This Week: Music Tech Fest Berlin – Get 20% OFF Tickets!

The time has come: from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 30, Music Tech Fest will transform the legendary Funkhaus Berlin into a giant creative laboratory of music ideas.

We’ve already covered some of the artists and talents that will join the 2016 Berlin edition (see our first and second coverage), but that’s only a small part of what’s happening at Music Tech Fest…

Expect back-to-back performances, demonstrations and showcases of the most mind-blowing advances at the intersection of art and science, exceptional performers and technologists from around the world.

Artists, hackers, musicians, startups and scientists from different disciplines and cultures will collide, collaborate and experiment together in order to take music invention to the next level.

Besides the invention of new tools for artists and the industry, #MTFBerlin also has exclusive performances from the most exceptional and innovative artists from the electronic and other music scenes in store.

Among other things, on Friday, May 27 Emika (of Ninja Tune’s fame) will exclusively showcase her latest work Symphony No.1 in a live mix, followed by an intimate discussion about her creative process. Emika’s album will not be released until much later this year. Entrance is free with the MTF festival ticket. (Emika-only tickets are available here).

A Quick Guide
The number of things happening at Music Tech Fest can be overwhelming at a first look, so here’s a quick guide to the thematic areas:

– #MTFStage: the fantastic HALL1 at Funkhaus will be the #MTFStage area and will host performances, demonstrations and showcases. Most of the artists we’ve listed in our previous MTF-related posts (Eska, Grace Savage, Guerilla Dance Project, Jan Bang, Toa Mata Band and many more) will perform here.
On Sunday evening, the festival presents its inaugural #MTFPrize for excellence in the music tech and sonic arts, chosen by a panel of artists, journalists and industry
representatives from entries submitted from all over the world.

– #MTFSoundpit: this is an area of the festival right beside the main stage area where innovative music technology startups demonstrate and showcase their products and services to MTF attendees. You’ll experience a fair trade music streaming service, a unique gesture-driven headphone interface, a virtual instrument that makes music in the air, a brainwave-reading performance platform for music and visuals, a danceoor where movement remixes sound and lighting, an accessible interface for musicians with a disability, an intelligent musical instrument that learns and responds to gestures, a universal environmental music visualiser and much more.

– #MTFSpace: in the labyrinth of corridors and side rooms of the Funkhaus you’ll find all of the music tech projects too big to fit on the festival stage – from participatory global art projects to ambient chill spaces, VR music experiences to sound and light extravaganzas. Immersive is the key here!

– #MTFLates: at late night the Funkhaus will welcome you in its ‘hidden’ spaces where you will experience the party sounds and the unique sonic textures created by some of the artists previously listed here on ANR (Emika, Graham Massey, Matt Black, Sarah Farina, etc.)

– #MTFHacks: this is a 24 hour intensive sprint towards a complete reinvention of the way we live and work with music and technology. A huge supply of components by the world’s biggest supplier element14, as well as some exclusive technology unavailable elsewhere, is used to address challenges that go way beyond the usual ‘let’s make another app’. The inventions of #MTFHacks will be showcased on the #MTFStage.

– #MTFTracks: like a hackathon, a trackathon is a 24 hour event in which participants create music in response to a challenge, using some elements provided. Award-winning British record producer Ian Wallman will lead and coach a select group of 12 emerging Berlin electronic producers and musicians to each create a killer dance track in just 24 hours. Live musicians and vocalists will be on hand to contribute to tracks produced, and the nished works will be DJ’d live at #MTFLates on Saturday night.

– #MTFJam : imagine a space where anyone can sit down, hang out, pick up a musical instrument – perhaps a guitar, a keyboard, or something that was invented just that
morning – and simply play with whoever else happens to be there. That’s the #MTFJam area, a relaxed space where there is no entry barrier on performance ability, but it’s also coordinated by a musical director who works with whoever happens to be in the room to get the best possible result. Some of the best jams will be shown on the Stage area as part of the #MTFAllstars.

– Music Tech Fest is also kid-friendly: the #MTFSparks and #MTFKids areas will allow a selected group of teens and kids to experience cool technologies and develop music skills, with the help and guidance of the festival’s collaborators.

Tickets & More
Check out the full programme of #MTFBerlin and make sure to buy your tickets. See you at #MTFBerlin!