The San Francisco-based space will host shows and workshops making use of the system.
A team of artists and engineers have launched a Kickstarter to fund a permanent space in San Francisco for their open source 3D sound platform.
The team behind Envelop consists of Ghostly International artist Christopher Willits, audio engineers Roddy Lindsay and Andrew Kimpel, and Elan Rosenmann, a pioneer in exploring different applications for spatial audio including physical healing and neuro-acoustic science. They’re hoping to raise money for a venue to house their 28.4 channel sound system, with the aim of using it to host live electronic music, DJ sets and educational workshops.
“We believe that new ways of listening will encourage new ways of creating and thinking about music production,” say the team on their Kickstarter page, “and with shifts in listening come shifts in consciousness.” The team has already received private donations and have secured a three-year lease to achieve their goal, but need $27,333 to make up the shortfall.
Using an open source suite of tools for Ableton Live, Max For Live and Lemur, Envelop is capable of creating sound from above, below, and all around an audience. The system also has a visual element – the video projection system and LEDs embedded in Envelop’s columns can be controlled by the artist, allowing them to create synchronised audiovisual compositions.
Envelop isn’t the only spatialised sound system in the world – 4DSound is the most widely-known, but Envelop’s open source approach should make their technology more readily available to the public. The team is hoping to do this by locating Envelop in San Francisco’s Dogpatch district amongst a planned complex called The Midway, which includes a nightclub, artist studios, galleries, cafe and offices.
You can check out the system in the video below, and if you feel like backing the project you can do so at their Kickstarter page – rewards include invites to private parties and even an audio therapy session. [via Create Digital Music]
