After the lecture with Gareth regarding spatial sound and immersive media, I realised that non-stereo or mono systems are so niche that it is potentially an unnecessary effort that could be very costly.

Surround sound systems make sense in the context of cinema audio, but to have albums release to non streamable/downloadable formats just wouldn’t make sense in today’s world (and maybe never made sense in the past anyway?). However, outside of the context of recorded media, I think diffusion is a great idea. I not too long ago conducted an experiment with diffusion, sending multiple outs from my sampler to different speakers. It’s quite a exhilarating experience and I intend to conduct similar experiments again. The problem lies that the experience cannot be recreated again through stereo speaker systems, its just much more fascinating as is. I tried to record the experience through binaural microphones to make the recording feel similar to when I was experiencing it in the room, but it just doesn’t translate. We all are familiar with this feeling: viewing videos of gigs our friends have attended through their phones and it is blatantly underwhelming.  Personally, I would like to try diffusion systems in places where there is space available for exhibition as this seems the only way one is going to experience the audio correctly. Otherwise, it becomes limited to the creator and few who get the chance to have a private listening. Recreating the audio over stereo systems feels no different from recording a band in a studio where, at the time, speakers and audio sources are coming from different locations simultaneously, and everything is recorded, edited in post with panning, and of course the end product is completely different. Dolby atmos may be a solution to this issue, although I haven’t looked enough into the technology. I understand there are other plugins that create artificial spatialisation and of course this is another concept worth pursuing to apply to compositions to replicate the feeling one experienced through diffusion systems, although it all seems to be missing the point of experiencing the art in the specifically built system. 

I guess what can we expect in a society where everything is becoming available to experience through our laptops, from the comfort of our sofas or as we go about the day with headphones on. Maybe dolby atmos recreations are the answer and it is inevitable that we’ll be meeting internationally to experience diffused sound art in the metaverse, but until then, I hope to see you at sound art/environment exhibitions, wine in hand, and chat about what it was that made us tick over a cigarette in the smoking area.