SAE Institute faculty and instructors always strive to be on the pulse of what’s new and exciting in the Audio and Entertainment industries. Nashville campus Audio Program Chair, Noah Bonnell, is a longtime attendee of TwitchCon, a semi-annual convention that celebrates the Twitch live streaming platform and its community.
The event, which is open to streamers, industry professionals, and fans, provides the opportunity for attendees to check out sessions and workshops, connect and network with other community members and brands, and discover the latest in tech from vendors and sponsors.
What does all of that mean for those who are tapped into the music industry? Follow along as Noah talks more about what inspired him to get into streaming on Twitch, what he gains from the TwitchCon experience, and the future of streaming for artists and musicians.
Firstly, tell us about who or what inspired you to get into Audio?
Music is really what inspired me to get into audio in the first place. Rock and roll! lol I was in bands when I was younger, and we were always using pirated software to try to make records out in the “middle of nowhere,” Indiana. We just wanted to make something cool and have fun playing music together. My biggest inspiration since getting into audio more professionally has probably been Stan Sollars from Ball State. He always seemed to have a good time teaching, was always cracking jokes with students, and made it a point for us to both be technically skilled and adventurous when trying new things in the studios. I still carry a lot of the lessons I learned from Stan with me both in the field and here at SAE Institute.
Can you tell us what TwitchCon is and why you wanted to attend?
TwitchCon is essentially a convention for the Twitch streaming platform. That’s an oversimplification, but trying to describe all the elements to it would just take too long. I started streaming a few years back during Covid, like many did, and really started to enjoy it as a medium. I’ve developed a community around my content there, and we’ve become friends with many of them. TwitchCon was a way for me to connect with these other creatives in person, and explore all the things a streaming convention had to offer. I was able to meet other creators, gamers, companies, artists, and enthusiasts, and attend panels like the one NASA had! There’s so much there to see and do, and I’m hoping we get to go back again this year!
What’s something that surprised you about THE 2023 event?
The NASA panel was incredible. To be able to hear what goes on behind the scenes for content like theirs, and just hear all the struggles and hurdles they deal with, was really exciting and special to me. It was extra surprising to hear so many issues that a production like that faces, and how it shares so many parallels with a home studio production or live stream.
Where do you see the future of Audio / Creative Media and streaming going?
It always goes forward. I think that’s the main thing. We’re always moving forward, and seeing new avenues being discovered for creatives. I reference an old David Bowie video from 1999 in a lot of my classes, and it’s him essentially describing live streaming, and how content will be ever changing. I personally think we’ve only just seen the beginning of live, interactive media and what we can do with it. I think that way of consuming content will continue to grow and continue to bleed into every creative format moving forward.
Anything else from the experience that you’d like to share?
I’d just say regardless of the events you choose to partake in, keep experiencing new things creatively. Music, arts, content creation, they all share this same common ground of connecting with people over an expressive medium. Going to creative events like this and others is just always such a fun way to grow and network with other people, and that’s honestly what I remember most about getting into audio at BSU. People talk about networking in this business so much because it’s still a “people business.” If you want to make something cool, and be involved in making something unique that will resonate with other people like yourself, you always need to find new ways to submerge yourself in that culture.
For more information about our Audio or Entertainment Business programs or our Nashville campus, visit us online or get in touch by phone at 615-244-5848. To connect with us on social channels, follow us on Twitch, Instagram, and Facebook.
