Audio-first VR: New perspectives on musical experiences in virtual environments

ABSTRACT

This special issue of the Journal of New Music Research explores VR (Virtual Reality) through the lenses of music, art and technology, each focusing on foregrounded sonic expression – an audio-first VR, wherein sound is treated not only as an integral part of immersive virtual experiences but also as a critical point of departure for creative and technological work in this domain. In this article, we identify emerging challenges and opportunities in audio-first VR, and pose questions pertaining to both theoretical and practical aspects of this concept. We then discuss how each contribution to our special issue addresses these questions through research and artistic projects, giving us a glimpse into the future of audio in VR.

KEYWORDS:

• Virtual reality
• audio
• systems
• theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.