How To Mix Spatial Audio In A DAW

Tools and Workflow for mixing spatial Audio in a DAW

What is Spatial Audio?

Spatial Audio (also known as 3D audio or 360 audio) is a sonic experience where audio placement changes with the movement of the listeners head. 3D audio effects manipulate the audio waves produced by stereo speakers, surround-sound speakers, speaker-arrays, or headphones. Headphones are the most common form to consume spatial audio. Check out our last blog post 5 Ways to Consume Spatial Audio to learn about more ways to consume spatial audio. This process involves the simulated placement of virtual sound sources anywhere in a simulated spherical space, which means behind, above or below the listener.

Spatial music is music composed to intentionally exploit sound localization. This has actually been used since prehistoric times in the form of antiphon. Antiphon is a a term originated from Greek and Latin roots roughly meaning “responsive sound”. As a technique used in modern music, it has been used since around 1928 as ‘Raumusik’ or “space music” from Germany.

The term spatialization is known as the projection and localization of sound source in a space, physical or simulated and its spatial movement and reflection in the space. Combined the result is known as ambisonic techniques which are bracketed as having 5 levels+, the first level being a simulation of a spherical plane increasing steps to 8 next 16, 32, 64 +. This is known as a spatial domain, a convolution of sound waves using head-related transfer functions (HRTF). This is a phenomenon of transforming sound waves utilizing HRTF with filters and crosstalk cancellation techniques to mimic how the placement of our ears receives natural sounds waves through space which emanate from a point in a virtual 3-Dimensional construct. This is most utilized with 360 video and Virtual Reality. Ambisonic audio functions to change position instantly in real-time, as the user looks around either when wearing a VR headset or rotating a smartphone when viewing 360 content.

What is a DAW?

DAW is an abbreviated term for Digital Audio Workstation. It is a software frequently used in music production as an instrumental tool in the process of recording, editing, mixing and mastering audio. Commonly known DAW’s are Logic Pro X, AVID Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reason and more.

How To Mix Spatial Audio In A DAW

To mix Spatial Audio in a DAW you will need a computer with capable abilities to run a DAW, a DAW as mentioned above, headphones, and spatial panner plugins. There are many kinds of spatial plugins for free download and some that are now integrated with the DAW. Logic has its own Binaural Panner that produces a well simulated spherical sound. Sennheiser has a free plug-in called AMBEO Orbit that allows for finer tuning on the space and better quality. If you are getting heavy into Spatial Audio Production you might find yourself using a higher caliber plug-in like Dear Reality’s Dear VR Pro.

Here we will go over using Sennheiser’s free plug-in AMBEO Orbit in Logic Pro X. If you are using Pro Tools, the you will be able to easily export you ambisonic data straight from Pro Tools.

1. Open an Empty Project in Logic

2. Add Audio Track(s)

3. Add Insert by clicking “Audio FX”

4. Navigate to Audio Units> Sennheiser>AMbeo Orbit

Keep in mind! Spatial Audio plug-ins must be last in the audio chain. Meaning this is the last effect the audio source hits before going to the output.

5. Adjust Parameters to Pan Audio

The AMBEO Orbit Plug-in has many parameters. Azimuth is the 360 degree spherical relation around the listeners head. Elevation is the height or depth of the signal in relation to the listener. The Width knob adjust how wide the sound source is. Clarity is refers to the clarity of reflections being simulated. The Reflections can be turned ON or OFF if desired by clicking the Blue Switch on the right corner of the dialog box. The Level knob control the Volume level of the reflections being simulated. Size adjust how large or small the space is. The reflection material of the space can be adjusted to multiple different settings including Drapes, Curtains, Brick Drywall, and Glass. Each provide a uniquely different timbre to the audio source.

6. bounce and Export

First, right click on all audio regions in a single track with spatial effects on it then navigate to Bounce and Join then select Bounce in Place. Do this for each track. This allows you to have separate ambisonic effected audio files with binaural data integrated.

In the Bounce in Place dialog box be sure to rename your new audio file and mute the “Source”. Keeping Overload Protection Only on will help refrain the track from clipping. This may be wanted to toggle off if you want full dynamic volume as created from audio effects.

With all ambisonic effected regions you can then Bounce the full project to interleave all audio tracks to a single audio file. Navigate to File>Bounce>Bounce Project or Section or use the keyboard shortcut Command+B.

In the Bounce Dialog Box you can configure the export settings of the audio file. WAVE is the preferred format as it is a lossless audio format without any compression. CAF is an audio format created by Apple which is typically used for audio to video and broadcasting but this audio format also contains surround sound metadata within the audio file which is the best option for bouncing ambisonic files from Logic Pro X.

Select OK and navigate to where you would like the audio track to be saved on your computer or external drive. That is the last step! Now you have successfully mixed and exported a spatial audio file from your DAW. Now you can push the barriers of the music experience to your fans and provide a new way of listening for the world.

Be sure to educate yourself on more of the spatial audio industry through one of our previous post!