DIY Spatial Sound Systems | Practical Workshop

UCL MAL is an interdisciplinary research network that explores innovative methods for conducting and presenting ethnographic research.

UCL MAL

Learn how to create your own spatial sound systems from scratch in this hands-on workshop!

20 Bedford Way

Sounding Planetary Futures: a multimodal festival

Join us  for an exciting programme of immersive multimedia performances, workshops, panels and creative exchanges, in a unique series of events that invites audiences to participate in this collaborative cultural exchange and rethink planetary futures

DIY Spatial Sound Systems | Course Tutor: Andrea Esther Kerecsen 11am - 2pm | 20 Bedford Way - W3.01OverviewThis 3-hour workshop invites individuals interested in spatial sound to explore the creation and implementation of affordable ambisonics systems. Ambisonics is a 3D audio technique that captures sound as a full spherical field, enabling immersive sound reproduction adaptable to various speaker arrangements. Participants will engage with the fundamental principles of ambisonics while discovering how to construct an effective spatial audio system using low-budget components.TheoryThe session will begin with an overview of ambisonics, emphasizing its advantages over traditional sound systems like stereo and surround sound. While these conventional setups rely on fixed speaker configurations, ambisonics encodes sound in a 3D space, providing a versatile soundfield that can be decoded for any speaker arrangement. Participants will learn how this flexibility enhances the immersive experience, allowing for a more dynamic audio presentation.SoftwareParticipants will work with Ardour, an open-source digital audio workstation (DAW) that supports a variety of plugins (LADSPA, LV2, VST2, VST3) and offers extensive scripting capabilities. Ardour is accessible across multiple operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and Linux. The IEM Plugin Suite will also be utilized for spatialization and speaker array decoding, demonstrating effective solutions for building ambisonics systems on a budget.PracticeIn this hands-on session, participants will:<ul><li>Observe a demonstration showcasing the capabilities of a professional ambisonics system.</li><li>Construct a spatial audio system using 8 consumer-quality hi-fi speakers and affordable 12V car amplifiers. The session will include a brief discussion on powering the system with solar energy for those interested in sustainable practices.</li><li>Utilise second-hand sound interfaces to transmit signals to the speakers.</li><li>Set up the decoder and encoder within Ardour, enabling participants to experiment with the placement of microphones and audio sources in the ambisonic space. They will have the opportunity to listen to the evolving soundscape as they manipulate parameters and engage with the live system.</li></ul> The workshop will culminate in a collaborative music production session, allowing participants to apply what they've learned by creating and performing music using microphones and various spatial effects. A comprehensive list of open-source tools and installation instructions will be provided afterward to encourage further exploration and practice.

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DIY Spatial Sound Systems | Practical Workshop

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