While most events at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., feature music in a live format, today's lecture at the downtown venue will discuss how to make sounds come alive in the studio.

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) will have its president-elect, Jim Anderson, speak at the 2 p.m. lecture, titled "Recording is not reality, reality is not recording."

Anderson will explain the responsibility entrusted to the audio engineer to create a sound so convincing the process of recording is undetectable to the listener.

Scott Porter, a graduate student and vice chairman of the AES at University Park, said that concept is what audio engineering is all about.

"Jim Anderson is not trying to make it sound like reality, but make it sound better than reality," he said.

The Audio Engineering Society at Penn State is a student chapter associated with the International Audio Engineering Society, which Anderson said has about 14,000 members.

Porter said audio engineering is "any source of technical work" that deals with recording, managing, production and reproduction of sound.

Anderson said students and professionals from all over the world are the "driving force" of the society.

There are geographically located chapters and student chapters of AES at many universities, such as Penn State.

Porter added he is thrilled for the chance to listen to someone who is so knowledgeable in his craft.

"He has won nine Grammy awards, nominated for 24 more and has been nominated for two Emmy awards. That says a lot about his importance," he said.

A graduate from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Anderson has been working in the industry for 35 years as an internationally recognized recording engineer.

Anderson, the audio engineer, is responsible for the character and quality of sound. Using technique and knowledge, this form of engineering can be applied to all media outlets including the Internet, TV, music and movies.

Porter said any audio engineer is at a crossroads in his or her career when it comes to combining artistic expression with technology.

Anderson, who has three projects coming out this weekend, said he plans to give advice to students so they will be prepared when trying to break into the industry.

"The best way is to be as prepared and as entrepreneurial as possible," he said, "You will be working mostly with musicians and not always with a record company."

Anderson is nationally acclaimed for his craft through a myriad of awards.

"It is wonderful when you work on a recording, you always hope people will think it worthy of recognition," he said. As for name-dropping, Porter said a lot of well-recorded music isn't always popular on the radio, so students may not be familiar with his work. Along with his role in AES, Anderson is the chairman of the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at NYU.

Note: This article originally listed an incorrect time for the event.