Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts
Ambisonics @ ICST - Tools, Tutorials, and Studio for Spatial Sound
This site is for composers, sound designers, students, and researchers who want to work with spatial sound, whether they are getting started or already advanced. It combines open tools with practical studio workflows and artistic practice.
Use Tutorials for step-by-step setup and production workflows. Use Studio Cases for residency context, listening sessions, and studio updates.
How to use this site?
Two short entry paths:
- Technical path: Start with Quick Start, continue with Step by Step Setup, then move to Tutorials for reproducible workflows.
- Artistic path: Start with Ascolta and Audio Examples, then jump to Studio Cases and Residencies for production context and artistic practice.
Start by Audience
For Beginners
A short entry point into setup, signal flow, and first projects with ICST Ambisonics.
For ICST Residents
Studio context, residency workflows, and production infrastructure on site.
For Ambisonics Nerds
Technical depth on decoder logic, OSC workflows, and production details.
Mobile Quick Access
Residencies
Equipment
New: Ambisonics 101
A compact entry point with the basics of Ambisonics, B-format, typical setups, and headphone-vs.-loudspeaker workflows.
→ Ambisonics 101
The ICST Ambisonics Plugins (Reaper DAW)
The ICST Ambisonics Plugins encode and decode Ambisonics B-Format and provide spatial audio production tools for REAPER DAW — free and open source.
Developed at ZHdK Zurich, this site brings together plugin documentation, tutorials, and a living practice: international composers work in our studio through artist residencies, and the public is invited to acousmatic listening sessions (Ascolta). All tools are format-agnostic and built on the open B-Format standard.
Info at ZHdK: https://www.zhdk.ch/forschungsprojekt/icst-ambisonics-plugins-555245
The Ambisonics Tools (Max 8.0)
Info at ZHdK: https://www.zhdk.ch/en/research/icst/software-downloads-5379/downloads-icst-tools-for-maxmsp-5385
©2026 ICST
Latest Posts
ICST AMBIDECODER – MULTI-DECODER MODE
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts Multi-Decoder Mode For whom: Level: Advanced | Audience: Technician, Studio engineer. The Multi-Decoder Mode, introduced in ICST AmbiDecoder v3.2, allows you to run up to four fully independent decoders within a single plugin instance. This is ideal for complex loudspeaker setups that combine different speaker arrays — for example, a main Ambisonics ring together with height speakers, a subwoofer group, or a separate near-field array.
ICST LABOR AMBISONICS SPEAKER SETTINGS
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Preset views and reference layouts for fast setup in the ICST studio. Common Presets Use stereo, surround, and Ambisonics layouts as quick starting points. Stereo Dolby Ambisonics Routing Flexibility Switch between predefined layouts or use all speakers for custom routing. Quadro All Speakers Downloads Stereo-Setting Yellow = RL911 Gray = MO-2 Red = MO-2 (Behind the screen) Dolby Surround 5.1 Surround 7.1.4 Atmos Octogon & Ambisonics Ring 1-8 (clockwise) & Ambisonics (2D) Ambisonics Full (17 speakers) Quadrophonie Quadro (diagonal) Quadro (orthogonal) All speakers Create your own speaker routings Further Links Speaker Files & Downloads Regie Equipment Software Legacy Speaker Settings ©2025 ICST
#11 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts #11 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Mario Mary, portrait Concert 11.06.2024, 18:00 Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission Programm: 2015 Polyphonic philosophy pièce électroacoustique en 8 pistes. [ 10’ 43’’] Commande de l’ICST de Zurich, Suisse. Création à l’Université de Zurich en novembre 2015 Continuing the aesthetic exploration about “electroacoustic orchestration” and “polyphony of space” of the previous works “Signes émergents” and “2261”, the first section of this composition develops in the horizontal plane a concept that could be called “melody of sound objects”. Here, polyphony and counterpoint of the musical discourse is interwoven through with small sound objects, creating polyphony and counterpoint taking advantage of the possibilities offered by the multitracks space with 8 tracks around public.
ICST KOMPOSITIONSSTUDIO – PHOTO GALLERY
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. The ICST Kompositionsstudio ©2025 ICST
#12 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts #12 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Georg Katzer Concert 22.10.2024, 18:00 Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission Programm: Steinelied 2 2010 10' Notes: Steinelied 2 In a cloud chamber, ionising radiation leaves a condensation trail with tiny water droplets, thus making the particle ‘visible’. Likewise, the ‘stones’, namely the silicon crystals of the computer, leave small ‘droplet-shaped’ sound events as they rush through the time-tone space in the computer I programmed. Between the mostly impulsive sounds, a short tonal structure emerges several times, as if from a distance, perforated by the impulsive sounds. It is reminiscent of a scent ‘from distant planets’, that of a bygone tonal music. In any case, it was just as welcome to me as the sometimes ‘dirty sounds’, which I did not try to embellish. And everything is shrouded in a ‘blue fog’. The piece is not composed with a climax in mind; rather, it remains static, revolving around itself, almost meditative.
#13 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts #13 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Listening twice Experimental 17.12.2024 18:00 Toni-Areal Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission The title of this audio lesson is Listening Twice. Based on the empirical research ‘Performance and storage of multi-channel content in an immersive audio format,’ I would like to design a slightly different listening session. Listening twice means listening to a 2-channel piece in its original form and then interpreting it in a new immersive format. These two audio formats can thus be compared and discussed. So, this is a somewhat experimental listening session at the end of the year.
EXPLORE AMBISONICS AUDIO
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts Listen Online For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. sounding FUTURE HOAST Library Nimbus UHJ ICST B-Format Archive The ICST maintains an archive of works recorded and encoded in ambiX B-format. → Explore the B-Format Archive ©2025 ICST
#14 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts #14 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Listening twice Experimental Tuesday, 22 April 2025, 18:00 Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission In this session we will listen to classic electroacoustic compositions in two different versions: -A recent 5.1 production from ICST/ZHdK -A historic Ambisonics (UHJ) recording from the 1970s
#15 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts #15 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Listening Twice Experiment Tuesday, 6 Mai 2025, 18:00 Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission “Listening Twice” In this listening session, we want to engage with ambisonics UHJ recordings from the seventies. UHJ, also called C-format, is a hierarchical system for encoding and decoding directional sound information within ambisonics technology. Although UHJ allows up to four channels, mostly only the 2-channel variant has been and is used, since this ensures full compatibility with 2-channel playback media (usually stereo records or CDs). With a special UHJ decoder, the three channels LRT (corresponding to W, X, Y) can be played back in Ambisonics as spatial audio. We want to compare the various playback options together by listening using various historical recordings.
#16 ASCOLTA ACOUSMATIC LISTENING SESSION
Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) Zurich University of the Arts #16 ascolta Acousmatic Listening Session For whom: Level: All levels | Audience: Composer, Student, Researcher, Studio visitor. Experiment Thursday, 16. October, 18:00 Toni-Areal, Kompositionsstudio 3.D02, Ebene 3, Pfingstweidstrasse 96, Zürich Free admission At ICST we have launched a pilot project to enable the best possible and simple access to electroacoustic works. This idea is derived from the writings and techniques of Michael Gerzon and his team, that B-format in ambisonics is ideally suited for this.