Day 2: Let the Geeks Begin!

Wow.? Okay.? So since last year, I felt I learned a hell of a lot about audio, though I think in the last two days I’ve learned as much as I have in the last year.? Or at least, I’ve learned about a few key principles and the thinking that goes on in the mind of the seasoned pros, which is that kind of experiential learning that you come all the way to this kind of thing to learn about.

After a riveting breakfast at local coffee shop Cup O’ Joe, we broke into our first workshop sessions — for me, a writing for audio course moderated by Joel Pierson and then a recording shop lead by a cast of serious audio professionals… broken in the middle somewhere by a lunch put on by the good graces of Sennheiser, who sent a pro to get grilled by NATF’s best while we drooled over top-end Neumann mics.

All seemed on track until the reality of dinner loomed overhead.? Sunday in downtown West Plains makes Jerome, AZ look like a budding metropolis.? And with no means of transportation except my feet (and a blazing 85+ degree sun overhead), things started to look grim.

Luckily, I intercepted a group of other NATF’ers hanging out at the Civic Center and through a variety of hoop jumping and coercing (okay, accepting the generosity) of strangers, we caravaned over to a modest but delicious Mexican restaurant, El Charro’s.? Sadly, this mad us all terribly late for the Podcasting and New Media round table.

Though I may have missed the first half of this vigorous session, I jumped in for what I could and my mind was not alone in a buzzing of possibility… centralized sites for audio theater sharing, PRX-style… an audio-theater only Audible?? Though the road is a long ways ahead, we all pretty much shared the conviction that the technology and the people are here, and now it’s just a matter of pulling it all together.