Creative Learning at Ravensbourne University
Counting David Bowie and Stella McCartney as former students, Ravensbourne University is no stranger to pushing the creative boundaries. Keen to support the next generation, Sova Audio joined forces with the Music and Sound Design course to facilitate the exploration of spatial audio. Starting out in the classroom, when Covid-19 forced the university to close we quickly adapted by moving the 8.1 Funktion-One sound system to Sova HQ.
As lockdown restrictions eased, we were able to invite students wishing to continue with their projects. By locating the control system in a separate room, students could work in isolation, ensuring the workspace was Covid-safe. The octagon loudspeaker set-up of eight equally spaced Funktion-One F5s with an MB112 bass enclosure was powered by Linear Research amplification, while a TiMax SoundHub provided the spatial processing and control.
The connection with Sova Audio enables students to access new techniques and technologies with guidance from the industry. - Dr. Nick Lambert, Director of Research at Ravensbourne University
The experience of sitting in the middle of your track and having it move around you is incredible.” Szofia Lindsay-MacDougall, Student
Thanks to the big help of Sova Audio, I intend to allow the listener to interact with the spatialisation of the music by just walking around the room - Chad Worsley, Student
This was one of the first deployments of the F5 – Funktion-One’s smallest ever loudspeaker, which offers the same sonic signature as large format systems like Evo and Vero.
Our work in spatial audio – also referred to as immersive audio or ambisonics – has been inspired by the pioneering work of Funktion-One’s founders, Tony Andrews and John Newsham. You can read more about that here.
Through the work we’ve done with Ravensbourne University, we’ve been able to combine our interest in spatial audio with our passion for learning. We believe it’s crucial that we pass on knowledge to future audio technicians and support them in the early stages of their career. One such person is student Szofia Lindsay-Macdougall, whose project entailed using multiple layered effects on harp and vocals, underlined by sub-bass and drums.
Read more about the project at LSi online
