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Holophonics is a form of sound recording that employs a dummy head recording arrangement and is based on the hypothesis that the auditory system acts as an interferometer. As with binaural recordings, the sound characteristics are most clearly heard through headphones. Holophonics should not be confused with holophony, which is a system of sound recording over the surface of a sphere.
History
Holophonics rose to fame in 1983 with the release of a recording entitled Zuccarelli Holophonics (The Matchbox Shaker) released in the UK by CBS which consisted entirely of short recordings of sound effects designed to show off the system. These included the shaking matchbox, haircut & blower, bees, balloon, plastic bag, birds, airplanes, fireworks, thunder, racing cars. This specific system was designed and promoted by Argentine Hugo Zuccarelli, though the technique of binaural recording has been around for over 100 years.
Zuccarelli posited that the human auditory system is a sound emitter, producing a reference sound that combines with incoming sound to form an interference pattern inside the ear. The nature of this pattern is sensitive to the direction of the incoming sound. According to the hypothesis, the cochlea detects and analyzes this pattern as if it were an acoustic hologram. The brain then interprets this data and infers the direction of the sound. This was printed in the magazine New Scientist, though it was followed by two letters casting doubt on Zuccarelli's theory and his scientific abilities.[1][2]
Like all binaural recording, Holophonics reproduces the interaural differences (arrival time and amplitude between the ears), as well as rudimentary HRTF (head-related transfer functions). This causes the illusion that sounds produced in the membrane of a headphone emanate from specific directions.
The Zuccarelli Holophonic recording technique can validate the front - back localisation capabilities of a binaural recording, where the listener can distinguish the sound of a matchbox behind their head from 2 sound sources. To produce digital holophonic binaural recordings, a mono source requires many HRTF channels combined. [citation needed].
The basilar membrane analyses many individual spectral components of a sonic environment, all processed in parallel by the brain
The digital process for generating holophonic sound can be computed from just a few lines of computer code.[citation needed].
Recordings released using Holophonics
- Pink Floyd, "The Final Cut" Harvest/E.M.I, 7243 8 31242 2 0 (1982).[3]
- Roger Waters, "The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking", Harvest, CDP 7 46029 2 (1984).[3]
- Psychic TV, "Dreams Less Sweet".[citation needed]
- Pearl Jam, "Binaural" Epic/Sony EK63665 (2000).[citation needed]
Examples of Holophonic Sound
- From holophonic.ch: An example of holophonics: you hear someone lighting two matches, first on your right and then your left. You then hear the box of matches shaking all around your head. Listen with headphones. It appears that Zuccarelli and Maggi have worked together in Italy in the '80s. Another example from holophonic.ch is the sensual voice of a woman whispering into your ears going from the left to right.
- The Virtual Barbershop, a more recent recording demonstrating multiple sound effects. It is rapidly growing in popularity on the Internet.
- Blowdryer
- Bell
References
- ^ Zuccarelli, Hugo; "Ears Hear by Making Sounds," New Scientist, 438-440 1983
- ^ Baxter, A.J., and Kemp, David T.; "Zuccarelli's Theory," New Scientist, 606-606 1983
- ^ a b Mabbett, Andy (1995). The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd. London: Omnibus,. pp. 150p. ISBN 071194301x.
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External links
- Sound Ideas - "What is Holophonic Sound?"
- Sony Virtualphones Technology ; 5.1ch & 7.1ch > to >{convert}> (2ch Holophonic) headphone, (Sony Virtualphones) hardware.