Open Ambisonics Tools, Real Studio Workflows
What is Ambisonics? A method for capturing and reproducing three-dimensional sound — spatialise audio for any speaker layout, any room. The ICST plugins bring this to REAPER, free and open source, with studio-tested workflows from ZHdK Zürich.
New in v3.2: What’s New · GitHub Releases
🎛️ Working with Ambisonics?
Free and open-source spatial audio tools for REAPER — from first setup to advanced OSC control and DAW integration.
🎧 For Beginners
Fast entry into setup, signal flow, and your first spatial mix in REAPER.
⚙️ For Production Work
Technical depth for repeatable pipelines, OSC control, and robust session templates.
🎛️ Ambisonics Plugins for REAPER
Encode, decode, and spatialise audio directly in your DAW. Encoder, decoder, monitor, and more — the complete ICST suite.
🧊 Ambisonics Tools for Max/MSP
For live spatialisation, algorithmic sound, and extending workflows beyond REAPER — runs natively in Max 8.
🏛️ At the ICST Studio?
For ZHdK residents, composers and studio visitors — listening sessions, residency documentation and studio resources.
🎧 ASCOLTA
Regular acousmatic listening sessions and concerts at ZHdK — spatial works performed live, open for audience.
🎼 Residencies
Artist-in-residence programme at ICST — profiles, projects and documentation from past and current residents.
🖥️ Composer Studio
Setup documentation, equipment, speaker configurations and studio cases from the ICST Kompositionsstudio.
Latest Posts
ICST COMPOSITION STUDIO
The ICST Composition Studio at the Zurich University of the Arts is a dedicated production environment for electroacoustic music and spatial sound art. It supports the creation, research, and performance of immersive audio works.
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO OVERVIEW
For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Studio for Composition The Studio of the ICST is a Surround-Studio with 17 Geithain Speakers (8+5+4) and stereo-monitoring. A Mac Pro is offering various software such as sequencers, HD-recording- and Sound-tools, MAX MSP/Jitter, and PD. The studio is suitable especially for producing ambisonic/surround music. It combines the latest technologies with musical practice and puts its focus on sound research, computer music, and media art. The Studio is a place to support the production and composition of new works of electronic music, sound- and media art.
ICST AMBIENCODER – OSC SYNTAX
OSC Syntax for the ICST AmbiEncoder Plugin For whom: Level: Advanced | Audience: Technician, Developer, Max/OSC user. The ICST AmbiEncoder supports OSC and JavaScript, enabling seamless communication with OSC tools such as TouchOSC, IanniX, MaxMSP, and other OSC-enabled software. This page is the syntax reference. For a practical quickstart and debugging sequence, use: OSC im ICST AmbiEncoder - Die 10 wichtigsten Messages OSC Syntax & Address Specification 1. Accessing OSC Specifications Click the question mark in the ICST AmbiEncoder.
#01 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
#01 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Concert 26.11.2019 18:00 Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission Jean-Claude Risset (13.3.1938 - 21.11.2016) Programm: Songs 9:13 Octant 12:08 Sud I 9:42 Sud II 5:44 SUD III 8:02 Resonant 14:37
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO PRE-INSTALLATION
Pre-installation for your external laptop For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. AUDIO Install RME Driver (DriverKit) Download MadiFace USB and follow the installer’s instructions. Product Page System Compatibility: macOS / Windows USB Series Kernel Extension: macOS 11+ Manual: Download PDF RME Driver for macOS Installation Guide Login Items & Extensions for DriverKit Troubleshooting Watch the Video starting at 2:36 for assistance. RME MadiFace Sync:
MAXMSP & ICST AMBIENCODER – OSC COMMUNICATION
Bidirectional OSC Communication with MaxMSP For whom: Level: Advanced | Audience: Max/MSP and OSC integrator. Generate motion data in Max and send it via OSC to the ICST AmbiEncoder in your DAW. Alternatively, transfer a motion composition from your DAW to the icst.ambisonics-externals. Required Software: MaxMSP v.8.0+ → cycling74.com ICST Ambisonics Tools v3 → cycling74.com ICST Ambisonics Plugins (VST3/AU) → ICST AmbiPlugins Reaper (DAW) → reaper.fm Setup Guide: 1. Configure OSC in ICST AmbiEncoder Open the ICST AmbiEncoder in an FX slot and navigate to Encoder Settings.
#02 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
#02 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Concert Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 18:00 Toni-Areal, ICST-Kompositionsstudio (3.D02, Ebene 3) Pfingstweidstrasse 96, 8005 ZĂĽrich Free admission Programm VĂŞpres vĂ©nitiennes – Il dì s’appressa (1999) Rainstick (1993) Im Eismeer – ein Schumann-StĂĽck fĂĽr Tonband (1997) Auf schwanker Halme Bogen (1985) Un Madrigal gentile (2004) Gerald Bennett, born 1942 in New Jersey (USA), studied among others at Harvard University with Robert Moevs and in Basel with Klaus Huber and Pierre Boulez. 1967–76 he was lecturer for music theory at the Basler Konservatorium, from 1969 its director. 1976–1981 he headed the DĂ©partement Diagonal at the Paris Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM), and from 1993 he was member of the Internationalen Akademie fĂĽr elektroakustische Musik Bourges. From 1981 until his retirement, Gerald Bennett taught music theory and composition at the Hochschule fĂĽr Musik ZĂĽrich. Together with Bruno Spoerri, Antonio Greco, and Rainer Boesch, he founded the Schweizerische Zentrum fĂĽr Computermusik(SZCM) in 1985, and together with Daniel Fueter the ICST – Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology in 2005.
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO EQUIPMENT
For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Core equipment and practical checklist for work at the ICST composition studio. Main System Mac Pro production workstation, routing infrastructure, and display setup. RME MadiFace LAWO Matrix Loudspeakers & Control Main monitoring, Ambisonics ring loudspeakers, LFE, and MIDI control. Geithain RL911 Geithain MO-2 LaunchControl XL System Details Mac Pro (28-Core Intel, macOS Sequoia 15.4) Big Screen + DisplayLink Adapter RME MadiFace LAWO Kreuzschiene Speakers & Controller 2x Geithain RL911 29x Geithain MO-2 1x Hafler (LFE) Novation LaunchControl XL Bring With You USB cables Power adapters (Switzerland / Type J) Special connectors Wenn Sie spezielle Connectors wie MIDI/OSC oder andere Anschluesse benoetigen, bitte mitbringen und mit uns in Kontakt treten.
ICST AMBIENCODER – OSC TO FX MAPPING
– ICST AmbiEncoder sends OSC to FX-Plugins-parameter For whom: Level: Advanced | Audience: Technician, Sound engineer. Integrating ICST AmbiEncoder with IEM FdnReverb via OSC This example demonstrates a simple synchronization between ICST AmbiEncoder and IEM Ambisonics plugins, using FdnReverb to apply distance-dependent reverb. The IEM plugins’ OSC interface makes this process straightforward. OSC <–> OSC Communication FdnReverb (by IEM) is a CPU-efficient reverb for B-format. The goal is to increase reverb as the source moves further away in the spatialization.
#03 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
#03 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Concert Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 18:00 Toni-Areal, ICST-Kompositionsstudio (3.D02, Ebene 3) Pfingstweidstrasse 96, 8005 ZĂĽrich Free admission GRANULAR Nicos Stavropoulos, January 12, 2018 - January 19, 2018 Karst Grotto (2018) The title was selected based on its onomatopoetic qualities and its direct reference to landscape qualities whose geological spatial structures and processes reflect the sound world of the work. The recordings of the source materials were realized with small electret microphones in a 5.1 Polyhymnia Pentagon configuration.