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Apple announced its new immersive audio and video headset device "Vision Pro" for Spatial Vision and Spatial Audio at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 . . . :)

THOUGHTS

I started thinking about this yesterday (Monday June 5, 2023) after reading the press release; so these are my initial thoughts . . .

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Apple Vision Pro

The visual aspects are intriguing, but here in the sound isolation studio the focus is on the auditory experience . . .

I currently have nearly no information about Apple Vision Pro and its audio capabilities, but I can imagine . . .

The Apple overview at the Vision Pro website offers a few clues about the advanced audio capabilities of the device and its technologies, which include developer software engineering functions and strategies . . .

[NOTE: Surf.Whammy likely has more expertise on advanced motion-based spatial audio focused on headphones and Apple AirPods than most folks; and this probably provides a few useful clues regarding what Apple calls the "Spatial Audio System (SAS)" . . . ]

No doubt, some of SAS includes flavors of binaural audio, which is the general audio technology focused on reproducing or recreating the way things are heard at the two ears--one ear on each side of the human head . . .

Humans with normal hearing receive audio content with each ear, and this is called "binaural hearing" . . .

There are various technologies for working with binaural audio, but historically they have tended to be difficult to use for achieving realistic results . . .

One strategy uses a "dummy head" with microphones at the location of each ear; and this device is used to record audio, which later is played-back via studio-quality headphones and Apple AirPods, although with typically less impressive results . . .

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Neumann KU 100 "Dummy Head" Binaural Microphone

KU 100 "Dummy Head" Binaural Microphone (Neumann)

For example, Wave Arts has an advanced VST effects plug-in (Panorama 7) that provides and explores this aspect of binaural audio with some success, although not in the extreme . . .

Panorama 7 (Wave Arts)

Panorama 7 has the ability to create three-dimensional ("3D") experiences for loudspeakers and headphone; but it relies on a virtual festival of advanced technologies and information in the form of auditory perception cues that in practice can be very subtle, hence (a) tend to work nicely in isolation but (b) do not work so well in elaborate sonic spaces, which in a practical way maps to being able to simulate footstep sounds of a person walking across a room but only when these are the only sounds other than perhaps a voice-over or something similar, and then primarily when listening with headphones rather than a studio monitor system . . .

My intuitive thinking is that the Apple Vision Pro might achieve vastly better results by adding visual cues to the Spatial Audio System (SAS); and this is based on the research i did when I was teaching myself how to play lead guitar and discovered by reading that the Frontal Eye Fields region of the human brain (Brodmann Area 8) has the fastest audio response at 24 milliseconds, which for certain audio events is nearly three times as fast as the Auditory Cortex (Brodmann Areas 22 and 42), which is approximately 65 milliseconds, although there are certain audio events that are perceived in the Auditory Cortex nearly instantly, which makes this aspect of auditory perception a bit complex to understand in a practical way . . .

My focus was on discovering how to imagine and play rapid series of lead guitar notes and phrases; and this was done primarily by playing series of notes and phrases over-and-over for hours at a time with the intent literally and physically of creating neural pathways and essentially "rewiring" my brain to increase the cooperation and awareness of the Frontal Eye Fields and Auditory Cortex for purposes of playing lead guitar, along with increasing physical dexterity, related muscle enhancements, and so forth . . .

Until you actually focus on the concepts, this certainly can sound a bit goofy or wacky; but there is a simple exercise you can do which will provide a few clues, at least if you routinely have a bit of FUN tapping your fingertips or playing drums . . .

(1) Focus on the four fingers of each hand, and use the thumbs only for support and stability.

(2) Start with one hand, and tap its four fingers rapidly in the sequence {little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger}.

(3) Do the same finger-tapping sequence with the other hand.

Do this enough times so you can do it very rapidly; and with a bit of practice this will map to one finger tap every 125 milliseconds, which is the average tempo or repeat rate of "slapback echo" . . .

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Then with a bit more practice, increase the speed of the two-hand finger-tapping sequence until you can do it five times in a second, which maps to 40 very rapid finger taps, with each finger tap occurring at the rate of 25 milliseconds per tap, which is the auditory response rate of the Frontal Eye Fields region of the human brain and auditory perception system . . .

Now it doesn't appear to be so goofy or wacky . . . :+1

I can do this in short bursts; and I suggests there are drummers who do this routinely every so often . . .

If you have a piano, then you can do a glissandi, which as I learned probably is best done with the thumbnail, although I do it with a fingertip or two (fingerprint area) if the keys have rounded edges . . .

Do a 40-note chromatic glissandi in one second, and there you are--playing a note every 25 milliseconds . . . :shock:

Liberace did this . . .

[NOTE: At the end of the YouTube video, Liberace does it double-time; and including the glissandi certainly is in the range of 40 notes per second or one note every 25 milliseconds . . . :+1 ]

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At various times, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Django Reinhardt did this on guitar; and in what is a truly mind-boggling feat, Django Reinhardt did it with only two fingers on his fretboard hand, since his left-hand fingers were injured in a fire, and only two of them worked, causing him to teach himself how to play rapid melodies with just two fingers . . .

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When I was teaching myself how to play grand piano by directed-dreaming where I never actually practiced or played a grand piano more than a few minutes a year for 20 years, I watched videos of Liberace, Floyd Cramer, Chico Marx, and John Lennon to learn their body motions when playing piano or a Vox Continental Organ . . .

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This coincided with discovering how to let my unconscious mind ("Id" in Freudian terminology) be in control for a while, since the fact of the matter is that the mentation abilities of the conscious mind ("ego" in Freudian terminology) are not sufficiently fast to do 40 things a second . . .

[NOTE: I have provided more details on the practice of suspending nearly all conscious mentation in various posts; and it's important not to suspend all conscious thought, since this can result in drooling or even wetting your pants . . . :P ]

The plan to teach myself how to play grand piano solely by directed-dreaming and studying videos of a few pianists was working with some success but moved to a new level after I got my first drumkit and had the epiphany that a grand piano keyboard (88-keys) was like a drumkit, which then led to the idea that playing grand piano was like playing drums . . .

[NOTE: As with everything I post, this is best enjoyed when listening with studio-quality headphones or Apple AirPods, since there are motion effects and other enhancements specifically for headphone and Apple AirPods listening. This was composed and played in real-time on the fly on the first take with no overdubbing of the piano, although I used cascading echo units to create a "Wall of Grand Piano"; and I suggest this is obvious simply because (a) this is nearly impossible to transcribe and (b) I don't read music notation anywhere near this rapidly, and then only soprano treble clef for sight-singing alone--not for instruments--which is due to learning to sight-sing soprano treble clef when I was in a liturgical boys choir. Except for the kick drum used as a virtual metronome done with a KORG Triton Music Workstation, all the instruments are real and were played and recorded one instrument at a time, also composed in real-time on the fly on the first take, which in this recording includes the electric bass playing what I call "textures" and is done "by ear", where it's not so much a matter of being diatonic or chromatic as it is doing what might be described as "smart slides" like Paul McCartney's bass on "Come Together" (Beatles). For reference, I have been playing bass "by ear" since I was 12 years-old, which is more than half a century, and I don't need sheet music or anything else to compose and play a bass part in real-time on the fly . . . ]

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STUDIO ONE PROFESSIONAL AND APPLE VISION PRO SPATIAL AUDIO SYSTEM

As a registered Apple Developer Program member, I have access to whatever information is available about the Apple Vision Pro; but I have not looked into it, yet . . .

On the PreSonus side, I have no insider information; hence am speculating and making a few educated guesses . . .

I think the Apple Vision Pro is going to be a big technology--certainly more important and advanced than other systems like the Meta Quest VR and its twin Oculus VR, as well as surround sound in general . . .

Unless PreSonus has privileged access to Apple Vision Pro, they are learning about it now, the same as everyone else, including me . . .

Is PreSonus going to develop new capabilities in Studio One Professional specifically for embracing and doing advanced spatial audio specifically for Apple Vision Pro?

I think this will be a smart move; but regardless there will be third-party VST effects plug-ins that provide "wrappers" for Apple Spatial Audio System technologies for this purpose . . .

One way to put Apple Spatial Audio System into perspective is that it's like surround sound but adds the ability for the listener to move around in the virtual surround sound environment . . .

I see no Apple Air-Pods used with the Apple Vision Pro, but this is the sparse information Apple provides:

"Dual-driver audio pods positioned next to each ear deliver personalized sound and adapt to the environment."

I am quite curious how this works with deep bass, which might require using Apple AirPods due to the increased volume levels required for deep bass; but perhaps not . . .

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Apple Vision Pro with Battery Pack

[NOTE: Although this ony is an educated guess, I think it will be possible to use Apple AirPods with the Apple Vision Pro instead of the built-in miniature loudspeakers; and the reason is that some folks will want to isolate the audio experience from other folks in the vicinity. As an example, perhaps someone is enjoying the Apple Vision Pro experience in a home, school, or public space and wants to listen to a Metallica album at a loud volume level but without anyone else hearing it. I think the only way to enjoy a private, personal audio experience will be to use Apple AirPods . . . ]

Intuitively, if Spatial Audio is done with miniature amplified loudspeakers--one set near each ear--then for practical purposes it's like doing a "surround sound" type of headphone mix with panning and equalizing effects done via some type of direct or VST effects plug-ins and Automation made specific to the requirements and audio parameters of the Apple Vision Pro . . .

Intuitively, it might appear to be vastly complex; but I think there will be an Application Programming Interface (API) that will map to use in a VST effects plug-in or something to make it easier to do--although making it interactive for the listener in real-time after everything has been recorded probably is a bit complex . . .

If the recorded audio is done in a way similar to surround sound, then perhaps the Apple Vision Pro will be able to do real-time mixing and enhancing of the existing surround sound channels?

Prior to the announcement of Apple Vision Pro, I had no interest in surround sound and all its variations, mostly because I do not have or need a surround sound audio system here in the sound isolation studio; but Apple Vision Pro changes this, since it's wearable device and technology that is self-contained and does not require a surround sound audio system comprising studio monitors and all that stuff . . .

Studio One Professional 6 does not do surround sound, per se; but it doesn't need to do anything specific in this respect, because 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound has channels that can be mapped to separate outputs and managed the same way one adds motion, elaborate panning, and so forth to a headphone mix; hence when you understand audio engineering, you do not need a bunch of surround sound-specific stuff . . .

The Apple Vision Pro is scheduled to be released to the public in 2024 and is reported to cost $3,500 (USD); so it's early days (Apple Vision Pro was announced on June 5, 2023) . . .

Doing anything specific to Apple Vision Pro in Studio One Professional probably is a year or two into the future; but this is a good time to begin thinking about it; and I suggest there probably already are ways to do experiments to explore the general concepts of spatial audio arranging, composing, producing, and audio engineering separately from whatever Apple decides to make available to arrangers, composers, musicians, vocalists, producers, foley artists, and audio engineers . . .

My perspective is that there were portable music players prior to October 2021; but then Apple released the first iPod and everything changed rapidly . . .

I think the Apple Vision Pro will have the same trajectory and impact . . .

Lots of FUN! :)
Last edited by Surf.Whammy on Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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by Surf.Whammy on Thu Jun 08, 2023 5:37 pm
I did more research on the Apple Vision Pro and AirPods . . . :)

THOUGHTS

I called Apple Developer Support and asked about using AirPods with Apple Vision Pro, but there was no available information . . .

I used the example of being in church and deciding to listen to a Metallica song at loud volume, with this probably not being something you want to share with the congregation, hence the option to use Apple AirPods to keep it private and personal . . .

For reference, I like to ponder the future; and the most relevant historical perspective was described in 1945 by Vannevar Bush in his amazing essay *As We May Think" published in "The Atlantic" magazine . . .

"As We May Think" (Vannevar Bush) ~ Wayback Machine

For all practical purposes, the Apple Vision Pro combined with the web, cloud computing, databases, and apps is "Memex" . . .

A bit more researching led to finding two, verified references to the Apple Vision Pro being used with Apple AirPods for private, personal listening . . .

This is verified additionally in the Apple WWDC23 Event, itself, in the Keynote . . .

WWDC23 Event (Apple)

STUDIO ONE VP ~ NOTION VP

Connecting a few more dots, I decided to change the title of this project to focus on future versions of Studio One and NOTION, since the Memex possibilities are vast . . .

Since the virtualizing technologies of Apple Vision Pro are deep and rich--including the already existing ability to bring a MacBook into the Apple Vision Pro workspace--it becomes possible and practical to use Studio One and NOTION interactively in traditional two-space ("2D") ways from the beginning . . .

One might expect there will be emulations of PreSonus physical mixing boards and controlling devices; and this certainly can extend to enhanced 3D versions of 2D NOTION Mobile . . .

On the Studio One VP side, one can peer into a future where a complete, deep, and rich recording, mixing, and mastering studio exists in Apple Vision Pro and provides everything a real, physical studio makes possible--including options to use the Apple Vision Pro native sound system, Apple AirPods, and since the ears are open when not using AirPods or the Apple Vision Pro native sound system, a physical studio monitor system where most or perhaps all you see is virtual but what you hear is played through your studio monitor system . . .

On the NOTION VP side, composing, arranging, and producing can be enhanced well beyond the current capabilities of NOTION 6, where for example ideas and techniques from the Joseph Schillinger System of Musical Composition (SoMC) taught at Berklee School of Music can be available to increase composing, arranging, and producing skills and usability . . .

Collection BCA-007: Lawrence Berk papers on on the Schillinger System, circa 1930s (Berklee Archives)

[NOTE: The official "Schillinger System of Musical Composition" books (two volumes,1640 total pages) are available from various booksellers; but be certain the price is for the two volume set. You need both volumes to make sense of SoMC; and for reference this is a vastly complex system with its own unique mathematics and algorithms; but (a) there are many ways to understand SoMC and (b) everything is explained in different perspectives, some of which are very easy to understand; so from one perspective, it's vastly complex and no less difficult than making sense of the Standard Model of Particle Physics or how to design, build, and operate the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN; but from other perspectives it's no more complex than learning how to play Barre chords on a guitar or triads on piano . . . ]

In my various posts to this forum over the past decade, I have described and explained some of the ways I use a simplified flavor of SoMC when I am composing, arranging, and producing songs; and to refresh this, one of the SoMC techniques is based on patterns and the ability to create rhythms, melodies, harmonies, and counterpoint using simple geometry combined with copying and pasting, where for example, starting with just a handful of notes, George Gershwin (a student of Joseph Schillinger) composed "I Got Rhythm", with the specific handful of notes being the first four notes of the song, which then are played in reverse to double the melody to eight notes, and so on . . .

[NOTE: There is a lot more to SoMC than just copying, pasting, and doing geometric patterns; but "I Got Rhythm" showcases the various SoMC concepts and techniques, and the title of the song is focused on the first aspect of SoMC, which is rhythm patterns and is done with a rhythmic algebra using combinations of single-digit integers, where for example one rhythmic generator plays a note on every other beat (twos); another plays a note on threes; and yet another plays a note or drum on fives, which can be expanded to create an elaborate rhythm pattern like "1-2-3-4-5-6-7" . . . ]

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[NOTE: Nearly 250 years ago, Mozart composed a similar but more elaborate "musical composing encyclopedia" . . . ]

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The second example is "Over the Rainbow" (Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg) . . .

[NOTE: I simplified the transcription in a few places (geometric and music notation); and I made it in the key of E or whatever it happens to be when the first note is E3 in scientific pitch notation, since I tend to prefer keys where the starting bass note is in the set {E, A, C, G}, although for music notation I do everything in C, Am, or a mode where all the white keys on a piano mostly sound good, because (a) it doesn't require using key signatures with flats and sharps and (b) If a flat or sharp is required, then I add it manually to the respective note, with the general rule here in the sound isolation studio being to avoid using flats unless there is a horn section--an often necessary and desired group of humans who tend to annoy guitarists and pianists by demanding everything must be played in key signatures that have flats or sharps--noting that I do nearly everything "by ear" and have no ideas regarding key signatures other than (a) they are vastly confusing, (b) they tend to be visually deceptive for no truly useful purpose, and (c) they are best avoided . . . :P ]

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"Over the Rainbow" Melody Diagrammed in SoMC Geometric Notation Style

[NOTE: This is transposed for guitar, but so what . . . ]

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On the NOTION VP side, there can be libraries of music notation phrases for various instruments and lots of additional things. which can include instrument phrases from different songs and genres, where for bass guitar can include standard phrases from a variety of songs . . .

Composers know these things, and some of them are just 8 or 16 notes, which are not difficult to input; but being able to select them from a list can be convenient . . .

There are analogs on the Studio One VP side, and the more you think about it, the more the possible futures will be revealed . . . :+1

Perhaps surprisingly, a good bit of these advanced technologies already exist but at present are done individually by a combination of custom rules in NOTION and on the Studio One side by user-defined templates and other techniques, where for example I now have custom VSTI virtual instrument MULTI setups for Studio One Professional 6 to use with its embedded music notation scripting; and I do something similar with sets of native and VST effects plug-ins for specific instruments. singing, and voice-overs based on having custom user-defined effects sets for various uses . . .

[NOTE: As with everything I post, this is best enjoyed when listening with studio-quality headphones and Apple AirPods, since it's mixed for listening this way and includes a virtual festival of motion effects and foley sounds. Careful audio listening and observing the music notation clearly provides a few clues to a few of the ways I use SoMC to compose 17 minutes of music in a reasonable amount of time, since here in the sound isolation studio I am a prolific copier and paster, although later I edit and update some of the instruments, foley sounds, and so forth at the individual note and phrase levels . . . ]

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Lots of FUN! :)

P. S. This is some of the developer information available to the public from Apple:

Vison OS (Apple Developer)

It's so new that nobody outside of Apple and a few game developers knows much about it; so there is a lot of educated guessing being done . . .

The ability to wander around in a virtual concert hall to position and control the reverberation, echoes, and frequency characteristics of symphonic instruments and vocalists--as well as doing this with other genres and styles, of course--comes to mind. . .

[NOTE: The "1" in surround sound refers to a deep bass subwoofer where "5.1' actually is six loudspeaker units, with the same way of counting done for "7.1" to make it eight loudspeaker units . . . ]

One way to accomplish this will be to provide mixes with fixed-position 5.1 and 7.1 surround-sound channels, which the Spatial Audio System (SAS) of the Apple Vision Pro can use to control the resulting audio in real-time based on Vision OS cues by interactively doing updated mixing and enhancing of the various individual surround-sound audio channels, which is fabulous . . .

Fabulous! :)
Last edited by Surf.Whammy on Fri Jun 09, 2023 3:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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by davidlarson6 on Fri Jun 09, 2023 9:30 am
I'd guess that Apple may be heading toward using this technology in Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro.

DKLarson

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