Home Theater United Episode 44 - Immersive Audio Storyteller Brent Watkins (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Episode 44 - Immersive Audio Storyteller Brent Watkins | Home Theater United Podcast

Home Theater United Episode 44 March 6, 2023, 2023 7:30 PM EST Introducing immersive recording artist and storyteller Brent Watkins Introducing Brent Watkins a musician focusing on immersive audio experiences Intro by Sam: Welcome Brent, you bill yourself as an immersive recording artist and...

www.hometheaterunited.com

Home Theater United
Episode 44
March 6, 2023, 2023 7:30 PM EST

Introducing immersive recording artist and storyteller Brent Watkins

Introducing Brent Watkins a musician focusing on immersive audio experiences

• Intro by Sam: Welcome Brent, you bill yourself as an immersive recording artist and congrats on the launch of your website and second album! What does the focus on immersive music mean to you and what kind of music are you creating?
• With Apple’s new focus on Atmos it seems like a major shift has occurred. Previously artists wanted front heavy experiences mimicking a stage performance and now they want the listener to be in the middle of the storm. Do you think this is sustainable and is the new normal?
• The example I use is Tom Sawyer where you literally hear the drums in a 360 experience. Besides your own work, what are your favorite immersive music experiences?
• Are you 100% self produced, do you have other artists joining you in your work?
• You recently built a dual purpose home recording studio and home theater! That sounds amazing, what can you tell us about how you built that and what kind of gear you are using?
• The barrier to entry designing immersive music continues to fall down. What does your workflow look like? How hard / expensive is it for a new artist to move from stereo to build their first tracks?
• Is Atmos mastering something you can ‘add at the end’ or do you think you need to think about the room for every track from its inception now?
• How do you manage folks listening to stereo vs immersive headphones versus full 7.1.4 home theaters?
• You also produced two documentaries! What can you tell us about them and how folks can find them?
• You do all this on your own time while working full time. How do you juggle it all?
• What would you like to see in the next evolution of sound technology (ie atmos) or music production?
• Anything else you would like to talk about or promote?
• Quick Good Bad and Ugly

Quick Good Bad and Ugly:
Sam - The Fabelmans
Brent - A.I. 2001

 

[Sam Posten]

‎Brent Watkins on Apple Music https://music.apple.com › artist › brent-watkins

www.brentwatkinsmusic.com

See on Amazon

Vinton Today - Article Not Found

Hero Among Us (2018) | Documentary

1h 12m

www.imdb.com

 

[Sam Posten]

Movie Sam couldn't remember: Roma


William Orbit:

William Orbit on Apple Music

Listen to music by William Orbit on Apple Music. Find top songs and albums by William Orbit including Feel Good Time (feat. William Orbit), Barber's Adagio For Strings (Original Version) and more.

music.apple.com

 

[JohnRice]

Interesting topic, Sam.

Once I listen to the podcast, I definitely have several immersive, two channel selections to recommend.

 

[Sam Posten]

Link to @Brian Dobbs surround music:

Brian Cory Dobbs

briandobbs.com

 

[Sam Posten]

Interesting topic, Sam.

Once I listen to the podcast, I definitely have several immersive, two channel selections to recommend.

Cool cool! Atmos authoring is something I have wanted to talk more about but Brent has a lot of other cool topics to dig into as well!

 

[DaveF]

I’ll check out the music when I’ve got free time to listen in my theater.

I’ve been disappointed with Apple’s Atmos mixes: they all sound worse than the original stereo as a rule. Atmos mixes destroy the punch and impact of the original music. Rock and pop are too diffuse spread around all the speakers. I’ve turned off Atmos on my iPhone.

But none of that music was designed for Atmos. It’s all mixers slamming music composed for stereo and dumbly smearing it over a bunch of speakers.

An artist designing for Atmos could do some good stuff. Here’s hoping.

 

[watkino]

I don't know why YouTube has absolutely buried this, but here is the link where you can watch the film:

‎Brent Watkins on Apple Music https://music.apple.com › artist › brent-watkins

www.brentwatkinsmusic.com

See on Amazon

Vinton Today - Article Not Found

Hero Among Us (2018) | Documentary

1h 12m

www.imdb.com

 

[watkino]

Sam I had an AWESOME time last night! Thanks so much for sharing these links and showing such genuine interest in my work.

Episode 44 - Immersive Audio Storyteller Brent Watkins | Home Theater United Podcast

Home Theater United Episode 44 March 6, 2023, 2023 7:30 PM EST Introducing immersive recording artist and storyteller Brent Watkins Introducing Brent Watkins a musician focusing on immersive audio experiences Intro by Sam: Welcome Brent, you bill yourself as an immersive recording artist and...

www.hometheaterunited.com

Home Theater United
Episode 44
March 6, 2023, 2023 7:30 PM EST

Introducing immersive recording artist and storyteller Brent Watkins

Introducing Brent Watkins a musician focusing on immersive audio experiences

• Intro by Sam: Welcome Brent, you bill yourself as an immersive recording artist and congrats on the launch of your website and second album! What does the focus on immersive music mean to you and what kind of music are you creating?
• With Apple’s new focus on Atmos it seems like a major shift has occurred. Previously artists wanted front heavy experiences mimicking a stage performance and now they want the listener to be in the middle of the storm. Do you think this is sustainable and is the new normal?
• The example I use is Tom Sawyer where you literally hear the drums in a 360 experience. Besides your own work, what are your favorite immersive music experiences?
• Are you 100% self produced, do you have other artists joining you in your work?
• You recently built a dual purpose home recording studio and home theater! That sounds amazing, what can you tell us about how you built that and what kind of gear you are using?
• The barrier to entry designing immersive music continues to fall down. What does your workflow look like? How hard / expensive is it for a new artist to move from stereo to build their first tracks?
• Is Atmos mastering something you can ‘add at the end’ or do you think you need to think about the room for every track from its inception now?
• How do you manage folks listening to stereo vs immersive headphones versus full 7.1.4 home theaters?
• You also produced two documentaries! What can you tell us about them and how folks can find them?
• You do all this on your own time while working full time. How do you juggle it all?
• What would you like to see in the next evolution of sound technology (ie atmos) or music production?
• Anything else you would like to talk about or promote?
• Quick Good Bad and Ugly

Quick Good Bad and Ugly:
Sam - The Fabelmans
Brent - A.I. 2001

 

[watkino]

I’ll check out the music when I’ve got free time to listen in my theater.

I’ve been disappointed with Apple’s Atmos mixes: they all sound worse than the original stereo as a rule. Atmos mixes destroy the punch and impact of the original music. Rock and pop are too diffuse spread around all the speakers. I’ve turned off Atmos on my iPhone.

But none of that music was designed for Atmos. It’s all mixers slamming music composed for stereo and dumbly smearing it over a bunch of speakers.

An artist designing for Atmos could do some good stuff. Here’s hoping.

I assume you are referring to binaural ATMOS on Apple Airpods? If so, I share your exact same opinion in the podcast. Apple "ATMOS" on binaural devices isn't really ATMOS IMHO. The music, as you noted, can sound simply awful. I'm afraid this will hold true for my albums as well. It is very disappointing.

 

[weirdal]

Brilliant guest. Loved the tension at the end over 'AI'. I have similar feelings, but about Minority Report (I know, many people love it). Btw, I've also had weird mod hassle on that subforum you mentioned. Not sure what their problem is.

 

[Sam Posten]

Brilliant guest. Loved the tension at the end over 'AI'. I have similar feelings, but about Minority Report (I know, many people love it). Btw, I've also had weird mod hassle on that subforum you mentioned. Not sure what their problem is.

Autocracy is a hell of a drug

 

[Sam Posten]

Sam I had an AWESOME time last night! Thanks so much for sharing these links and showing such genuine interest in my work.

Awesome Brent. Thanks so much and welcome to HTF!

 

[Sam Posten]

I don't know why YouTube has absolutely buried this, but here is the link where you can watch the film:

Thank! I tried finding it and had no luck. Was going to ping you about it today

 

[DaveF]

I assume you are referring to binaural ATMOS on Apple Airpods? If so, I share your exact same opinion in the podcast. Apple "ATMOS" on binaural devices isn't really ATMOS IMHO. The music, as you noted, can sound simply awful. I'm afraid this will hold true for my albums as well. It is very disappointing.

Definitely the binuaral with AirPods. But also Atmos in a full 7.2.4 Atmos room is a mixed experience. It's neat, but I'm not sure it's better than the original mix for music converted from stereo to Atmos after the fact.

 

[JohnRice]

I’m not a big Spielberg fan, but in my book A.I. is one of his better movies.

 

[watkino]

Thank! I tried finding it and had no luck. Was going to ping you about it today

I posted the link elsewhere in these comments.

 

[JohnRice]

I assume you are referring to binaural ATMOS on Apple Airpods? If so, I share your exact same opinion in the podcast. Apple "ATMOS" on binaural devices isn't really ATMOS IMHO. The music, as you noted, can sound simply awful. I'm afraid this will hold true for my albums as well. It is very disappointing.

This kind of touches on a topic I've been digging into. Atmos is wonderful, but there's also a lot of mystery, misunderstanding, and just downright marketing BS behind it when it comes to home use. Like you said, binaural "Atmos" is absurd. More than absurd, it probably actually sounds terrible. "Atmos" soundbars are mostly marketing BS. I've seen people just set two bookshelf speakers on top of their L&R speakers, with them facing forward, and believing they are getting some kind of Atmos. Sure, there is sound coming from those speakers, but it's essentially coming from their L&R speakers when it's supposed to be overhead.

Once again, Atmos is wonderful. Play the opening of Mad Max: Fury Road on a properly set up system and that will be proven.

I'm sorry if this was covered in the podcast, which I need to listen to again, but how much of a concern is it for you that listeners are often playing back on a completely unsuitable system, and is there anything to do about it?

 

[watkino]

This kind of touches on a topic I've been digging into. Atmos is wonderful, but there's also a lot of mystery, misunderstanding, and just downright marketing BS behind it when it comes to home use. Like you said, binaural "Atmos" is absurd. More than absurd, it probably actually sounds terrible. "Atmos" soundbars are mostly marketing BS. I've seen people just set two bookshelf speakers on top of their L&R speakers, with them facing forward, and believing they are getting some kind of Atmos. Sure, there is sound coming from those speakers, but it's essentially coming from their L&R speakers when it's supposed to be overhead.

Once again, Atmos is wonderful. Play the opening of Mad Max: Fury Road on a properly set up system and that will be proven.

I'm sorry if this was covered in the podcast, which I need to listen to again, but how much of a concern is it for you that listeners are often playing back on a completely unsuitable system, and is there anything to do about it?

That's a good question. I think people are smart. They likely compare the stereo and ATMOS versions to see what the difference is. Hopefully anyway.

 

[DaveF]

VergeCast this week discussed spatial audio and Atmos with Sonos.

Giles Martin and Sonos CEO Patrick Spence believe this is the moment for spatial audio

Sonos execs talk about the new Era 100 and Era 300.

www.theverge.com