their career. Prior to the Live Mixing Workshop, the VDT will host a trainee forum on Thursday morning to take up questions such as: “What do we expect from applicants and what perspectives do we offer?”, “Training and continuing education at the ARD/ZDF Media Academy”, “100% - The Event Industry's Job Training Initiative” and “What's next? Studying after training.” A lot of major universities and companies from audio and media will present themselves in the Education forum. Several tutorials and workshops will round off the professional orientation and continuing education topics.

Booking system new and fast
The VDT anticipates about 5 500 visitors – a very high number, which has become the norm since the event moved to the Cologne Congress Centre. In order to make registration as smooth as possible and keep waiting times short in the first couple of days, the VDT has opted for a new booking system. It enables online booking via smartphone, even on location, which relieves the counter so that generally all that is left is to collect the tickets.
The tickets provide access to the congress program and exhibition. To reflect the trend towards short exhibition visits, for the first time the VDT will also offer two-day tickets for Thursday/Friday and Saturday/Sunday.
Student members of VDT will once again be able to take part in the entire Tonmeistertagung, including the talks, free. If you are a student but not yet a member of VDT, and wish to use the occasion of the Tonmeistertagung in Cologne to become one, you can become a member at the convention and enjoy the benefits of this rule immediately.

An accomplished event
Sharing experiences and personal contact to other audio professionals form another pillar of the Tonmeistertagung besides information for professionals. There are a large number of additional events, ranging from excursions to interesting installations, companies and sights to parties in the evening.

The congress opens on Thursday with a keynote by Prof. Dr. Wünsch, Professor for Event Communcation and Media Aesthetics at the SRH Hochschule der populären Künste in Berlin. On Friday and Saturday, the VDT invites you to join the get-together parties in the large hall from 7 p.m. on, where free beer from VDT sponsor SALZBRENNER media will be served and you can enjoy music performed by the Joscho Stephan Quartett. The concert with the Sebastian Müller Band on Saturday evening will be a special highlight, and admission is free for everyone attending the Tonmeistertagung. Interested participants can enjoy the band's sound check live from 5 p.m. on.
The program of the convention, consisting of nearly 100 lectures, about 20 poster presentations, 35 workshops, almost 10 round tables, one talkback series to discuss extraordinary recordings, a TMT Academy aimed at young talent, and several tutorials and excursions, is available online at www.tonmeister.de.

An overview of the facts on the 29th Tonmeistertagung:
17th to 20th of November 2016, Congress Centrum Nord, Cologne

Opening hours for registration:
Wednesday: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Thursday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Opening hours for the exhibition:
Thursday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Congress program:
General congress program (lectures, workshops, tutorials, talkbacks, TMT Academy, etc.):
Thursday: 12.30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday, Saturday: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
IRT Themed Day: Thursday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Trainee forum: Thursday, 11 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.
Live mixing event: Thursday, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

About the Tonmeistertagung
The Tonmeistertagung is a top-class expert meeting for audio professionals, producers, artists, vendors, suppliers, developers, and scientists. It provides a valuable impetus to professional audio experts from all sectors of the industry, as well as an overview of the latest trends in product development, research and application. Practical information for day-today operations receive as much attention as the fundamentals for new topics and findings in research.
The Tonmeistertagung builds primarily on the quality and authenticity of the information. It conveys first-hand industry information in personal talks. Qualified contact persons available for questions on location, as well as the possibility to exchange ideas with colleagues on practical issues, make it indispensable as a source of knowledge.
Areas covered include broadcasting, film, video, recording production as well as networked audio, interactive media, distribution and program exchange, stage and events, production of hardware and software, research and development, and education and training.