Review
From November 22-25, 2012, the Tonmeistertagung took place at the Congress Centrum Nord of the Cologne Exhibition Center for the first
time. The biennial international professional convention, which also features an exhibition, left the former venue – the CCL at Leipzig – and moved to the city by the Rhine River. This follows the VDT’s long-standing tradition of changing the location
of the Tonmeistertagung every couple of years. Centrally located in Europe, Cologne is the perfect place for the Tonmeistertagung thanks
to its ideal national and international transport links and the large number of broadcasters, recording studios, and production
companies nearby.
Traditionally, the Tonmeistertagung is a top-class expert meeting for audio professionals, producers, artists, vendors, suppliers, developers, and producers and has definitely succeeded in acting as a catalyst for valuable exchange of experience,
practical information, and new views and ideas. Areas covered at the convention were broadcasting, film, video, and recording production as well as interactive media, distribution and program exchange, stage and events, production of hardware and
software, research and development, and education and training.
The international congress offered profound insight into the latest trends in the industry:
- PAPERS – Selected technical contributions on practical topics
- WORKSHOPS – With a focus on practical work and on aspects of listening and viewing
- POSTER SESSIONS – Authors presented and explained their working results
- ROUNDTABLES – Expert talks on current issues and developments
- TMT ACADEMY – 'Hands On' sessions in studio environments
- TALK BACK – A forum for presenting and reviewing recordings
- EDUCATION FORUM – 12 universities provided information on their course programs
- EXHIBITION – Professional audio and video technology at a glance
- PRODUCT REPORTS – On the latest products and innovations
- TECHNICAL TOURS – Cologne: the media city and its environment
With regard to the flood of information available on the Internet today, the Tonmeistertagung 2012 stood out as an indispensable counterbalance. Branch-specific information first-hand and face-to-face, competent experts ready to answer questions
on the spot, and personal exchange of practical experience between fellow audio professionals has once more made the Tonmeistertagung the leading future-oriented platform. A key aspect were the daily Get Together meetings in the evenings—with
great bands performing and free beer.
A total of 5,735 visitors attended the 27th Tonmeistertagung, which is an increase of almost 80 percent. 144 exhibitors represented 225 brands in total at 92 exhibition booths and showrooms. All in all, 285 authors presented 185 lectures,
workshops, round tables, and posters.
The next Tonmeistertagung will again take place at the CCN in Cologne in November 2014—with even more exhibition space, larger halls for presenting papers and workshops, and a relocated reception suitable for handling the once more expected rush of visitors.
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