5 Can’t-Miss Tech Panels at WMC 2019

Thursday, March 7th, 2019 | Stories

As one of the four key pillars at the newly relaunched Winter Music Conference (WMC), technology is what drives our scene and industry forward. From early versions of old-school DJ decks to modern-day touchscreen production gear, technology has played a pivotal role in the evolution of electronic music since day one.

At this year’s WMC, we’re hosting some of the leading companies pushing music technology forward via their groundbreaking products and gear. We’ve also curated a well-rounded and noteworthy program of panels, keynote discussions, educational workshops and product demos specifically focused on the technology changing today’s music industry. From cryptocurrency to artificial intelligence, we’re exploring the trends, products and developments blazing a new path in electronic music.

Here, we’ve compiled five can’t-miss tech panels at WMC 2019.

WMC 2019 Industry and Access badges and registration are now available.

Building the Future of VR and AR

As Time proclaimed in 2015, virtual reality is about to change the world. Across the planet, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences are becoming commonplace. From VR-enhanced music videos to Boiler Room’s virtual dance floor, VR and AR are also changing the way we experience live music and music education, among other things. In this panel, we’ll explore the future of VR and AR technologies and their effect on the music industry.

Panel Details

Tuesday, March 26
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Panelists

Tommy Goodkin, creative director and head of content of VR World, an entertainment technology company that creates immersive theme parks in urban settings
Duncan Ransom, founder and CEO of the Endless Collective, a full-service art, innovation and technology-driven production studio currently focused on creating experiential content across all industries
Daniel Drohojowski, executive producer at the Endless Collective

Artificial Composers: AI Music Artists

With artificial intelligence (AI) on a global rise, the futuristic technology is changing how music is made — in collaboration with musicians and independent of them. This panel will discuss the state of AI within the music industry, and how artists and industry insiders may be able to incorporate some new skills into their routines and campaigns.

Panel Details

Wednesday, March 27
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Panelists

Matt Aimonetti, CTO and co-founder of Splice, a cloud-based music creation and collaboration platform
Jonathan Bailey, CTO of audio technology company iZotope
Dani Deahl, a DJ/producer and a reporter and host for the Verge
Taishi Fukuyama, COO of Amadeus Code, an artificial-intelligence-powered songwriting assistant

Digital Collision: The Convergence of Esports, Gaming and Electronic Music Culture

Video games and music have gone hand in hand since the days of the original Mario Bros. title. Now more than ever, electronic music has infiltrated mainstream video game culture, with major artists, like deadmau5 and Marshmello, and even underground acts, like the Black Madonna and Solomun, getting in on the action. In this panel, esports and gaming experts will explore the convergence of esports, gaming and music and will discuss where it’s all heading.

Panel Details

Thursday, March 28
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Panelists

Afrojack, Grammy Award-winning producer and DJ
Niles Heron, COO of Loaded, which connects heroic brands and publishers with the right gaming talent for wildly creative, record-breaking promotions and endorsements across the video game industry
Chris White, CEO of Merlin Collective, a talent agency representing clients in esports, broadcast, music and entertainment
William Morris, former VP of gaming at Seven20, a music collective and management company

Crypto & Block Chain: The Future of Decentralized Transactions And Currency

A handful of industry insiders are betting that cryptocurrency and blockchain will revolutionize the music industry. In the electronic world, big-name artists like Gramatik, Gareth Emery and 3LAU have all jumped on the cryptocurrency and blockchain bandwagon. But could cryptocurrencies be the future of music? In this panel, we’ll dissect the role of cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies in music and what that means for the industry as a whole.

Panel Details

Tuesday, March 26
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Panelists

Vasja Veber, co-founder and COO of Viberate, the world’s biggest music network
Jesse Grushack, CEO of Ujo Music, a new, shared infrastructure for the creative industries built on the blockchain
Charlie Shrem, chief visionary officer of IQ, a premier advisory firm providing expert research, education and advice in the world of crypto assets
Vladislav Ginzburg, VP and head of business development of Blockparty, a blockchain-based platform for digital I.D.-based live event tickets
Katya Fisher, partner at Fisher Cataliotti, who focuses on representing international businesses and entrepreneurs with a specific focus on media and technologies such as blockchain, cybersecurity, cryptocurrency and AI

AFEM Presents – Get Played Get Paid: How the rise of Music Recognition Technology at DJ Events could put money in your pocket

In 2014, the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) launched its Get Played Get Paid initiative with one simple objective: When electronic music is played in clubs or at festivals by DJs, the people who make the music and own the rights should be paid the royalties due. Since its launch, the Get Played Get Paid campaign has seen a growing number of performing rights organizations (PROs) and neighboring rights organizations (NROs) adopting or trialing music recognition technology services for the purpose of identifying the music played. This panel will provide insights into how royalties are generated from DJ events, the different technology solutions being adopted and the challenges involved in the process of creating accurate royalty payments.

Panel Details

Thursday, March 28
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Panelists

Greg Marshall, general manager of AFEM, a not-for-profit trade association created to represent the common interests of those companies and individuals whose business is electronic music and to advocate best practices for the genre
Yuri Dokter, founder of DJ Monitor, the first rights monitoring company specializing in monitoring performances in the live entertainment, hospitality and electronic music industries
Alan Miller, co-founder of the Night Time Industries Association, a trade association and membership organization that promotes the unique contribution of the nighttime industry in the UK and internationally
Marc Azaïs, director of business development and foresight of the French Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM), a nonprofit private organization
Sophie Bloggs, artist management at YMU Group, the leading, integrated, international talent management company for clients in sport, music and entertainment
Sarah DeMarco, director of marketing for AWAL, a Kobalt company, which offers services including global distribution, marketing and release management, A&R, funding, playlist promotion, radio and PR, YouTube monetization and access to real-time comprehensive music data and insights through the AWAL App