From Wednesday, Oct. 8 through Sunday, Oct. 12, music technology professor Steve Sue took students to the Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention in Los Angeles, Calif.
“The Audio Engineering Society is a professional organization for audio engineers,” says Sue. “It covers everything from people who make records, recording engineers and producers, to people who design equipment like microphones, speaker systems and recording devices.”
One of the reasons in taking these students to the convention was to get their own section in the AES Convention.
The “Student Section” within AES’s international professional community is designed specifically for students. While at the convention, they can attend special events where they can be mentored by professional recording engineers, equipment manufactures, and designers.
One former student who has raised awareness for himself as well as for Salt Lake Community College is Ryan Moody. Moody graduated from the Media Music Program at SLCC and was a pupil of Sue’s this past spring.
As part of the Music Production Group class, Moody designed a project that uses controllers that can be attached or worn over clothing. Dancers can trigger MIDI notes and events from these various controllers on their costumes.
With a background in Electronic Music, Ryan came up with this idea for a ballet he wanted to write with a contemporary, electric style of music. Basically, the dancers would perform to the music Moody composed by using the rhythmic motions of their bodies.
“The classes I took at Salt Lake Community College was fundamental in what I needed in building a foundation for my idea,” says Moody.
Moody won a silver award for the design competition at the AES convention.
The AES Convention has different categories for student competitions in a wide range of fields such as studio recording, home music recordings, and live music recordings and design, which is for students who are designing their own equipment.
SLCC was competing against 15 to 20 other students from very well-known colleges and universities.
“For a student from a community college program to come out and show up these huge colleges was a big deal for us. I’m really proud of him,” says Sue. “He really took the initiative and worked really hard to teach himself to do a lot of specialized things to make it work.”
Ryan really dove into the process of designing this system. He designed the boxes for the piece himself. Instead of buying any off-the shelf-components, he taught himself how to do 3D printing to create the boxes.
After Moody’s success at the conference, he gave some advice to those interested in creating something.
“Try to find a gap or hole that you would be a good fit for,” says Moody.
Other students are seeing the importance of the trip to California to attend the AES convention.
“My overall experience with AES was mind blowing,” says Brook Cummings, SLCC student and coordinator for locating and orchestrating volunteers for live sound events for Club Resonance. “The lectures, demonstrations, and networking were priceless. Being a player at this level of the game felt almost hallmark. Just being there and listening to the knowledge of the giants in the industry was reward enough. I can’t wait to be more involved in AES and [become] a possible chairman someday.”
Brook’s involvement with Club Resonance stems from a live sound perspective. Resonance sets up, crafts and personalizes the sound for SLCC events.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better learning position as a student. I’m getting first-hand tools to carry with me in perusing a career,” says Cummings. “I was also given the privilege to take over orchestrating and arranging the open mics here on campus.”
Club Resonance, in honor of their accomplishments within the AES, was awarded a charter for the club. Another one of many challenges to overcome in their future as a full-fledged club.
Congratulations to all the members of the club and a special congratulations to Ryan Moody for taking home the silver award for the Design Competition at the AES convention.
For more insight on Ryan Moody and his award-winning design, visit his website at www.sus0.com.
For information on how to join Club Resonance, contact Steve Sue at steve.sue@slcc.edu.
The club is open to any SLCC students interested in music production and meets on Fridays once a month.
