---
title: "What is Dolby Atmos / Spatial Audio?"

description: "Let’s talk about how to mix in Dolby Atmos—the benefits, the challenges and the stuff I’m most excited for. Thanks to EngineEars for the certification course. Been fun getting to know this new way of mixing."

status: complete

date: 2022-09-13

kind: solo

guestSlugs: []

listenUrl: "https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/What-is-Dolby-Atmos--Spatial-Audio-e1npio5"
appleUrl: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-dolby-atmos-spatial-audio/id1567355195?i=1000579353857&uo=4"
spotifyUrl: "https://open.spotify.com/episode/10kGEYyBLqmenTtcWGbNlm"

topicsDiscussed:
  - "Spatial audio"
  - "Creativity"
  - "Mixing"
  - "Reverb"
  - "Dolby Atmos Introduction"
  - "3D Audio Panning"
  - "Creative Soundscapes"
  - "Natural Sound Integration"
  - "LFE Sends"
  - "Audio Fidelity"

hostNote: |
  Snapping between quasi-real-world environments in an instant is going to feel otherworldly. That's what drew me into Dolby Atmos, not the spec sheet, but what it opens up creatively. The idea that a guitar can start behind you and emerge into the left speaker, that a sound can literally fly over your head like an insect, means you're no longer thinking in two channels.
  
  I explain the basic re-conceptualization at the core of spatial audio: instead of routing to specific speakers, you place sound in object-based 3D space, and the renderer decides where it lands depending on what the listener has. That changes how you think about panning from a routing decision into something closer to staging.
  
  Fresh from a certification course, I also get into found sounds and natural ambience, one of the quieter trends Atmos is accelerating, and why the creative case for spatial is stronger than the technical one.

selectedMoments:
  - label: "Introduction to Spatial Audio"
    startSec: 49
    note: "I introduce the concept of spatial audio and its significance in music production."
  - label: "Understanding Dolby Atmos"
    startSec: 141
    note: "An overview of how Dolby Atmos changes the approach to sound mixing."
  - label: "Creativity in Mixing"
    startSec: 226
    note: "I explore how Dolby Atmos liberates creativity in music production."
  - label: "Natural Sounds in Music"
    startSec: 271
    note: "I discuss the integration of found sounds and natural ambience in audio."
  - label: "Panning Techniques"
    startSec: 410
    note: "I explain the innovative panning techniques made possible with Dolby Atmos."
  - label: "Immersive Listening Experience"
    startSec: 541
    note: "How Dolby Atmos aims to create a more immersive listening experience."

excerptQuotes:
  - text: "So what is it exactly? I'm going to go completely off the cuff... special audio is a re-conceptualization of how to pan music... maybe you have five speakers, but with Dolby Atmos, you don't really have to think about speakers as much anymore."
    startSec: 92
    reviewed: true
  - text: "it liberates creativity, and it allows you to think in a much more naturalistic way... the guitar is going to start behind you and then emerge into the left speaker."
    startSec: 269
    reviewed: true
  - text: "there's a lot more found sounds or natural ambience being added into music... adding a layer of dimension that is just from nature."
    startSec: 316
    reviewed: true
  - text: "one of the most exciting things... is being able to deal with panning. So having a sound fly over your head... that's kind of cool stuff, like literally like a fly."
    startSec: 451
    reviewed: true
  - text: "To be able to snap between different quasi-real world environments in an instant is going to feel so otherworldly."
    startSec: 540
    reviewed: true

faq:
  - question: "What is Dolby Atmos?"
    answer: "Dolby Atmos is an advanced audio technology that allows sound to move freely around listeners in a three-dimensional space, rather than being confined to specific channels."
  - question: "How does spatial audio differ from traditional stereo sound?"
    answer: "Spatial audio creates a more immersive experience by simulating three-dimensional soundscapes, while traditional stereo sound is limited to two channels."
  - question: "What are the benefits of using Dolby Atmos in music production?"
    answer: "Dolby Atmos in music production allows for greater creative expression, providing the ability to position sounds in a 3D space, creating a more engaging listening experience."

transcriptPublished: false

draft: false
---