Benefits of VDT membership
There are numerous advantages to membership of the association. It facilitates the development of a robust personal network across the entire industry, and experience shows that this leads not only to professional suggestions, but also to many projects and business ideas. To this end, the VDT offers access to a wide range of contacts who are dedicated to high-quality audio. In addition, VDT members enjoy a wide range of benefits.
Community
Networking with audio experts
Join the association to find like-minded people. Representatives from all sectors throughout the German-speaking world and beyond can be found here.
Regional contacts
Our members are spread across eight regional communities. You can easily contact our local representatives there.
Expert contacts
Each of our ten departments specialises in a specific area. Whether you're interested in acoustics, theatre, sound reinforcement, music production or R&D, you'll find the right fit for you here.
Contact to our supporting companies
If you have any questions about our products or would like advice on choosing a topic for your master's thesis, or if you are looking for new challenges, our sponsoring companies are here to help.
Pro audio job advertisements
Our newsletter and job board collection showcase the latest industry-specific job opportunities.
Know-how
Free VDT events
Regional events featuring lectures, guided tours, hands-on sessions, national seminars, and other (online) events impart knowledge and promote networking.
Spatial Audio Listening Sessions
Listen to and evaluate multi-channel audio productions in various formats and genres together on the best 3D sound system—SALS is particularly popular with young people.
The Tonmeistertagung
Every two years, we host the Tonmeistertagung. This pro-audio congress with large exhibition is the industry's most important event in terms of content and offers greatest networking opportunities!
The VDT Magazin
VDT Magazine is published five times a year for VDT members only. Each issue focuses on a specific topic. Excerpts are published online.
The Friday newsletter
Our Friday newsletter keeps members up to date with important industry information, details of VDT events and job advertisements.
"Tongestalten" podcast
The podcast focuses on interesting sound engineers and highlights their personal preferences for working with sound.
Monetary benefits
Affordable insurance
As a VDT member, you can save money by taking advantage of our cooperation partner, Tonmeister-Assekuranz's, exclusive, significantly discounted, profession-specific insurance policies.
Introductory legal consultation
Enforce your legal rights more quickly and cost-effectively: all members can obtain free initial legal advice from our association lawyer in the event of professional disputes.
Great discounts
Members receive significantly discounted tickets for paid VDT events, such as the Tonmeistertagung.
Discounts from cooperation partners
VDT members receive discounts when participating in events offered by many cooperation partners and associations.
Support for surviving dependants
As a VDT member, you can participate in the Voluntary Survivor Support Scheme (freiwilligen Hinterbliebenenunterstützung/fHU) and demonstrate your solidarity with the industry.
Professional email address
Each member can set up their own email address or forwarding address using one of the domains @tonmeister.de / .eu / .email, @tonmeisterin.email, or @tonmeisterei.email.
Who can become a member?
With almost 2,000 members, the VDT is the largest professional association in the German-speaking audio industry. Throughout its 70-year history, the association has adapted to changes in the industry and is now an open organization with a diverse membership base. As well as artistically oriented sound engineers who have often completed specialized studies, the association also represents technical sound engineering. Members work in sound carrier production, radio, film, television, multimedia, and the stage and event industries and represent the media, equipment industry, research, development, and teaching sectors. Who can become a member? We welcome those who have specialized in the professional audio industry and made good sound their area of responsibility. There are many routes to this specialization, which is why we require two guarantors to recommend our members. What if you don't know any guarantors? In that case, one of our volunteers from the executive board, regional group, or unit management will call you to discuss your suitability for membership. This is your first personal connection to our community!
Our Divisions
Live Sound / Theater
Broadcast
Film Sound
Game Audio
Recording
Mastering
Sound Design
Research & Development
Education & Training
And what about Companies?
Sometimes, personal membership is not the right fit. The VDT also accepts companies as sustaining members.
You will be offered a range of benefits, and the company's representative will enjoy similar rights to a personal member. Find out more here: