Auragami: Unfolding Stereo Audio for High-Density Loudspeaker Arrays

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2019-05-14
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Abstract

As a critical complement to immersive music, especially in virtual and augmented reality, demand for high-density loudspeaker arrays (HDLAs), consisting of 24 or more individually addressable loudspeakers is increasing. With only a few dozen publicly accessible systems around the world, HDLAs are rare, necessitating artistic and technical exploration. The work presented in this thesis details the culmination of four years of aesthetic and technical practice in composition and sound design for high-density loudspeaker arrays as an attempt to solidify existing standards and posit new practices. technical achievements include a pipeline to create repeatable and portable spatial audio mixes across arbitrary loudspeaker arrays, rapid spatial sound prototyping, and digital audio workstation workflow for 3-D soundscape creation. Aesthetic explorations have resulted in a distinct compositional voice, utilizing spatial audio systems as an instrument. Compositions specific to one venue may take advantage of the unique characteristics of a venue, such as loudspeaker layout, loudspeaker quantity, and room acoustics. The detailed graduate projects from 2015 to 2019 exemplify technical and compositional achievements in the exploration of the potential for HDLAs.

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spatial audio, 3-D sound, ambisonics, sound design, digital audio, signal processing
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