Immersive audio, similar to surround sound, utilises multiple audio sources to create a more immersive listening experience. While surround sound refers to specific examples of 5.1, 7.1 and 9.2, immersive audio is the umbrella term for this practice. However unlike surround sound, high end immersive audio typically utilises speakers from above and below as well, to create a 3D space.
Starting with stereo, the use of multiple audio channels meant sound could seem to originate from different places, allowing for more immersion while listening to music. The 60s and 70s saw experimentation with quadraphonics (4 channel audio) and the 80s saw the invent of surround sound audio by Dolby. In recent times, immersive audio has been used in cinema predominantly, utilising “3D” height speakers above the listeners head. Dolby Atmos is the main immersive audio system, used first in screenings of Disneys ‘brave’.
While Immersive audio is interesting and something I would certainly be interested in experimenting with, I feel its use is somewhat limited to cinema and audio/visual projects. The facilities to both create and listen to music which has been mixed and mastered in immersive audio are rare to come by, and not something that the majority of listeners have access to. While I think it does have great artistic merit, for example its effective use in the audio/visual display ‘Van Gogh Exhibit: The Immersive Experience‘, I think it’s mostly redundant within solely music due to its inaccessibility. Within audio/visual exhibitions and works, immersive audio can be incredibly effective at creating environments that reflect the work shown, such as Brian Eno’s exhibitions using projections and ambient music. Similarly immersive audio doesn’t massively grab me as I work predominantly with guitar based rock music. While immersive audio could be used in this setting with more psychedelic acts for instance, my production is usually a lot more in line with 80s post-punk and 90s grunge music, keeping production simple and rough. However I am still interested to learn about its capabilities and create a surround sound mix during this term.
Patel, M. (2023) Immersive audio explored – really, what is immersive audio?, audioXpress. Available at: https://audioxpress.com/article/immersive-audio-explored-really-what-is-immersive-audio#:~:text=Therefore%2C%20while%20Dolby%20Atmos%20is,not%20limited%20to%20Dolby%20Atmos. (Accessed: 03 May 2024).
Definition of Immersive Sound (no date) PCMAG. Available at: https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/immersive-sound#:~:text=Immersive%20%22Sound%22%20is%20concerned%20with,create%20a%20true%203D%20effect. (Accessed: 03 May 2024).
Brian Eno – Overview (no date) Paul Stolper. Available at: https://www.paulstolper.com/artists/56-brian-eno/overview/ (Accessed: 03 May 2024).