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Hair Cut - Binaural 3D Audio - ASMR (use headphones)

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Using a Nuemann KU100 Dummy Head, this is a great page in general but the opening half of the video is an excellent example in the potential of binaural spatialisation.

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What we've done

Binaural sound technology allows the creation of immersive spatial audio experiences for headphone listeners. This can enhance programmes when listened to on headphones as well as create immersive interactive experiences including in virtual and augmented reality.

We spent several years developing tools for production and delivery of binaural sound, as well as evaluating industry technology. This allowed the BBC to produce a great deal of high quality binaural content. The work was underpinned by study of the perceived quality of binaural technology, development of signal processing algorithms, and analysis of the workflows of our production staff. Binaural has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly as mobile headphone listening has increased. Towards the end of this project, we worked with the BBC Academy to ensure that our production teams are equipment with the knowledge and tools to create high quality binaural audio.

Why it matters

Over the last decade there has been a large growth in the number of people listening to programmes over headphones. This is largely thanks to the arrival of powerful smart phones, fast mobile data networks, and streaming services such as the BBC iPlayer. Currently most audio we hear over headphones is in stereo, the same content that we play over loudspeakers. But listening to stereo programmes over headphones can give a flat impression with sounds coming from inside the head.

Binaural techniques can be used to create a richer sense of space in programme sound, giving a more exciting and immersive listening experience. We are also working on 3D sound for loudspeakers, but binaural technology can bring that kind of experience to listeners' headphones. This can be applied to traditional programme content but also to new interactive content experiences including virtual and augmented reality.

Our goals

Enable the BBC to create world-class binaural content

Evaluate the user experience of binaural sound in broadcasting

Develop technology to deliver binaural sound to our audiences

Open standards that enable binaural broadcasting

Explore the role of sound in new interactive media (VR/AR)

How it works

Binaural techniques simulate the hearing cues created by acoustic interaction between our bodies and the environment around us. Audio signals are filtered to introduce these cues and give the impression that a sound source is located outside of the head at a given location in space. Our hearing system appears to be sensitive to inaccurate cues, it is common for binaural filters to create an unconvincing spatial impression as well as poor sound quality. Every person has an individual pattern of hearing cues that are created by their unique body shape, also these cues change as a listener moves. Natural binaural reverberation is also important for convincing effect. Achieving high quality binaural sound currently requires careful measurement and specialist equipment. To adapt this for broadcasting requires new techniques based on a better understanding of human hearing.

Outcomes

We have now supported the BBC to make well over 100 programmes using binaural sound techniques, across a wide range of genres, for radio and podcasts, television, and in new interactive content.

For several years running we have enabled production of special immersive headphones mixes of the BBC Proms. The 2019 concerts are available in binaural here. This uses a custom live mixing tool that we built.

We have supported the production of several award-winning binaural audio dramas, such as Sky Is Wider (unfortunately, this is no longer available to listen) and iSpy Sound Detective.

We developed the BBC's first public VR experience, The Turning Forest, which won the 2016 TVB Europe award for Achievement in Sound. More recently we collaborated with the BBC's VR Hub to produce the spatial audio mix for the VR experience Nothing to be Written.

We have developed training resources with the BBC Academy based on the experience we've gained through this work, including some public resources that are linked to below. The tools that we've developed are also now available to BBC staff for use in studios and outside broadcasts, allowing them to produce binaural sound without our input.

We have also published many research papers on binaural technology and evaluation of the effects it can have on the listening experience, which you can find in the publications section of the website.

BBC R&D - Sounding Special: Doctor Who in Binaural Sound BBC R&D - Virtual Reality Sound in The Turning Forest BBC R&D - Developing Tools for Live Binaural Production at the BBC Proms BBC R&D - Evaluating the Perceived Quality of Binaural Technology

Immersive Audio Training and Skills from the BBC Academy including: Introduction to Spatial Audio 3D surround sound for the headphone generation Sound Bites - An Immersive Masterclass Sounds Amazing - audio gurus share tips

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Binaural ASMR. Ear Touching, Cupping, Tapping & Rubbing

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Brian Hook, Meta Oculus, GDC 2014
Available at https://developer.oculus.com/resources/audio-intro-localization/

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Listen out for the Ghosts door knocks, this a is a great example of immersive sound via headphones.

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Sounding Special: Doctor Who in Binaural Sound

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How R&D technology enabled this special 3D headphone mix of Doctor Who.

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Acoustic Ecology - Hull Research Group Examples

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Acoustic Ecology - Hull Research Group Examples

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Molecule - Live Rex Club, Binaural 360 Production

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Molecule - Live Rex Club, Binaural 360 Production

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Ecoutez en exclusivité un extrait du live de Molécule lors de son concert dans le noir au Rex Club à Paris en octobre dernier.

Il s'agit d'un live spatialisé en direct par l'équipe spécialiste du son immersif à Radio France sur un soundsystem L-Acoustics : une grande première pour une immersion totale dans le son pour vivre une expérience à la fois collective et intérieure. Une expérience radiophonique aussi, puisque ce concert a été diffusé en direct également sur la webradio Fip électro.
Cet enregistrement fera l'objet d'une sortie discographique en son binaural début 2019.

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[EXTRAIT] Molécule à 360° et dans le noir au Rex - Hyperradio

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Ecoutez en exclusivité un extrait du live de Molécule lors de son concert dans le noir au Rex Club à Paris en octobre dernier. Il s'agit d'un live

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Almost Nothing But (Butterflies and Clouds) by Lisa Whistlecroft

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More about this piece here: http://lisa.whistlecroft.net

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An autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR)[2][3][4] is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A pleasant form of paresthesia,[5] it has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia[6][7] and may overlap with frisson.[8] ASMR…

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Immersive Sound: The Art and Science of Binaural and Multi-Channel Audio

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3.30 - 4.30pm

3dio Binaural Mic - 20 Mins

ASMR Experiment: explore what sounds trigger frission responses. How could this be used in your productions?
EG

Whispers, Breaths
Mic Sounds/Handling
Button Presses
Crinkling Plastic / Paper
Soda Can Hiss
Book Paper Turns
Kinaesthetic Foley

OKM Binaural Mics  - 20 Mins
Looking to capture recordings and enviroments, which give maxium binaural value to the listener.

Think about opportunities to capture Interaural Time / Level Differences.

Doppler Effects eg car pass
Woodland - Bird calls from different directions
Refectory - Surround Dialogue/Walla
Wind/Leaves above head height
Constant Broadband Noise - how does the sound change depending on HTRF directionailty. Ie if you are facing or turning away from the sound source. Use the physical aspects of your own personal HTRF to capture interesting binaural perspectives.

Use Movement, tilt and pan your head while wearing the OKM Mics: This will help locate ambiguous sound sources.

H6 Field Recording - 20 Mins

Focus on Mono. Most spatialization techniques model sound sources as infinitely small point sources; that is, sound is treated as if it were coming from a single point in space as opposed to a large area, or a pair of discrete speakers. As a result, sounds should generally be authored as monophonic (single channel) sources

Broad spectrum (above 1500hz) sound for example white noise, wind, running water

Anechoic (echoless) Enviroment Sounds ie Dubbing theatre Vocal Booh/ 103 Booth -  low noise floor

Close Direct Sound in a reflective enviroment ie atrium, or refectory, Versus the same source at a distance. So the second sound contains much higher level or reflective sound.