How is octaphonic spatialization realized at a Sound Travels residency?
The composers participating in Sound Travels use a digital-mixing matrix called the Richmond Sound Design DM1616 Audiobox designed by Tim Bartoo of Harmonic Functions and distributed commercially by Richmond Sound Design. An 8 channel tape with SMPTE time code or 8-channels of sample playback (48khz WAV or AIF format) are routed into the Audiobox, which is connected to 8 independent channels of amplification. The Audiobox enables the composer to access all of the 64 points on the matrix at any one time, and because of the sheer complexity of this task, automate this access for playback. For example, with this spatialization method the composer can distribute a sustained low sound to all of the speakers, while moving one sound from the back-left to front-right and distributing a third sound across the entire front area. These assignments can all change dynamically over time with a process of crossfading from one state to another. Automated gain, delay, and equalization control is provid
