Creative Research

Immersive Orchestra

Beyond the visual aspect of immersion, three-dimensional audio is an additional and substantial characteristic of 3D virtual environments. This investigation aims to understand the potential impact of directional audio shifts on emotional engagement.

John A. Sloboda, professor of music psychology at Keele University, associates classical music with peak emotional experiences causing a physical reaction. He, specifically, relates these emotional experiences with sudden changes in dynamics and texture of harmony. The investigation builds on this hypothesis and explores the role of changes in directionality of harmony. For this purpose, 360° video and audio footage of a classical music concert by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra was recorded and manipulated.

To assess the impact of this manipulation, participants were invited to view the experience in VR while measuring their galvanic skin response in comparison to an individual baseline. (The baseline consisted of a 1-minute average taken before the start of the VR experience.) Participants then filled out a questionnaire to gauge musical pleasure and awareness of audio directionality.

When asked if they felt involved with the musical piece, participants, on average rated their experience higher when exposed to the audio manipulation. The change in 3D audio directionality likely triggered a physiological response  in participants and self-reported higher involvement with the musical piece.