Carlsbad, CA (January 25, 2021)—The annual NAMM Show went virtual this year with its Believe in Music Week online gathering last week, and along with that, the annual TEC Awards, honoring the best in professional audio and sound production, also went online. As always, the annual event recognized efforts in Technical Achievement (pro audio equipment and services) and Creative Excellence (music making, live performances, video games, television and films).
“Despite the global pandemic, the industry continued to innovate, creating one of the largest collectives of product Nominees in the 35-year history of the awards. And given the world engaged in virtual interaction on an unprecedented level, the products honored helped connect us all by delivering music and sound across the world,” shared Eric Geer, TEC entries & nominations supervisor.
Additionally, the TEC Awards added five historical audio products to the TECnology Hall of Fame: Western Electric 639A Ribbon Microphone (1938); RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer (1957); 3M M56 16-Track Recorder (1968); Constant Directivity Horn, Don Keele (1975), and the Near Field Monitoring, Ed Long (1977).
Parts of the program are still watchable online after registering online http://attend.believeinmusic.tv.
…And the winners are:
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Amplification Hardware – Studio & Sound Reinforcement: JBL – DSi 2.0
Audio Apps & Hardware/Peripherals for Smartphones & Tablets: Eventide – Blackhole
Computer Audio Hardware: Universal Audio – Apollo x4
DJ Production Technology: Native Instruments – TRAKTOR KONTROL S3
Headphone/Earpiece Technology: AKG – K300 Series
Large Format Console Technology: Solid State Logic – ORIGIN
Microphone Preamplifiers: Neve – 1073OPX
Microphones – Recording: AKG – Lyra
Microphones – Sound Reinforcement: sE Electronics – V Series for Drums
Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects: Ampeg – Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT
Musical Instrument Hardware: Moog – Matriarch
Musical Instrument Software: Celemony – Melodyne 5
Production Essentials: Audinate Dante AVIO Adapters
Signal Processing Hardware: API – 2500+ Stereo Bus Compressor
Signal Processing Hardware – 500 Series Modules: AMS Neve – RMX16
Signal Processing Software – Dynamics/EQ/Utilities: Universal Audio – Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ Plug-In
Signal Processing Software – Effects: Waves – Abbey Road Saturator
Small Format Console Technology: Allen & Heath – Avantis
Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers: JBL – EON ONE Compact
Studio Monitors: Genelec – W371A Adaptive Woofer System
Wireless Technology: Shure – Axient Digital AD3 plug-on wireless transmitter
Workstation Technology/Recording Devices: Universal Audio – LUNA Recording System
NYU’s Clive Davis Institute Reinvents Itself in Brooklyn
Oscar-Winning Sound Mixer Stuart Wilson Talks Pre-‘1917’ Career
CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Studio Design Project: Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU-FM Design
Film Sound Production: 1917, Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures/Entertainment One
Interactive Entertainment Sound Production: Star Wars Jedi – Fallen Order, Respawn Entertainment
Record Production/Album: Hyperspace, Beck, Capitol Records
Record Production/Single or Track: Fear Inoculum, Tool, Tool Dissectional and Volcano and RCA
Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast: Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince, CBS
Television Sound Production: The Mandalorian (Season 1), Disney+
TEC Awards • www.tecawards.org
