30 AV FOCUS Audio
CROWD APPEAL The experience of object-based audio is helping to drive footfall in exhibits such as Bill Fontana's Shadow Soundings at the MAAT
avenues for immersive audio is a new generation of multimedia events that reside between different artistic disciplines. Some might be said to constitute a high-tech reboot of the ‘happenings’ that characterised the Swinging Sixties in London and the peak of psychedelia. What is certain is that adding immersive audio capability to museums and exhibition spaces will help to tempt the next generation of visitors – routinely assailed by rich audio and video experiences via VR and gaming – through the door. Indeed, there are already plenty of new public experiences that are being directly informed by gaming. In particular, there is a lot of overlap between gaming and the theme park industry, according to Haydon. “Lots of game brands are being converted into rides, and the overall experience is merging thanks to people on rollercoasters being provided with VR goggles and so on,“ he says. “Without a doubt the boundaries between the different disciplines are now getting thinner and thinner. As a result, I believe that immersive audio in theme parks is going to be a huge trend in the same way as it is in experiential spaces.”
SOUND REALLY ADDED SOMETHING AND HELPED TO PROVIDE A THROUGH-LINE TO THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE
adaptability and personalisation – along with flexible, immersive audio
Suffice to say that most observers expect the current trickle-down from large, high-end environments (such as Shadow Soundings at the MAAT) to middle-tier exhibitions to continue apace as multi- channel audio becomes more ubiquitous. Van Munster highlights the ability of Astro Spacial Audio to provide interactivity,
configurations. “Object-based audio will become increasingly important within the museum and gallery space,” he says, “to the point that it simply becomes the expected norm. In fact, I believe that we are already on that road.”
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