#15 ASCOLTA AKUSMATISCHE HÖRSTUNDE
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
#15 ascolta Akusmatische Hörstunde
Listening twice
Experimental
- Tuesday, 6 Mai 2025, 18:00
- Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3,
- Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich
Eintritt frei
«Zweimal hören»
Wir wollen uns in dieser Hörstunde mit ambisonischen UHJ-Aufnahmen aus den siebziger Jahren beschäftigen. UHJ, auch C-Format genannt, ist ein hierarchisches System zum Codieren und Decodieren von Richtungsklanginformationen innerhalb der Ambisonics-Technologie. Obwohl UHJ bis zu vier Kanäle zulässt, wird bzw. wurde meist nur die 2-kanalige Variante verwendet, da so volle Kompatibilität zu den 2-kanaligen Wiedergabemedien (meist Stereo-Schallplatten oder CDs) gewährleistet ist. Mit einem speziellen UHJ-Decoder können die drei Kanäle LRT (entspricht W, X, Y) in Ambisonics als räumliches Audio wiedergegeben werden. Die verschiedenen Wiedergabemöglichkeiten wollen wir anhand verschiedener historischer Aufnahmen gemeinsam hörend vergleichen.
DOWNLOADS
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
ICST Ambisonics Speaker Settings:
- ICST Ambisonics Decoder Additional Settings
- ICST Kompositionsstudio Speaker for Max-decoder
- ICST MultiEncoder-Group-OSC (Max)
- E4L Multi-Panner_OSC.adv (AbletonLive)
- Big Files:
- ICST Software Downloads
ICST ASCOLTA HÖRSTUNDEN
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
Acousmatic music and its associated performance practice aims to create a situation of focused listening by keeping the means of sound production invisible and largely eliminating visual stimuli. The ICST archive contains numerous historical pieces in this tradition and promotes the creation of new acousmatic works through artistic residencies. The concert series ascolta – Akusmatische Hörstunde presents both newer and older works, played in the (usually multi-channel) original versions in the ICST composition studio (3.D02, level 3, Toni-Areal).
ICST BFORMAT ARCHIVE
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
All Ambisonics B formats are stored in ambiX
| Composer | Title | Duration | Genre | Format | Order | Channel_ordering | Audio-channels | SR | Bits | Listening | Downloads | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AudioBrewers | AmbiTest_ambix_5th-order.wav | 4' | Ambitestfile | wav | ACN/SN3D | MaxRe | 35 | 48000 | 24 | Binaural | AmbiSpeakerTest | ||
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO AMBISONICS SETTING
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
Ambisonics - speaker - setting and coordinates Example for „ICST_AmbiDecoder 3.1.0" VST3 (2025)
The Studio Room is nearly 7m length, 7m bright and 7m hight.
Speaker-Coordinates for the “ICST Composer Studio”
Coordinate:
Multi-Decoder-Setting (example)
Speakers 1 - 17 –> channels 1- 17 (Speaker 17 = voice of God) Sub/LFE –> channel 18
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO EQUIPMENT
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
Mac Pro (28‑Core Mac Pro mit Intel Prozessor)
macOS sequoia 15.4
Big Screen DisplayLink Adapter
RME MadiFace
LAWO Kreuzschiene
Speakers
- 2x Geithain RL911
- 29 x Geithain MO-2
- 1 x Hafler (LFE)
Midi-controller
Bring all special cables and adapters with you.
- USB
- Power
- others
©2025 ICST
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO OVERVIEW
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
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 KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO PRE-INSTALLATION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
Pre-installation for your external laptop
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
Login Items & Extensions for DriverKit
Troubleshooting
Watch the Video starting at 2:36 for assistance.
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO SOFTWARE
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
List of Software on the ICST Mac Pro:
Audio - Analyse:
- RX-7 iZotope
- Acousmographe
- EAnalysis
- iSpectrum
- iZotope
- Melodyne 4
- Praat
- Sonic Visualiser
- SPEAR
Ambisonics:
- Audio Brewers Plugins
- ATK Ambisonics Tool Kit (Plugins)
- Ambisonics Externals for Max (ICST)
- Ambi Head (B-format to Binaural converter)
- ambiX plugin suite v.0.2.7
- BlueRipple (free plugins)
- FB360 Spatial Workstation
- Harpex-B
- Panoramix-Ircam
- Soundfield Limited
- Sound Particles U
- Sound Trajectory
- Spat Revolution Flux
- Spat for Max
- mcfx v0.5.5 – multichannel audio plug-in suite
- IEM Plugin suite
- ICST Ambisonics Plugins
Audio-Tools:
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO SUPPORT
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology / (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
ICST support for the composition studio
Install RME MadiFace USB Driver
Download MadiFace USB
Product Page
- System Compatibility: macOS / Windows
- USB Series Kernel Extension: macOS 11+
- Manual: Download PDF
Install RME Driver (DriverKit)
Watch the Video starting at 2:36 for assistance.
Install DisplayLink Manager
Download for your system: DisplayLink Manager for macOS