Binaural audio: Understand the technology used in France and the Maze podcast

Binaural audio (or 3D audio) Immersive feature that localizes sound around the listenersimulates how a human manages to capture sounds naturally. The technology was first used in 1881, but is still little researched on the market.

Considering bringing binaural audio to expand its podcast universe, Spotify launched its França eo Labirinto audio series on Tuesday, 29. In this film, blind detective Nelson França must uncover a crime he believes has been committed by a serial killer he helped arrest in the past.

The subject uses binaural sound as the main tool to involve the listener in the story. It should not be forgotten that in order to make the most of technology; at least two-channel headphones should be used. HE Technology World To better understand the use of this feature, he spoke with Spotify executive Camila Justo and Deive Pazos, producer and director of the audio drama.

Binaural audio is a technology that allows people to hear sounds 360 degrees. It is the forerunner of the stereo system and was invented in a service called 1881. theater phone, This allowed listeners to access the sounds You can watch theater and opera performances over the phone with a special headset. Over time the resource developed and some programs andThe ram is delivered to the left ear at one frequency and to the right ear at another frequency.

In the past, two microphones about 18 centimeters apart were required to create a dual audio recording. In the case of França eo Labirinto, the producer pointed out that this is not quite the case: “There are some special microphones for recording binaural sound, but with the software available today, these have become obsolete”.

Despite the advancement of technology, biggest effort is in post production. Pazos, the team “He used equipment traditionally used in sound recording studios and then started working in post production using special software to work on this spatial effect. In fact, technology is a way of fooling our brains, as 3D does in a movie, among quotes.

From a commercial standpoint, Camila says the fact that not all special equipment is required could enable binaural to be used in podcast production. He said that, “After all, all applications of technology can be in the post, I think it gives us a sense of how it’s possible to produce a lot in podcasts without getting into millionaire productions”.

For França eo Labirinto, the producer first recorded the role of lead actor Selton Mello and then the voice of the rest of the cast. Then all the work was done to put the content together and produce the 3D effect.

It is worth noting that in order to produce binaural audio content, it is necessary to split the audio into two channels that are divided into audio outputs. Well, ideally, listen to the content using stereo headphones to get the full experience.

When Deive was asked about the minimum requirements to listen to France and Maze in dual audio, he said “no”.It doesn’t need to be a 5.1, 7.1 phone. If what you’re wearing in your ear is a headset with more inputs, ie in-ear, that’s enough to get a good distribution”.

Despite all the drag, care should be taken when producing 3D audio content. Naturally, the brain “filters” what we hear on a daily basis, but since this is an evoked experience, the ideal is to add the right stimuli to the binaural sound so that there is no audio clutter.

Deive has this to say about the elements added to create the ideal atmosphere of the audio series: “QWhen we inject such a dramatic piece directly into your head, it can feel like too much if all the sounds in the world are happening at the same time on stage. This can create confusion, just too much noise. So the interesting thing is that we dose the elements in the scene”.

Binaural audio x market

To act against the dynamization of the content with the videos that we see on social networks today, which are getting shorter and faster, Binaural audio keeps the listener’s attention and immersion in the story to get the most out of it. So it can be used to “break” this paradigm and bring the public back to the “deeper” media.

There are many stimuli launched in various directions at the same time, and in cases like the França eo Labirinto podcast, each episode lasts about 30 minutes, and some details may even be crucial to unraveling the mystery.

Another interesting factor is that depending on the narrative, the listener has the freedom to imagine certain scenarios. In the Spotify podcast, the goal was to let each add their own stuff, making it the same experience but with “personalized” items.

About the experience, Deive commented: “ It also helps to create when the public listens because he’s going to make up the scenarios in his head, you know? So it’s not a study where you sit down, just getting information, responding, being together. When you finish the series, when you listen to the 13 episodes, you have a version of France and the Labyrinth that no one else has.”

When asked if Spotify would use this resource for other productions, Camila commented that “as long as the technology favors better storytelling or better exploration of new formats and content, we want to use it.”

“França eo Labirinto” is Spotify’s first 100% Brazilian original podcast and produced by Nonsense Creations. 13 episodes are now available on the platform.