36 TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
to deliver the unexpected. “The Do-Lab stage at Coachella is not just another festival stage; it’s a wonderful, creative spectacle to experience. The point is the music, but they’ve done such a great job on the design.” In Montreux, there’s a jazz club with a spatial audio system as well as another venue more akin to a nightclub, which provides another example of how to elevate an audio-heavy experience. “The DJ booth is in the middle, and they’ve transformed the room through the use of lighting and sound and interior design,” says Davies. SOUND AT THE CENTRE While trends like immersive audio are not altogether novel, “the technology has matured significantly,” explains
Blight. “Object-based mixing, advanced loudspeaker processing and increasingly accurate spatial rendering let engineers place sounds in three-dimensional space far more convincingly than stereo or conventional surround. But this can only succeed if the underlying capture and delivery systems are equally robust. Clean microphone signals, accurate monitoring, reliable wireless links and low latency remain the foundations of any immersive experience.” Mizzi hasn’t mixed much spatial audio yet, but he’s heard some ‘impressive results’ and is excited to witness its evolution. For now, he’s continuing to experiment with the tools at his disposal. On a macro scale, “I think we’re watching the value of the live experience grow,” says Mizzi, from sonic spectacles in music and theatre to augmented reality in sport and retail. And the value is almost literal. “People are willing to pay increasingly high ticket prices,” he adds. While the demand for spectacle increases, so too does the supply. “Immersive techniques are no longer limited to flagship installations,” argues Blight. “These workflows are becoming practical for live events, broadcast and smaller productions too,” giving audio engineers access to on-the-rise product ranges and spatial mapping services. “Like any technology, it should serve the performance rather than become it,” Blight concludes. “Used thoughtfully, immersive audio strengthens the emotional connection between artists and audiences – but the sound should always remain at the centre.”
Cirque du Soleil (above and below) is known for delivering the unexpected with its spectacular immersive audio
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