link with more information <\/a>on this special Super Session!)<\/p>\nBut that’s only one of the special features of this year’s program.<\/p>\n
Studio engineering–then and now<\/h5>\n![\"brunching-with-bonzai1\"](\"http:\/\/twomaverix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Brunching-With-Bonzai1.jpg\")
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Before the official opening ceremonies, Day One of AES’ 2016 convention opened with a special event called “Brunching With Bonzai”.\u00a0 Award-winning photographer, journalist and author Mr. Banzai, a\/k\/a David Goggin, moderated a discussion of studio production with two generations of studio engineers: Dr. Jack Douglas and his son Blake.<\/p>\n
Dr. Jack Douglas, who produced John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Double Fantasy” album, talked about his days as a working musician in the 1960s.\u00a0 He started, he said, as a janitor in New York City–until a chance meeting with a member of The Who in 1969 gave him the opportunity to engineer “Who’s Next”.\u00a0 Next came engineering for John Lennon–on his classic Imagine.
\n<\/em><\/p>\nDouglas recalled working with Lennon on Double Fantasy, years later.\u00a0 “He loved technology.\u00a0 When we got into the studio he was curious about everything; he was crazy about new pedals.”![\"brunching-with-bonzai-4\"](\"http:\/\/twomaverix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Brunching-with-Bonzai-4.jpg\")
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Despite his talent, though, Douglas remembered Lennon as being very insecure about his work.\u00a0 Before going into the studio to record Double Fantasy, Lennon gave him cassettes of music on which he’d been working, for consideration for the album.<\/p>\n
“His first question: ‘Do you think this is any good at all?'” Douglas said.<\/p>\n
Blake said he vaguely recalled growing up in the studio with Lennon helping him push buttons–but was too young to be impressed.\u00a0 He started his own career, he said, as a DJ in the early ’90’s.\u00a0 Currently, he’s a studio engineer–but that’s only one of the hats he wears.<\/p>\n
“I do thirty different things.\u00a0 I get calls for, literally, thirty things a day,” he said.<\/p>\n
His father concurred: “If you just say, ‘I’m going to be an engineer-producer, you’re going to be a waiter.”<\/p>\n
A taste of things to come<\/h5>\n
Among the Thursday tutorials was an opportunity to get a feel for product management.<\/p>\n
![\"speak2me3_edited-1\"](\"http:\/\/twomaverix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Speak2Me3_edited-1.jpg\")
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Greg Riggs of Guitar Center and Scott Leslie, of Ashly Audio, conducted a\u00a0 morning session on “Product Management 101: The Business and Marketing Behind the Product”.<\/p>\n
“How might you find out what some of the most important customer values are (for what you want to supply)?” Leslie quizzed the audience.\u00a0 “Right–the reviews (on competitors’ products).”<\/p>\n
During this session, the audience received a preview of the product which the Saturday SuperSession will be developing: a high-end speaker, called Speak2Me.<\/p>\n
“We need to come up with, how do we know what the market opportunity is,” Leslie said, explaining that he’d researched the number of speakers which competitors sold yearly, world-wide.<\/p>\n
Branding, Riggs said, was an important consideration in creating a new product.\u00a0 “Does your brand allow you to go there?\u00a0 Does it fit with your brand?”<\/p>\n
![\"main-floor1\"](\"http:\/\/twomaverix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/main-floor1.jpg\")
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Meanwhile, the exhibit floors, demos and workshops were drawing a lot of interest.<\/p>\n
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People were enjoying growing and learning together as a community.<\/p>\n
![\"demo\"](\"http:\/\/twomaverix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/demo.jpg\")
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Discussions, overheard in the hallways, centered around transducers and connections–and ways to keep the audio field growing in the twenty-first century.<\/p>\n
Great Day 1, AES 2016!\u00a0 See you tomorrow–and we’re looking forward to Saturday.<\/p>\n
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