How to Make a Spatial Audio Mix: With Audiocube
A spatial audio mix is a way of mixing that is more than stereo mixing; it gives you an immersive experience, making you feel more part of the sound you're mixing.
I created Audiocube so that others and I could start exploring Spatial Audio mixes in more depth and detail; not only can your work become more interesting, but you can also become more creative in the sounds you're creating. Not only can it make the sound you listen to come to life, but it can also be something that can be fun to experiment with and make mixing sound more enjoyable.
In this article, we're going to take a look at what spatial audio mixes are, some examples of when this has been used within the industry, and how you can use Audiocube to create a spatial mix with ease.
In This Article...
Spatial audio mixes are a way of mixing music further than stereo, so the music is all around you.
You will learn what spatial mixing is and some industry tools that have been used in films and music.
I will show you some real-life examples of when you may have heard spatial mixing in your everyday life.
Audiocube can help you make a spatial audio mix with ease.
What is a Spatial Audio Mix
A spatial audio mix is a specific way of using three-dimensional space to create a soundscape that surrounds the listener, moving far beyond the limits of traditional stereo mixes. With traditional Stereo recordings, you have width, with sounds placed on a line between your left and right ears, but there's no real sense of depth or height. A spatial audio mix, by contrast, is like a sonic sculpture, more like surround sound. It allows a sound engineer to place and move individual sounds anywhere within a full 360-degree sphere around your head, so you can hear sound coming from all around you, creating an immersive audio experience.
The fundamental difference lies in the technology. Stereo tracks or mixes are channel-based, meaning sound is sent to a fixed number of channels (left and right), whereas spatial audio is object-based. Each sound, whether it's a voice, a guitar, or a sound effect, can be treated as an individual object with its own coordinates in a virtual space. When you listen, the software and your device render this 3D map of sound in real-time, creating a lifelike and compelling audio environment, leading to a more immersive mix.
The ultimate goal is to create a natural and realistic experience. It aims to replicate how we perceive sound in the real world, tricking our brains into believing we are physically present within the audio environment. For music, it can feel like you're in the room with the band. For movies or gaming, it creates a powerful sense of atmosphere and directional awareness. A spatial audio mix closes the gap between listening to a recording and feeling like you are truly there.
Audiocube is a great example of software where you work on a virtual plane, creating specific objects with the intention of creating an immersive and creative atmosphere. You can download Audiocube free today or buy the full lifetime license.
Everyday Examples of a Spatial Audio Mix
Although it might not seem like this is the case, spatial audio mixes are used every day in different ways. Let's take a look below and see some of the examples where you might stumble upon these surround formats:
Music:
Artists like Billie Eilish and The Weeknd offer their music in Dolby Atmos spatial audio mixes, intended to feel like they place instruments around you.
You can find this 3D music on platforms such as Apple Music and Amazon Music.
Art & Live Events:
Spatial audio is used to create immersive exhibits where sound comes from all around the visitor.
Film & Television:
It is commonly used in movie theaters to create realistic sound movement, like a helicopter flying overhead.
Achieving this often requires a Dolby Atmos renderer and ceiling speakers for the full effect.
Professional software like Steinberg Nuendo is popular for creating these cinematic sound mixes.
Streaming Services:
While common in cinemas, there is currently limited 3D audio content on home streaming services, though this is expected to grow.
These are just a few examples of when you might come across a spatial audio mix in your day-to-day. As you can see, most of these rely on the mixing process to create the immersive formats, allowing for the sound to feel centralised around you.
You can use programs like Audiocube to process your own audio signals in 3D, which means you can create binaural audio yourself. You can download Audiocube for free, or you can purchase a lifetime license to enjoy the full features.
How to Make a Spatial Audio Mix: A Step-By-Step Guide with Audiocube
Make a Spatial Audio Mix. Download Audiocube.
Some of the industry standard DAWs, such as Apple Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Avid Pro Tools, have the ability to work with spatial audio but are not specifically designed for it.
Luckily, I have developed my own software that can help you with that: Audiocube.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you would go about making a spatial mix with Audiocube.
Download Audiocube - Get started for free, or buy the full version to get access to all the features.
Open Audiocube and Start a New Project - When you open Audiocube, click New Project. You’ll see a 3D grid space, this is where your sounds will live and move.
Add Your Sounds - You can easily import your own audio files, or use the built-in sample pack downloader with over 2GB of HD, custom samples.
Create a Sampler - You can add samplers to your project, which will play your chosen sound.
Place the Sound in 3D - You can place the sampler anywhere in your project to change how you experience the sound, whether that's coming from behind you, to the side of you, or above you.
Make It Move (Optional) - Audiocube has an automation feature that lets you move your sound around you whilst the project is playing.
Mix and Add Effects – Audiocube comes with a full mixing system, including 8 audio channels. Add reverb, EQ, distortion, and more. You can apply effects to individual devices or shape the overall sound on the master channel.
Tweak the Acoustics – The built-in acoustic engine simulates natural sound behavior, like reflections from boundaries, which is not typical of most DAWs. You can activate the head-related transfer functions (HRTF) Binauralizer for a headphone-friendly 360° experience when creating a binaural mix.
Adjust the Mix - Make sure all your sounds blend well together. You can change the volume and position of each sound to get the dynamic range just right.
Check and Export - If you're happy with the mix, you can export your full project into a WAV file ready to use.
You can use Audiocube to make one track or one hundred tracks all within your computer. If you want to try Audiocube for yourself, you can download it for free or purchase a lifetime license to get access to all of its features.
Other Features That Audiocube Offers
When I embarked on developing Audiocube, my goal was to create a spatial audio tool that is different from traditional digital audio workstations (DAWs). I envisioned a platform that empowers creators to explore sound in three dimensions, offering a fun and immersive listening experience.
Here are some key elements that Audiocube can offer you if you're looking to make 3D music.
Find out what you can do. Download Audiocube!
Intuitive 3D Interface
Audiocube's user-friendly 3D interface allows you to position and manipulate sound sources within a virtual space with ease. Whether you're placing a vocal track above or moving ambient sounds around the environment, the visual workspace makes spatial audio design more exciting.
Diverse Audio Devices
To provide flexibility in sound creation, Audiocube includes seven unique device types:
Samplers: Trigger and manipulate audio samples with precision.
Emitters: Generate sounds that interact with the environment, bouncing off surfaces for dynamic effects.
Tickers: Sequence events and automate sound movements over time.
Logic Boxes: Introduce conditional behaviors and interactions between devices.
Soundwalls: Simulate physical barriers that reflect and absorb sound, shaping the acoustic environment.
These devices can be combined and customized to create some interesting soundscapes.
Real-Time Acoustic Simulation
Understanding how sound behaves in different environments is crucial for immersive audio. Audiocube features real-time acoustic simulation, incorporating reflections, occlusion, and distance attenuation.
Binaural Rendering with HRTF
For headphone users, Audiocube employs Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) processing to deliver accurate binaural rendering. This technique simulates how human ears perceive sound from various directions, enhancing the realism of the spatial audio experience.
Integration and Export
Audiocube is designed to fit into your existing workflow. After crafting your 3D audio project, you can export high-quality WAV files for use in other DAWs or media applications. This flexibility ensures that your spatial audio creations can be shared and experienced across different platforms.
These are just a few things that make Audiocube a great software for making a spatial audio mix. You can try Audiocube for free today but if you want access to all of these features, you can buy the lifetime license.
Make a Spatial Audio Mix with Audiocube
Now you know all about spatial mixing, how it is more than just a usual stereo mix, and how it can make your sound come to life and feel more immersive.
If you are looking for an immersive effect, then Audiocube makes sense and is the software for you. You can download Audiocube for free today, or you can purchase the lifetime license and have access to all of the features it has to offer.
FAQs About Spatial Audio Mixes
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A spatial audio mix is a way of arranging sounds so they feel like they’re coming from all around you, not just left and right. It creates a 3D sound experience. With Audiocube, you can easily build spatial mixes by placing sounds in a virtual space using a simple visual interface.
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To make an audio mix, you combine different sounds like music, voice, and effects, then adjust their volume, timing, and position so they work well together. Tools like Audiocube make this process easier by letting you place and control sounds visually in a 3D space, making your mix more creative and clear.
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To create immersive audio, you place sounds around the listener to make them feel surrounded. This involves using panning, reverb, and 3D positioning. Audiocube helps by letting you drag and drop sounds into a 3D space, making it easy to build rich, lifelike audio environments that feel natural and engaging.
