The 2026 AES Europe Student Recording Competition

Demonstrate your recording and mixing skills by participating in the AES Student Recording Competition! It’s your chance to network, gain professional feedback, and win some great prizes. Open to AES Student Members, this competition invites traditional acoustic, studio, and sound for visual media submissions to be assessed by experts. We invite students to put their creativity and technical skills on display. Presentations and feedback occur at AES Conventions in Europe and the USA, with in-person and hybrid entry options available. Please note that a supervising professor or advisor’s endorsement is required, and there can only be two entries per category from each school/college/university. (Deciding which projects will represent your institution can be a good AES student section activity!)

To Enter:

In-person and hybrid entry is possible. Students unable to travel to the Long Beach Convention will be required to submit a video-recorded presentation if they are selected as a finalist.

Register for IN-PERSON participation:

IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION
REGISTRATION

Register for HYBRID/REMOTE, NON-ATTENDING participation:

HYBRID/REMOTE PARTICIPATION
REGISTRATION

ENTER NOW!

Make sure your supervising professor approves of your submission, and there are no more than two entries per institution per category. In-person convention attendees: Register for AES Europe using the registration links on www.aeseurope.com. Then follow the email instructions in your registration receipt email. Remote entry (does not include convention registration): Register for competition entry at this link, then follow the link in your registration receipt email. Contact info@hq.aes.org with general convention registration questions.

ENTER NOW!

ENTER NOW! Deadline extended to March 24th!

Make sure your supervising professor approves of your submission, and there are no more than two entries per institution per category.

Enter (in-person and remote) using this form:

https://forms.gle/5hXEDvkV2sVENs2d7

Contact ian.corbett@aes.org with competition questions. Contact info@hq.aes.org with general convention registration questions.


Submissions open: February 19th*
Deadline to submit: March 24th*
Finalists will be announced: After May 7th*
Presentations, winners, and prizes announced during the AES Europe Convention.
(* Dates subject to change, keep checking back here.)

Categories – Europe 2026

  • Traditional Acoustic Recording
  • Studio Recording
  • Sound for Visual Media

Rules & Policies

Introduction
Demonstrate your recording and mixing skills by participating in the AES Student Recording Competition! It’s your chance to gain professional feedback, network, and win some great prizes. Open to AES Student Members, this competition invites traditional acoustic, studio, and sound for visual media submissions to be assessed by experts. We invite students to put their creativity and technical skills on display. Presentations and feedback will occur in-person at the 2026 Europe Convention, with a hybrid non-attending entry option available. Please note that a supervising professor or advisor’s endorsement is required, and there can only be two entries per category from each school/college/university.

Categories

  1. Traditional Acoustic Recording
  2. Studio Recording
  3. Sound for Visual Media


Entry Regulations

  • Two entries per institution per category are permitted.
  • A student may submit one entry per category, in a maximum of two categories (with different submissions in each).
  • Supervising professors or faculty advisors must confirm/endorse entries, no later than 5 days after we send them an email requesting they do so.
  • Documentation and presentations must be in English.


Eligibility

  • You must be a current AES Student Member at the time of submission and the convention (join at aes.org/join).
  • Submissions must be engineered during enrollment at an educational institution.
  • Instructor/professor/advisor endorsement required.
  • Graduates may enter in the year post-graduation, in one competition, with a project completed as a student.
  • Projects cannot be re-entered in future competitions.


Category Descriptions

  1. Traditional Acoustic Recording: Capture live acoustic performances in natural acoustic environments. Focus on the art of recording without overdubs where main microphone arrays are the focus, and close/spot mics (if used) are only a very small part of the mix.
  1. Studio Recording: Studio Recording is suitable for recordings that are created in a recording or production studio or similar facility using multitrack studio techniques and technology. Music of any genre is permitted, there must be some primary sources recorded with microphones, and both editing and overdubs are allowed.
  2. Sound for Visual Media: Create an audio narrative for any visual content. Combine dialogue, music, foley and sound design to enhance the visual story.


Collaboration

  • Team entries (up to 3 engineers) are welcome; all engineers must be AES student members; projects are credited to the submitting institution.
  • Acknowledge your team, but just one person should submit the entry.
  • Only presenters will be considered for awards.
  • Only one set of prizes will be provided.


How to Enter

  • Instructions on how to get to the competition entry form will be included in your in-person convention registration receipt, or remote competition registration receipt. See the information near the top of this page.
  • Ensure your supervising professor or faculty advisor is ready to verify your submission when we request it.
  • Suggest a category for your entry, but the final category call is ours.


Required Documents & Files

  • Submit the required files meeting the specifications in the detailed rules below.
  • Stereo files will be judged for Cat 1 & 2.
  • Cat 3 entries can be immersive or stereo.
  • Include a written presentation describing your project (up to 6 pages, 1200 words).
  • Maintain anonymity across all documentation and files, using only your AES member number, and no full names.

Immersive audio is important, but due to competition logistics we are only able to accept stereo submissions for categories 1 and 2 at this time.


(No) Mastering

  • Submit unmastered mixes that showcase your mix’s final form.


Use of AI

  • The use of AI (or any) automatic composition, mixing or mastering services is not allowed.


Judging

  • Enjoy the anonymous review process, with entries submitted for final judging receiving detailed feedback from professionals.
  • Stand out with ambitious projects for potential bonus points.
  • Criteria cover the quality and creativity, and technical skill of your recording and mixing.
  • The Director of the Student Recording Competition oversees all aspects and reserves the right to disqualify entries.


Awards

  • Achieve recognition with Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Honorable Mention based on your work’s professional quality.


Prizes

  • Prizes serve as a bonus to your achievement, varying based on sponsor generosity.
  • Team entries will only receive one set of prizes.


Important Notes

  • All decisions by the Director of the Recording Competition are final.
  • Adherence to guidelines is essential to avoid disqualification.
  • No late entries.
  • The Director of the AES Student Recording Competition handles inquiries and clarifications.
  • Award certificates will be sent as pdf files.


Documentation Examples

Review documentation examples to guide your submission.

Please note these are made with the OLD category numbering system, but are still accurate and exemplary to what is expected in terms of content.

Now please read the detailed rules below…

Welcome to the AES Student Recording Competition—an exciting chance for students at AES International Conventions to showcase their audio production talents, gain invaluable feedback, and earn recognition as well as some exciting prizes. Whether you’re participating alone or as part of a team, you’ll need a faculty advisor to endorse your entry, representing your school in up to two categories:

Category 1: Traditional Acoustic Recording

Category 2: Studio Recording

Category 3: Sound for Visual Media

Remember, you can enter in a maximum of two categories, with each submission being unique. Each academic institution is limited to two entries per category. The Director of the AES Recording Competition oversees the judging and awards process, ensuring a fair and comprehensive evaluation.

Supervising professors and faculty advisors play a critical role by confirming/verifying submissions, and they must respond within five days when requested by email. Make sure to provide your advisor’s valid university email and inform them about the submission timeline.

We encourage submissions to focus on your best mixing work, aiming for clarity and sonic creativity without resorting to excessive loudness or peak limiting. Mixes should be free from digital distortion or clipping. This approach helps preserve musical dynamics and tonal balance, essential for a standout submission.

Even if you’re not competing, we invite you to attend the competition events at the AES Convention. It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience top-notch projects from peers, learn from judges’ insights, and engage with the wider AES community. This program isn’t just about competition; it’s a platform for learning, improvement, and celebrating high-quality music and sound production in a supportive environment.

To participate in the AES Recording Competition, you must:

  • Be a current Student Member of the Audio Engineering Society. Join at org/join. Please note that fees vary by region.
  • Engineer the nominated recording while you are a student affiliated with a college audio program.
  • Be accepted by your supervising professor or faculty advisor as a submission from your school or section.
  • Register to attend the convention you are competing at either in-person or using the non-attending remote competition entry option. Your registration confirmation email will include the submission link.
  • Submit your recording and documentation to the submission link in the registration confirmation email. Be sure to submit your recording according to the submission guidelines prior to the deadline.


If a project is engineered by a team, all team members must, at minimum, be student AES members. It is not required that all student members are affiliated with the same university audio program, however, the student who submits the project will be the submission representative from their respective university. This submission will be verified with the associated university from which it was submitted. To present as a team at a convention all team members must meet the complete eligibility criteria.

Violation of these rules will result in disqualification. Late entries will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Once an entry is submitted to an AES Student Recording Competition, it is disqualified from future competitions. This also means submitting additional songs from the same album, scenes from the same movie, or any additional material from a whole and complete project is prohibited.

A student member may enter the competition following their graduation, as long as they are still a student member at the time of entry and the competition, all work was done while they were a student, and the entry is approved by a supervising professor.

Category 1: Traditional Acoustic Recording celebrates the art of capturing live performances of acoustic instruments, vocalists, and ensembles. Ideal settings include, but are not limited to, performance halls, churches, theaters, soundstages, pavilions, and environments that naturally enhance acoustic sounds.

  • Performance Setting: Recordings can be made with or without an audience, emphasizing the natural acoustic character of the venue.
  • Recording Technique: Main arrays should capture most of the performance. Some close and spot mics are permissible but should only be a small part of the mix. Most of the balance, spatial perspective, and the venue’s acoustics should be captured by main arrays. The aim is to reflect the true sound of the performance and space.
  • Final Production: Live mixing is acceptable, as is multitrack recording followed by post-production mixing. Editing is permitted; however, overdubs are not.
  • Music Genre: Open to classical, jazz, folk, and more, as long as it’s live and suits the acoustic environment. Electronic instruments must be presented acoustically through amplification and captured live.
  • Emphasis on traditional live recording techniques typical of classical and acoustic music.
  • All sounds must be acoustic or electroacoustic, with no overdubs.
  • Editing and post-production mixing are allowed but should respect the live performance integrity.
  • Entrants must perform all recording and mixing.
  • Submissions must be in stereo format.
  • Entries must not exceed a 5-minute runtime.

  • Entries must not be mastered.

Your filenames should be:

  • Stereo Audio: [AES Member Number]-Cat[1]-Audio.wav
    • Example: 0123456-Cat1-Audio.wav
    • Documentation: [AES Member Number]-Cat[1]-Document.pdf
    • Example: 0123456-Cat1-Document.pdf

This category focuses on the craftsmanship of recording in natural acoustic settings, highlighting the importance of microphone placement, the recording environment, and the authentic capture of live performances.

Category 2: Studio Recording is suitable for recordings that are created in a recording or production studio or similar facility using multitrack studio techniques and technology. Music of any genre is permitted, there must be some primary sources recorded with microphones, and both editing and overdubs are allowed.

  • Emphasis on the craft of multitrack studio recording and mixing.
  • Utilization of the recording studio as a creative instrument.
  • All contemporary recording and production techniques, signal processing, and editing strategies are permissible.
  • Editing and overdubs allowed but not required.
  • Freedom to mix real and programmed sound sources.
  • There must be some primary sources recorded with microphones.
  • All recording and mixing performed by the entrant(s).
  • Submissions must be in stereo format.

The primary focus of the AES Student Recording Competition is to evaluate the excellence in audio recording and production, with compositional elements being considered secondary.

Your filenames should be:

  • Stereo Audio: [AES Member Number]-Cat[2]-Audio.wav
    • Example: 0123456-Cat2-Audio.wav
    • Documentation: [AES Member Number]-Cat[2]-Document.pdf
    • Example: 0123456-Cat2-Document.pdf

Category 3: Sound for Visual Media focuses on audio recordings crafted to enhance visual storytelling across various platforms. Whether it’s for narrative or documentary films, commercials, video games, or any digital visual content, this category celebrates the synergy between sound and picture. No original audio from the source video is allowed to remain in the submission.

  • Your work should enrich the visual experience, incorporating elements like dialogue, sound effects, and musical scores. These can come from direct production sound, libraries, synthesized sounds, or original recordings by the participant.
  • The audio must be deliberately designed to accompany the video content, ensuring a cohesive viewing experience.
  • Submissions should not include music videos, live concerts, or studio session videos where music is the sole focus. Instead, each entry must feature significant non-musical sound elements — think dialogue, sound effects, character voices, object sounds, or environmental ambience.
  • Video game projects can present raw gameplay audio laid over captured video, or showcase adaptive audio implemented through audio engines/middleware, combined with video.
  • While creativity in sound production is encouraged, the competition primarily evaluates excellence in audio recording and production. The compositional aspects of your submission are considered secondary.
  • Craftsmanship in recording, editing, and mixing sounds to complement visual media is paramount.
  • A blend of dialogue, music, foley, ambience and sound design is encouraged.
  • All editing and mixing must be done by the entrant(s).
  • Entries are limited to a 5-minute runtime.
  • Submission must not be mastered.

What to Submit:

  • You must submit a stereo mix. Initial judging will be based on the stereo mix.
  • You may also submit an optional immersive mix for use later in the judging process.
  • The stereo submission must be a .mov or QuickTime video file with 48kHz, 24 bit audio.
  • For optional immersive audio (up to 7.1.4), submit a loudspeaker channel-based mix as individual mono files that will sync with video when imported to the same start time in a DAW.
  • Ensure your video file will play on Mac OS, and can be imported into ProTools Studio.

File Naming:

Your filenames should be:

  • Stereo Audio: [AES Member Number]-Cat[3]-Audio.wav
    • Example: 0123456-Cat3-Audio.wav
    • Documentation: [AES Member Number]-Cat[3]-Document.pdf
    • Example: 0123456-Cat3-Document.pdf
  • Immersive Mono Speaker Channels:

[AES Member Number]-Cat[3]-[Speaker Channel].wav

    • Example: 0123456-Cat3-LFE.wav
    • Follow this channel naming convention for immersive files:
    • L, R, C, Lfe, Lss, Rss, Lsr, Rsr, Ltf, Rtf, Ltr, Rtr.

Submissions must be submitted to the Dropbox link provided after registration, in an unzipped folder containing all media and documentation. No zipped folders.

Announcement Date: Finalists will be announced 3-4 weeks prior to the start of the AES Convention. The judging panel holds the discretion to determine the number of finalists.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Each student is allowed one recording per category, with a limit of two submissions in total.
  • The Director of the Recording Competition and other selected professionals will categorize submissions into their respective categories. While participants may indicate their preferred category, the final decision based on recording and musical style, will be determined by the Education Committee. This decision is final.
  • Submissions must be anonymous, and organized by AES member number to be forwarded to the judges for evaluation.
  • The criteria used for judging decisions are detailed within the category descriptions and available on the AES website.

Competition Program and Presentation: During the AES Convention, the Student Recording Competition will feature a program that includes:

  • Student Presentations:
    • In-Person Participants: Must give a presentation about their work (5 minute maximum), explaining their recording process and artistic decisions.
    • Remote/hybrid finalists will be required to record a video presentation (5 minute maximum) and submit it for playback at the convention.
  • Playback of submissions: Each finalist’s entry will be showcased to the attendees and judging panel.
  • Feedback Session:
    • In-Person Participants: There will be a 5 minute live feedback period with the judges, where they will offer constructive critiques and insights.
    • Remote/hybrid participants: You must be able to log into a live Zoom meeting at the time of the competition session for a 5 minute live feedback period with the judges.

A maximum of one remote entry will be selected as a finalist in each category.

Authorship of your submission, just as in the case of academic articles, is of the utmost importance. While it is presumed that you may have worked with numerous individuals (producers, musicians, etc.), this work should be considered your own to claim and present (what would be considered the primary author of a paper). In many disciplines, including our own, collaboration is the norm and issues of authorship can be controversial. However, please understand that all engineers credited must have been involved throughout a majority of the production process.

If you worked with several individuals who deserve to share in the credit of the project, you may include their names as collaborators. However, note that only one individual may submit the project (as there is only one primary engineer / author of the work). As well, please understand that all individuals listed as collaborators must meet all competition eligibility guidelines.

It is not required that all student collaborators be part of the same/single audio program, however, all collaborating engineers music be AES student members, and it is the responsibility of the submitter to communicate information about the finalists to their team-members.

To allow for multiple certificates to be made for all student collaborators, please be sure to include all student collaborator information in the submission form. While the Competition may sometimes be able to duplicate prizes for co-presenters, it is not always possible, and winning entries should anticipate only one set of prizes.

Each contestant is required to submit detailed documentation alongside their audio mixes to provide insight into their recording and mixing process. This documentation is crucial for understanding the methodology and technical approach taken during the project’s creation.

Documentation Guidelines:

  • Language: All documentation must be submitted in English.
  • Length and Content: Specific methodologies, techniques and signal chains can be shared via various methods of documentation. Documentation should be between 4 to 6 pages and 800 to 1200 words, inclusive of all session documentation, photographs, screenshots and illustrations. Any content beyond this limit will not be reviewed by the judges.
  • Templates: Students should feel free to use standard session documentation templates recommended by the AES Technical Committee and the Recording Academy’s Producers and Engineers Wing. These templates ensure consistency and comprehensiveness in presenting your project. More information can be found at the link below.
  • Visuals: You may include up to 8 photographs, screenshots or illustrations to support your documentation.
  • Format: Documentation must be in PDF format, submitted in a unzipped folder along with the audio files, adhering to the competition’s submission guidelines.

  • Category Suggestion: Please include a suggested category on the first page.

Anonymity Requirements:

  • Your documentation should be entirely anonymized, using only your AES member number for identification.
  • Refer to individuals involved in the project (e.g., performers, composers, technicians) by their first names and the initials of their surnames.
  • Do not disclose recording, mixing, or mastering locations, or any details that could hint at your institution/university affiliation. This is to ensure the competition’s fairness and impartiality.

Failure to adhere to these documentation and anonymity guidelines may lead to disqualification from the competition.

Judging Overview: Entries will be anonymously reviewed by judges 5-6 weeks before the convention, offering them ample time for a thorough evaluation in their preferred listening environments. The ambition and difficulty of projects will be considered, with particularly challenging entries potentially earning extra points. It’s worth keeping this in mind when selecting your project for submission.

In the event of an overwhelming number of entries in a category, entries will be pre-screened by the Competition Director, or other AES representatives who are audio professionals. A select number of entries will then be sent to the judges for feedback and award determination.

Evaluation Criteria – Categories 1-2: Recording

  • Quality of recorded tracks and mix
  • Tonal balance, tempo, timing, and musical dynamics
  • Dynamic range, track levels, and balances
  • Panning, creative processing, soundstage, and spatial qualities


Evaluation Criteria – Category 3: Sound for Picture

  • Quality and creativity of soundtrack components
  • Appropriate foley, sound design, ambiences
  • Quality of dialogue recordings and editing
  • Effectiveness in supporting and enhancing the visual narrative and emotional impact

Finalist Presentations: During the convention, finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their recordings. We encourage you to prepare slides or graphics illustrating your recording setup and production process. This is your chance to share any previously anonymized information with attendees.

Interactive Feedback: Judges may provide comments and ask questions before finalizing their decisions. Details on the locations and times for these Recording Presentations will be available in the convention’s Technical Program.

Communication: Please note, all judge feedback, critiques, and finalist presentations must be conducted in English. This ensures clarity and inclusiveness in the evaluation and feedback process.

In the Student Recording competition, recognition is based on merit. Finalists can earn Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Honorable Mention certificates based on the quality of their work. Judges may award multiple certificates in each category, reflecting the possibility of numerous exceptional projects. Awards are flexible, with any mix of Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Honorable Mentions possible. Additionally, it’s conceivable that some categories may not have entries reaching these levels of recognition. Judges are not required to select finalists for every category, emphasizing our focus on celebrating excellence and fostering a supportive, collegial atmosphere among student participants.

Our awards recognize recordings that stand out not just among student projects but hold their own in the professional realm. Here’s what we’re listening for:

• Gold: This top honor goes to recordings that hit an extraordinary mark both artistically and technically. If your submission could not only compete but potentially win awards in the commercial market, you could be looking at a Gold.

• Silver: Silver awards highlight recordings that achieve excellence on both the artistic and technical fronts. These submissions are strong contenders in the commercial marketplace, showcasing the high caliber of your work.

• Bronze: Bronze recognizes very good recordings that meet professional standards and demonstrate potential for success in the commercial arena.

Prizes as a Token of Appreciation:

Awards from the AES serve primarily as a prestigious acknowledgment of exceptional student work. Prizes, while a bonus, are a way of extending our congratulations. These may include audio equipment, software, and various other items, reflecting the support and intent of our generous sponsors.

Distribution Details:

  • Authority: The Director of the Recording Competition has the final say in prize distribution.
  • Considerations: Decisions are based on:
  • The quantity and value of prizes
  • Sponsor intentions
  • The number and recognition level of awardees
  • The finalist count

Recipient Note:

Prizes complement, not replace, your honorary certificates, symbolizing significant achievement.

Sponsorship and Prize Handling:

    • Commitments: Prize availability hinges on manufacturer generosity.
    • Participant Responsibility: Winners at the convention may need to manage the logistics of prize receipt, which for international students could mean arranging shipment to avoid taxes or customs issues.
    • Remember, the true reward is the recognition of your outstanding accomplishments by the AES. Prizes are just the cherry on top!
    • Finalists will be required to submit account names for software companies before the convention, in order for the companies donating prizes to deposit licenses.

Please note these are made with the OLD category numbering system, but are still accurate and exemplary to what is expected in terms of content.

Category 1 Documentation Examples:

Click here to view the 1st example

Click here to view the 2nd example

Category 2 or 3 Documentation Examples:
Click here to view the 1st example

Click here to view the 2nd example