Shaping the future of music
Music Expo San Francisco
November 9, 2024 | Music City SF
presented by
1
Day
500+
Attendees
30+
Sessions
25+
Companies
Connect, Create, Grow
Whether you’re an emerging music creator or a seasoned professional aiming to elevate your skills, Music Expo is the place to be. Dive into the latest in music technology, seize unique opportunities, and connect face-to-face with fellow artists and industry leaders. Don’t miss out on your chance to boost your career and ignite your creative spark.
Speakers
Our speaker line up is continuously evolving as we confirm new ones. Check back often for the latest information.
Otis McDonald
Producer, Multi-instrumentatlist
Cigarbox Man
Songwriter, Producer, Luthier, DJ
Trovarsi
Composer, Producer, Live Peformance Artist
Nahuel Bronzini
Grammy Winning Mixer, Producer, Engineer
Briget Boyle
Vocalist, Guitarist, Songwriter
Michael Romanowski
Grammy Winning Mastering Engineer
Warren Huart
Producer, Songwriter, Multi-instrumentalist
Jacob Light
Musician, Producer, Audio Engineer
Piper Payne
Mastering Engineer, Vinyl Record Manufacturing Facility Owner
Matt Boudreau
Atmos Mixing Engineer
Steve Horowitz
Executive Director SFCM-Technology and Applied Composition
Sonia Mokhtari
Creative Audio Designer, Award-winning Composer
John Cuniberti
Recording, Mixing, Mastering Engineer
Kenya Moses
Marketing Strategist
Mark Needham
RIAA Diamond selling, Grammy nominated Producer and Mixer
Joi Rhone
Artist Manager
Jai Josefs
Songwriting Coach
John Scanlon
Sr. Manager Dolby Institute
Jerome Rossen
Composer, Songwriter
Elaine Ryan
Founder, Unicorn Sync
Matt Levine
Game & Film Composer, Producer
Blake Cline
Vocal Coach
Brandon Nales
Music Programs Manager Dolby
Sami Freeman
singer, pianist, and composer and co-founder of Gooroo Music
Sonnet Simmons
Co-founder, 2Indie Music
Ben Givarz
Sr Creative Relations Mgr., Dolby Music Partnerships
Nate Baglyos
Director of Marketing, KALI Audio
Guido Salaya
Founder, GS Music
Jen Knight
Photographer & Musician
Stefan Aronsen
Marketing Consultant & Balanced Breakfast Co-Founder
Saul Spady
Event Promoter
Tommy Speer Jr.
Event Promoter
Loïc Maestracci
Founder, Music Expo
Agenda
We will announce our full program on August 9th. Stay tuned!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | HYDE STREET STUDIOS
7:00PM - 10:00PM
Mix Q&A Session with Mark Needham and John Cuniberti
Exclusive event reserved to VIP Access Ticket Holders
Saturday, November 9 | MUSIC CITY SAN FRANCISCO
9:30AM
Check-in Opens
10:00AM
Opening Keynote
Immersive Audio Sessions
presented by Neumann and ASG
Creative Sessions
presented by KALI Audio and Audigo Labs
Music Business Sessions
TBA
10:30AM
Mornin Breakout Sessions
11:30AM
Morning Breakout Sessions
12:30PM
Lunch break, networking, exhibition
1:30PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
3:30PM
Coffee break, networking, exhibition
4:00PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
6:00PM
Closing Keynote
6:30PM
Conference Ends
6:30PM - 7:30PM
Happy Hour
7:30PM - 10:00PM
Performances - TO BE ANNOUNCED
Exhibitors
ADAM Audio is an established manufacturer of modern monitoring solutions. From its Berlin HQ, ADAM Audio offers cutting-edge studio monitors to passionate creators and professionals alike. With in-house production and development capabilities, ADAM Audio ensures meticulous attention to detail and uncompromising quality across the entire product range.
Room 303 & 304
ORIA, the world’s first audio interface and monitor controller designed specifically with immersive audio in mind. Built for creating immersive audio mixes for formats such as Dolby Atmos, ORIA lets you calibrate, control and monitor multi-channel speaker arrays from stereo up to 9.1.6 and everything in between. Perfect for music, film, TV, game and VR production.
Audeze is an award-winning premium headphone company engineering proprietary planar magnetic and electrostatic drivers for unparalleled realism and translation. Used by Grammy-winning recording artists worldwide, Audeze is one of the most respected audio companies in the world.
For over 25 years, ASG has provided strategic advisory, consulting, design, engineering, integration, commissioning, training, and support services to technology, corporate, sports, and media organizations across North America. Their managed services team supports major US and global companies.
Audigo simplifies high-quality audio recording for musicians. It offers a wireless microphone and an easy-to-use mobile app, compatible with smartphones, ideal for creating social media videos and multitrack demos. Suitable for beginners and seasoned musicians alike, Audigo allows recording anywhere, with features for exporting and remote collaboration. It removes the hassle of traditional recording gear, enabling musicians to focus on creativity.
The Focusrite brand offers audio interfaces and other solutions for recording musicians, producers, podcasters, and audio professionals alike. Today the company is famous for offering unprecedented sonic performance at every price point, notably the ubiquitous Scarlett range of USB interfaces. Focusrite relentlessly pursues opportunities to inspire creativity through technology, constantly seeking new ways to eliminate technological barriers, without compromising on sound quality.
Room 303 & 304
GS Music, founded by Guido Salaya in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is renowned for crafting high-quality analog polyphonic synthesizers. Their instruments blend classic analog warmth with modern innovations, empowering musicians with expressive sound and intuitive design.
Neumann, a leading manufacturer of studio-grade audio equipment, founded in 1928, is renowned for legendary microphones like the U 47 and U 87. Since 2010, Neumann has expanded to monitors, studio headphones, and live audio reference solutions. In 2022, they launched the MT 48 audio interface. Part of the Sennheiser Group since 1991, Neumann is globally represented by the Sennheiser network.
Novation is a British company designing innovative tools for electronic music-makers, specializing in synthesizers, grid-based and keyboard controllers and grooveboxes. Novation technology translates ideas into reality, channeling artistic energy to create new music. From the serious hardware-oriented music-maker looking for new inspiration, to electronic music fans looking to start a journey into making their own tunes, Novation seeks to inspire.
Room 303 & 304
Oberheim is a legendary American synthesizer company that has shaped the sound of electronic music since 1969. From the iconic SEM to the modern OB-X8, Oberheim synthesizers are known for their innovative features, unparalleled sonic richness, and master craftsmanship. Oberheim has created instant-classic instruments used by many of the biggest names in music, including Depeche Mode, Prince and Van Halen. Oberheim is proud to be a leader in forging the future of music with its powerful and stunning instruments.
Room 303 & 304
Sequential is a world-renowned synthesizer company that has been a driving force in the field of electronic music since the mid-1970s. Founded by Dave Smith, the co-inventor of MIDI, Sequential has introduced many groundbreaking features to the world of synthesis, such as full polyphonic programmability, vector synthesis, and hybrid analog/digital technology. Musicians around the globe trust Sequential’s quality, craftsmanship, and creativity to help realize their unique artistic visions.
Room 303 & 304
Warm Audio produces high-quality analog equipment that captures the warmth and character of vintage gear, remaining affordable for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Their commitment to all-analog signal paths and premium components ensures pristine sound quality. Warm Audio's gear adds unique texture and richness to recordings, with products like preamps, compressors, EQs, and microphones. All equipment is hand-tested by engineers and musicians in Austin, TX.
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors for their support
Location
Music Expo is taking over Music City SF, a new music hub in the center of San Francisco. It features multiple presentation venues, individual demo studios, and a bar & restaurant.
Music City San Francisco
1353 Bush St
San Francisco, CA 94109
How to get to the event
The venue is close to BART and Muni. There are also 2 parking structures on each side.
Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway
1500 Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA 94109
Take advantage of our group rate
$129 + tax per room, per night
Staypineapple San Francisco - Union Square
580 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Take advantage of our group rate
$195 + tax per room, per night
"Music Expo is an integral part of my journey as an audio engineer"- Zollie
"Music Expo is invaluable, there is so much good stuff happening"- illexotic
"I've been there since the first one. I always found to be a special place"- ANI
Register
November 9, 2024 | Music City San Francisco
$59 (25% OFF)
Early Bird
Access to all sessions and exhibitions at Music Expo San Francisco 2024 at 25% discount of General Admission
- Receive $100s worth of Software Plugins and Swag
- Food & drinks available for purchase
$149
VIP Access
Why upgrade to VIP?
The VIP ticket includes all General Admission benefits, plus:
• Invitation to the exclusive Mix Q&A Session at Hyde Street Studios the night before (Nov 8)
• Access to VIP Lounge and network with speakers during Music Expo San Francisco
• Invitation to the Music Expo San Francisco After Party featuring a live performance (artist to be announced closer to the event)
• Limited to 30 tickets
Timeline
Super Early Bird Registration
Closed
Early Bird Registration
Open
General Registration
Begins October 9
Walk up Registration
Begins November 4
About Music Expo
Our purpose is to serve aspiring music creators
Since it started in 2014, Music Expo has consistently served as an essential gathering for both emerging and established artists and creative professionals.The conference is renowned for its unique friendliness and up-close proximity between attendees and presenters through inspirational keynotes, thought-provoking conversations, hands-on technology workshops, and career-defining networking opportunities. Our programming covers all aspects of creativity, new technologies, and music business. Our proudest accomplishment is to have significantly impacted attendees’ music careers with productive collaborations to help progress in their music journey, multiplication of revenue streams to to sustain their lifestyle, and for some even win Grammy awards.Because music is universal, we have been fostering diversity and inclusivity since our beginning. In 2017 we pledged to have a third of presenters be women, a first in the industry. Women represent 28% of our attendees, more than any music conferences. 66% of our attendees are under 34 years old.As we look ahead to 2024 and beyond, our aim is to continue to adapt and evolve alongside the ever-changing needs of the independent artists and creative professionals while capitalizing on over 20 conferences, 200+ presenters and 1000 hours of programming. Today, AI is transforming how we create, discover, and distribute music. Immersive audio and new live experiences like the Sphere are transforming the way we experience music. Web 3.0, Blockchain technologies are transforming the relationship between artists and their fans.
Meet the Team
Loïc Maestracci
Founder & Executive Producer
Noni Virani
Operations
Past Events
Over the years, Music Expo has welcomed more than 5,000 attendees, 250 presenters and provided more than 300 hours of education and networking.
Past Events
2021
Modern Latin Music Summit (virtual)2020
SUMMIT (virtual)
RELEASE (Virtual)
MIX & MASTER (virtual)
CREATE (virtual)
Music Expo desde casa (virtual)
Music Expo at Home (virtual)2019
Music Expo San Francisco 2019
Music Expo Nashville 2019
Music Expo Miami 2019
2018
Music Expo San Francisco 2018
Music Expo Nashville 2018
Music Expo Boston 2018
Music Expo Miami 20182017
Music Expo San Francisco 2017
Music Expo Boston 2017
Music Expo Miami 20172016
Music Expo San Francisco 20162015
Music Expo San Francisco 20152014
Music Expo San Francisco 2014
Sponsorship
Sponsorship at one of our events is about much more than product demonstrations and sales. It's about sharing advice, making a direct connection, and finding the right service or tool for every music maker in that local community.
Out team can work with you to create a custom package that serves your goals. to get started, feel free to fill the form below:
Speakers & Content Proposals
We welcome speaking and content proposals. Please include a short bio, suggested topics, and any relevant info and links to help us evaluate your submission. We encourage folks from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise to submit.We will not pay appearance or speaking fees. We may use the speaker's name, likeness, and/or image for marketing purposes. Thank you
Contact us
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Join our community of 10K music creators.
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Speaker Profiles
From the mind and ears of producer/multi-instrumentalist, Joe Bagale, comes a sound that is fresh but tangibly rooted in nostalgia. The name is Otis McDonald. The mission? Good Music. IN 2015, Bagale released 80 tracks for free, under the name Otis McDonald. Released as copyright free music, exclusively through the YouTube audio library, by 2016 these tracks had been downloaded over 3 million times, and appeared in over 3.5 million videos all around the world with an astonishing total of 7.6 billion views. in 2019 bagale released a full length album,
"People Music," in collaboration with his youtube subscribers, took over the lease for studio d at the historic hyde street studios, in san francisco and in 2020 he launched a weekly live stream where he creates a brand new track on the spot and releases every week on all streaming platforms.
Whether it's performing, writing, producing, or coming up with new ways to engage with his fans, otis mcdonald plans on giving the world a dose of the past while always looking to the future.
Cigarbox Man is a songwriter/producer/Luthier/DJ. He calls his music “Sustainable Rock.” He is known for playing a slide guitar built with his own bare hands using recycled materials, and for fusing together rock, delta blues and psychedelia. His musical journey has taken him from the subways of Santiago, Chile to one of the main stages of Lollapalooza CL, and now to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he and his musical dream team released their first album together las year.
Trovarsi is an LA-based music composer/producer, live electronic artist, educator, and streaming YouTube host. Over the past decade, Trovarsi has released her music on a wide variety of notable electronic music labels. Her work transcends genres, cultures, and boundaries, yet also authentically and reverentially embraces many creative traditions. With a hybrid blend of modular and analog synthesizers, drum machines, and Ableton, Trovarsi embraces Afrofuturistic electronic expression while remaining firmly planted by her musical roots.
Trovarsi is the curator and host of Transduction Signal on DubLab Radio, a monthly interview/performance show highlighting unique live performance artists, composers, and producers in electronic music.
She is also co-founder of the Southern California Synth Society, whose purpose is to educate and facilitate interest in electronic music through synthesizers, modular DIY builds, and community events. She also founded the international streaming festival Frequency Shift, featuring female and gender-expansive electronic artists.
Whether performing in the LA underground or on global streaming platforms, Trovarsi continues to push the boundaries of electronic music.
Michael Romanowski is a highly acclaimed mastering engineer with five Grammy wins and nine nominations. Based in Berkeley, CA, he owns Coast Mastering and co-founded The Tape Project, an analog tape label. He is a Trustee of the Recording Academy San Francisco Chapter and serves on multiple national committees.Starting his career in Nashville, Michael moved to the Bay Area in 1994 to apprentice at Rocket Lab with Paul Stubblebine. He became chief mastering engineer for Sausalito’s Plant Mastering in 1999, and in 2001, reunited with Stubblebine to build new mastering rooms at Coast Records. In 2007, he acquired the business, expanding it to include Coast Recorders, which later became Coast Mastering in Berkeley.Michael’s expertise extends to immersive audio, having designed a 9.1.6 capable room, which received a TEC Nomination in 2020. He co-founded The Tape Project in 2006, producing high-quality analog tapes. Michael also teaches at San Francisco State University and SAE, and guest lectures internationally.His extensive credits include working with artists such as Alicia Keys, Al Green, Peter Frampton, Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, Earth Wind & Fire, Kane Brown, and many others, as well as soundtracks for “Dune” and the Star Wars Trilogy.
Piper Payne
Piper Payne is a Mastering Engineer based out of Nashville, TN, where she works on albums for independent artists and major labels.Piper Payne lives for quality and equality in audio.Piper Payne, a Mastering Engineer based in Nashville, TN, is known for her dedication to audio quality and equality. After moving her mastering studio to Nashville, she ventured into vinyl manufacturing, opening Physical Music Products, which, through Piper's innovations, has set industry leading turn times and quality benchmarks. As a former National Trustee of the Recording Academy and Co-Chair of the P&E Wing Steering Committee, Piper actively promotes diversity and inclusion in the industry. With a background in music and a focus on technical excellence, she approaches mastering and manufacturing as a blend of feel and precision. Piper shares her expertise in mastering and recording as an esteemed audio professor and frequent guest lecturer. Her impressive discography includes notable artists like Janis Ian, Madame Gandhi, Dolly Parton, The Go-Go's, and more.
Programming
DRAFT DO NOT PUBLISH OR SHARE
Programming subject to chance. Check often to see updates.
November 8 - Hyde Street Studios
(VIP Access Ticket Holders Only)
| 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | Mix Q&A Session with Mark Needham and John Cuniberti |
November 9 - Music City San Francisco
Opening Sessions
| Time | Title | Featuring | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30AM | Conference Opens / Registration Alliance Française | ||
| 9:30AM-10AM | Networking with Exhibitors | ||
| 9:30AM-6:00PM | Exhibition Groundfloor & Mezzanine | ||
| 9:30AM - 6:00PM | Experience Dolby Atmos music in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Sonos | ||
| 9:30AM - 9:55AM | Music Partnership with Tech Companies | Otis McDonald | Main Stage |
Immersive Audio Sessions presented by
| Time | Title | Featuring | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:35AM | Getting Started with Dolby Atmos | John Scanlon | 103 |
| 11:30AM | Producing for Immersive | Nahuel Bronzini & Cigarbox Man | 103 |
| 11:30AM | Hands-on learning how to get started on ProTools with Dolby Institute | John Scanlon, Brandon Nales, Ben Givarz | 301 |
| 12:30PM | Networking Lunch | ||
| 1:30PM | Deep dive into a Dolby Atmos mix | Matt Boudreau | 103 |
| 1:30PM | Hands-on learning how to get started on Logic Pro with Dolby Institute | John Scanlon, Brandon Nales, Ben Givarz | 301 |
| 2:30PM | From Mix to Master to Deliverables | Michael Romanowski | 103 |
| 2:30PM | Hands-on learning how to get started on ProTools with Dolby Institute | John Scanlon, Brandon Nales, Ben Givarz | 301 |
| 3:30PM | Networking Break | ||
| 4:00PM | Immersive Licensing Session | Michael Romanowski | 103 |
| 4:00PM | Hands-on learning how to get started on Logic Pro with Dolby Institute | John Scanlon, Brandon Nales, Ben Givarz | 301 |
Music Business Sessions
| Time | Title | Featuring | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30AM | Beyond Streaming: Alternative Outlets for Your Music | Steve Horowitz, Sonia Mokhtari, Jerome Rossen, Sami Freeman | Main Stage |
| 11:30AM | How to Get Your Songs Signed for Sync | Sonnet Simmons | 101 |
| 11:30AM | Diversify and Thrive: Innovative Revenue Streams in the Music Industry | Matt Boudreau, Piper Payne , Elaine Ryan, Warren Huart | Main Stage |
| 12:30PM | Networking Break | ||
| 1:30PM | Practical AI in Music Business | Tommy Speer Jr., Saul Spady, Sonnet Simmons, Stefan Aronsen, Jenn Knight | Main Stage |
| 2:30PM | Digital Marketing For Artists | Kenya Moses, Joi Rhone, Tiffany Wilson | Main Stage |
| 3:30PM | Networking with Exhibitors | ||
| 4:00PM | Speed up Music Creation and Production with AI | TBA | TBA |
| 5:00PM | Recommendation for Delivery of Recorded Music Projects | Maureen Droney [TBC] | Main Stage |
Creative Sessions presented by
| Time | Title | Featuring | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:35AM | Setting Up a Room From Zero | Nate Baglyos | 101 |
| 11:30AM | The Ten Biggest Mistakes Songwriters Make and How to Avoid Them | Jai Josefs | 108 |
| 11:30AM | Vocal Vision | Blake Cline | 108 |
| 12:30PM | Networking Break | ||
| 1:30PM | The Art of Synthesizers: History, Innovation, and Musical Expression | Guido Salaya | 101 |
| 1:30PM | Producing Rock Songs - From Pre-Production To Final Mix | Jacob Light | 108 |
| 2:30PM | Dawless workshop | Trovarsi | Room 101 |
| 2:30PM | Fast and Furious Workflow | Otis McDonald | Room 108 |
| 3:30PM | Networking with Exhibitors | ||
| 4:00PM | Behind the Harmonies: Techniques to be the session singer they will hire again! | Briget Boyle | Room 108 |
| 4:00PM | Pro-Tips: Game Music | Matt Levine | Room 101 |
Closing and Evening Sessions
| Time | Title | Featuring | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00PM | Closing Keynote | TBA | Main Stage |
| 6:30PM | Happy Hour presented by The Recording Academy | ||
| 7:30PM | Performances | TBA | |
| 10PM | The End |