Q: Why is there a TapeOpCon in the first place?
A: Larry Crane and Craig Schumacher first conceived TapeOpCon in a bit of slightly drunken anger in a hotel room at SXSW in 2001 after a recording panel they both were on. It seems Craig was annoyed at the lack of any real forum that addressed what engineers have to go through. Sure SXSW and CMJ have some panels but it is really for bands. The audio community has AES but the AES show has evolved to being a behemoth that focuses more on gear. NAMM is all gear as well. Since Tape Op was already the alternative recording magazine, why not sponsor a conference.

Q: Who comes to the conference?
A: TapeOpCon is open to all recording enthusiasts. It is everyone from well-respected producers and engineers to people who are just starting out. It is also a chance to meet with the writers and staff of the magazine. Keep an eye on this website for whose going to be this years panelists.

Q. Why is it in June this year?
A. We picked the June 10th to 12th because it is between all the above-mentioned audio related conferences. This year, AES Europe falls on Memorial Day weekend so we moved our date two weeks post that event as some of our sponsors and exhibitors as well as panelists will be in Barcelona over Memorial Day weekend.

Q. Why New Orleans?
A. Of all the cities in this country, few offer the hospitality of the Big Easy. It's the birthplace of jazz and has always been a very important part of the American musical melting pot. New Orleans has a vibe like nowhere else in the world. It also has the historic Orpheum Theater we like to hold our panels in and our host hotel, The Fairmont is right across the street.

Q. Why should I spend all that money in the registration, travel, food, and lodging when I could put that very same money towards improving my studio?
A. There is no correct answer for this one. Ultimately, it comes down to realizing that not all the improvements one can make to their recording studio is physical. Recording is about people first and is a career of service. No gear manual is going to teach how to work with people. You won't meet any of your peers sitting at home either. You will never be able to solicit so many opinions about gear and recording from home as you will with this conference. There must be something worth getting together over when you look at the list of names of panelists who have agreed in principle to participate. And finally, unlike gear purchases, the entire expense of the conference is tax deductible in 2005.

Q. Are there discounts available?
A. We offer a 15% discount to qualifying groups of 5 people or more. Go to the registration page for more details.

Q. Can I volunteer to help and get in that way?
A. While we do use volunteers as staff, we need to draw from the local community. If you are traveling to the conference, it makes little sense to spend the money on everything else to get there and then miss the conference because you are too busy volunteering as staff.

Q. I've heard you have bands that play in the evenings. Can I submit my band for consideration?
A. The TapeOpCon does not need unsolicited bands for the conference. We cannot help you get noticed. We are not CMJ or SXSW.

Q. I’m not sure what workshops will be right for me. What should I do?
A. The workshop program this year is more open ended and you will be able to move around during the workshops. We only ask that you are respectful of others and if you come in late, be quiet when entering a workshop in progress. You also should defer any questions to those who attended the entire workshop as your line of inquiry may have already been covered during the parts you missed.

Q. Can I record the conference myself?
A. It would be pretty ironic to not allow recording at a recording convention! People have brought their mini disc and walkmans to the past conferences and we do not ban them. We cannot provide power or audio feeds to any one person so don't chum up to us when we are working FOH at The Orpheum. We ask that you be discreet and mindful of the people around you if you choose to bring your recorder. Please do not distribute copies of the panels to anyone, as we need to control the "official" content of the conference in order to insure its continued success.

Q. Will I be able to ask questions?
A. Both the workshops and panels will feature Q and A time. The workshops, being smaller and more intimate will offer the best opportunity for you to interact. The main panel sessions will also have Q and A at the end but we may solicit the questions in advance this year as The Orpheum Theater is spread out. We will come up with the best system we can by conference time.

Q. Will there be beer there?
A. Are you kidding? We are in New Orleans! We will have beer for sale at both the sponsor exhibit area in The Fairmont and in the lobby of The Orpheum.

Q: Where can I eat while I'm there?
A: This year, we have scheduled a happy hour on Friday afternoon, a lunch and afternoon happy hour on Saturday, and a brunch and a lunch on Sunday. This food will be served in the International Room of The Fairmont Hotel, which is also our exhibitors' table area. See this year's schedule of events for times. We also have a downloadable "Where To Eat" list [in Adobe PDF format] and will also publish this info in the program guide.

Finally, if there is question we did not cover here, please contact our conference director, Craig Schumacher.