O Stecina
Spatial, Immersive, Surround, and Atmos
Until I'm physically able to EAT sound, this will have to do, I guess.
Demos and Links
The incredible people at the RTA program at TMU have given me access to some very cool equipment and software. Here's what I've managed to make with that.
Soundscapes of Self
Dolby Atmos
My practicum project (already plastered all over this dang website because I love it so much), was an effort to put into skills that I had learned in courses like Immersive & Interactive Audio, Sound Synthesis, Creative Nonfiction, Audio Storytelling, and Journalism into practice. In 2024, one of RTA's mixing studios was renovated to include a MTRX I/O setup that supported 7.1.4 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixing. Although I had originally mixed the project in REAPER using its Ambisonic capabilities (and the wonderful open-source IEM plugins), a demo of Atmos in the new studio inspired me, and I set out to teach myself object-based mixing. Now, I'm very proud to present Soundscapes of Self as a truly immersive experience, available in Binaural, 5.1 Surround Sound, 7.1.4 Surround Sound, and Dolby Atmos mixes. I hope to continue to use Atmos and I have some exciting plans for utilizing it in future projects.
SIGAE (Spatial Immersive Geolocated Audio Experiences)
My biggest cheerleader, Finlay Braithwaite of The Creative School at TMU, serves as my supervisor for the SIGAE project, which will be presented at the URO Showcase at TMU on September 10th, 2025. This summer I've been learning how to incorporate head tracking data from Airpods Pro earbuds and geolocation data from the iPhone to create a prototype iOS app of audio experiences that help to encourage a listener to develop a routine of going for a walk, slowly introducing more and more opportunities for silent reflection and deep, present listening of the environment around them. I've been documenting my entire process on a blog for a dedicated website for the project in the hopes that what I've done can serve as a jumping-off point for future TMU students or others interested in immersive and spatial audio. There's even a forum section for public comment! I have also been exploring the psychology of auditory perception to find potential evidence-based therapeutic uses of spatial audio, and will be creating a formal literature review for the Showcase.
Project in progress!
Ambisonic Sleep Podcast
3rd Order Ambisonics (16 Channels)
"Sleepytime Palace" is also pasted everywhere on this website (it was nominated for a TARA, dontcha know), but in case you haven't encountered it yet, I created this for Immersive and Interactive Audio, making a sort of guided sleep meditation, where the listener lays on a comfy bed that's also a raft on a lazy river, on a Small-World-Esque tour of sleep-inducing soundscapes. The voiceover on this is also me!
Immersive Audio in Unity Engine
Did you know I also dabble in Unity? Also for Immersive and Interactive Audio, this project involved creating a unity demo that included an Ambisonic sound plate and multiple sound objects that could be navigated with a movement and camera system. This one is supposed to be reminiscent of the opening scene of La La Land, where you can hear what each car (and the overturned bus further down the freeway) is playing on their radio. The write-up explains what is happening in the video step-by-step, and you can also download and run the file yourself in Unity.