"8D" Audio and Spatial Sound
One of the first albums (if not the first album) I remember listening to in full was Big Audio Dynamite II's The Globe. While I could go into what this album meant to me in great depth, I want to focus on a moment on the hit track Rush. Listen to this part at 1:58 (or the whole song it's a pretty fun tune). Although it's not too complicated, a young Lucas hadn't really listened to much music from his own personal headphones before. Previously, most of what I had listened to music from came from the car, the dad's boombox, and whatever music in the public space I heard. I had also heard this track a million times before, it's a favorite of my mom. But the stereo element here blew me away because I had no idea one could do this with music. A cool sample used in a plunderphonic like way to focus on the rhythm and melody separately was amazing. I would listen to this section over and over. For me, it was what Krukowski (2017) explains as 'imagined space' as the sound creates this feeling as if you're within the actual physical space of the sound you're listening to. I find it interesting I had such a similar experience and if other people experienced a similar paradigm shift listening to their first distinctly stereo mix (as in not subtle).
The idea of imaginary space is also interesting to me because I feel there is a level of intrigue with creating this for us. I think there is a desire to escape our physical space and enter a world of sound where we can just disappear in the textures of it. I know I do and I know I'm not alone. A few years back there was a trend for something being referred to as '8D Audio'. Take a listen to it here. This is not as complex as what is described by Parsons in Four Sides of Moon. His article mentioned by Krukowski goes in depth about how Pink Floyd was mixed different for this quadrophonic sort of sound. It was mixed to create an experience similar to how speakers had been organized at some concert venues to give a fully realized imaginary space. 8D audio on the other hand just seems to be parts of the track rotating around your head. It's entirely simple and is a novelty at most rather then something that creates a true imaginary space. Yet, each one of these videos has millions of views. People love this sort of sound and I think it's because of how much people want to experience an alternate sound reality. To escape, to lie down and pretend there is nothing else is powerful. You are in control of space in this moment.
Questions
1. Do you remember your first stereo headphone experience? Or at least the first one where it stuck out?
2. Where do external sounds play into this (as in external to the imaginary space)?
Sources
Krukowski, D. (2017) “Headspace” in The New Analog: Listening and Reconnecting a Digital World
Parsons, A. (1975). Four sides of the Moon. The Stereo Society. Retrieved from https://stereosociety.com/foursides/.
Hi Lucas,
ReplyDeleteFirst and Foremost the link you have attached as an example of 8D audio is actually so cool. I've never heard anything like this before and it was actually mind blowing that way the sound was able to travel from my left to right headphone. When I originally clicked on the link I just transferred my bluetooth headphones from my phone to my computer in the science building and I instantly thought the connection failed and my computer was playing the music out loud.. I had to double check that the connection was paired. It completed blow my mind. The idea of an imagined space spinning your head in a circle actually brought me to a mind numbing space. Crazy to think that sound can make you escape the world in such a way.
However, to answer your question. The first sound track I ever listened to was Stadium Arcadium by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Here is the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgJx31z3h4A&list=PLHuJOlvtEfEnqiaNHJiSj-HEYqVUvEn0_
One external sound that plays a big role in this is the bass and how it's used to emphasize your spatial surroundings. I know for me personally once the beat starts to pick up I tend to naturally start rocking my head back and forth creating a sense of excitement. Almost like i'm in. an arena full of spectators about to play a hockey game even though i'm sitting in my rooming doing homework. I'm curious to see what emotions you generate from listening to this?
It's been a long time since I've listened to Stadium Arcadium, going to have to give it another listen. The guitar riff on snow is a really fun example of that sort of spatial sound. I think it's interesting you chose the chili peppers as an example citing their bass as what gives them that sort of stadium sound. I know they've been described as stadium rock before and I think the front and center bass plays a big part of that. Many other stadium rock classics like Seven Nation Army have a powerful bass and I think this ties in what Henriques has been talking about how bass can move people.
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