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DMI students attend national audio conference

Delta Music Institute student Mic Hargrove (left), DMI audio instructor Miles Fulwider and student Ben Murray attended the 137th Audio Engineering Society Convention in Los Angeles, Calif. Oct. 9-12.

Two Delta State University students attended the 137th Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. Oct. 9-12 as representative’s of the Delta Music Institute.

Ben Murray, a senior entertainment industry studies major from Sikeston, Mo., and Mic Hargrove, a junior EIS major from Grenada, Miss, were joined by DMI audio instructor Miles Fulwider for the four days of panels and professional workshops focused on audio technology topics.

Topics included audio fidelity, production techniques and GRAMMY panel presentations. Multiple workshop tracks included student/career, live sounds, broadcast, studio production, post production and technical and standard committees. This year’s AES convention addressed multiple issues surrounding the rapidly changing music and entertainment industry.

DMI students were able to meet and learn from legendary producers and engineers, including Alan Parsons (Beatles, Pink Floyd), Ken Scott (Beatles and David Bowie), Geoff Emerick (Beatles), Jack Joseph Puig (The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Keith Urban, Green Day, Lady Gaga), Chuck Ainlay (Dire Straits, Dixie Chicks), Mikes O’Donnell (music composer for the Halo game series) and Bruce Swedien (engineer for Thriller by Michael Jackson).

Murray and Hargrove had the unique opportunity to submit their audio projects into the conference competition for evaluation by industry professionals, including a panel moderated by Ian Corbett and judged by Carma Bandstra (Bon Jovi, Stone Temple Pilots, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt) and William Crabtree (MTSU). In addition, Fulwider and the Delta State students promoted the DMI and Delta State as part of the AES conference college fair.

“It was amazing to have this kind of opportunity to compare my audio skills with those of my peers in such a prestigious and professional setting,” said Hargrove.

The AES is the only professional society devoted exclusively to audio technology. Founded in the United States in 1948, it has grown to become an international organization that unites audio engineers, creative artists, scientists and students worldwide by promoting advances in audio and disseminating new knowledge and research. Currently, over 14,000 members are affiliated with more than 75 AES professional sections and more than 95 AES student sections around the world. The DMI has been an active AES chapter for interested Delta State audio students.

The Delta Music Institute is an independent center of study under the College of Arts & Sciences at Delta State University, offering a bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Industry Studies. The focus of the DMI is to provide students with a broad and thorough education in the technological, creative and business areas of the music and entertainment industry. For information, contact 662-846-4579 or visit http://dmi.deltastate.edu.