The Verband Deutscher Tonmeister e.V. (VDT) is a registered association for audio industry professionals. [1] [2] The VDT has evolved from the Deutsche Filmtonmeister-Vereinigung (which focused on film sound professionals) that was founded in Munich in 1950. [3]
There are currently more than 1900 members [4] in the VDT that are either freelancers or employed in various institutions; e.g. in the film business, radio broadcasting, television, recording studios, record labels, theaters and performance venues, the audio equipment producing industry, research and development, multimedia education and other audio related areas of occupation. Students preparing for a job in the audio industry are also members of the VDT, making up roughly 10%. [5]
Even though the designation of Tonmeister is a fixed part of the name of the association its members carry many other job titles like audio engineer, sound director, music director, sound designer, producer, record producer and music supervisor. The occupational title Tonmeister, although created in the 1930s, is not protected in Germany and does not describe a clearly defined occupation. Thematically the goals and activities of the VDT are related to those of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), even if there is no formal connection.
Tonmeister is most often found as a job description in the music and recording industries. It describes a person who is a sound master : a person who creates recordings or broadcasts of music who is both deeply musically trained and also who has a detailed theoretical and practical knowledge of virtually all aspects of sound recording, music mixing and mastering. Both competencies have equal importance in a tonmeister's work.
An audio engineer helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, and reinforcement of sound. Audio engineers work on the "...technical aspect of recording—the placing of microphones, pre-amp knobs, the setting of levels. The physical recording of any project is done by an engineer ... the nuts and bolts." It's a creative hobby and profession where musical instruments and technology are used to produce sound for film, radio, television, music, and video games. Audio engineers also set up, sound check and do live sound mixing using a mixing console and a sound reinforcement system for music concerts, theatre, sports games and corporate events.
A music director, musical director, or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization, for example the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the director of music of a film, the director of music at a radio station, the person in charge of musical activities or the head of the music department in a school, the coordinator of the musical ensembles in a university, college, or institution, the head bandmaster of a military band, the head organist and choirmaster of a church, or an organist and master of the choristers.
The biennial Tonmeistertagung [6] (VDT International convention) combines an international scientific conference and workshop program with a trade fair, focusing on applied research and technical excellence. [7] It has been in existence since 1949. [8] Similarly the International Tonmeister Symposium, dedicated to one thematic complex, is analogous to the AES-conferences. The Tonmeister Academy as initiated by the VDT offers educational classes and advanced training sessions.
The VDT award Golden Bobby [9] is awarded in seven categories for outstanding performance in sound recording and mixing. Since 2002 the VDT also bestows a medal of honour [10] on members who have rendered outstanding services to the profession of sound engineers and the audio industry. Prominent recipients are Peter K. Burkowitz [11] (developer of the REDD mixing console at EMI's Abbey Road Studios; writer of the technical part of Recording the Beatles), David Griesinger (of Lexicon) and Eberhard Sengpiel.
The EMI REDD .17, .37 and .51 were vacuum tube based mixing consoles designed by EMI for their Abbey Road Studios. They were used to mix several influential albums, including most of the Beatles' albums and the first two Pink Floyd albums.
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, which owned it until Universal Music took control of part of EMI in 2013.
Recording The Beatles (ISBN 0-9785200-0-9) is a book by Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew, published by Curvebender Publishing in September 2006.
