Virtually together
In this blog post, Ben Loveridge discusses his research in VR, music, and online singing.
Ben is the Immersive Media Coordinator (VR/AR) at the University of Melbourne and assists with the integration of spatial technology in teaching and research across the University. He coordinates activities in the Learning Environments VR lab and provides technical and development consultation to staff and students through workshops and masterclass sessions. Follow Ben on Twitter.
Music festivals are looking a little different these days. Just ask Ben Loveridge. Last weekend, Ben attended “SplendorXR”. According to the organisers: “Splendour XR is the global premiere of the digital, interactive world of Australia’s favourite music and arts festival Splendour in the Grass.”
You could be mistaken for thinking after buying a ticket to SplendorXR, everyone would have the same festival experience on the platform. However, users on MacOS or those with the latest Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets were unable to access the virtual ‘walking around’ side of the festival through Sansar.
But what is the VR experience of music really? How does VR compare to the “in-person” music experience – or to just watching a live stream for that matter? What is it like for performers when they feel like they are in the same virtual space, even though they might be separated by long distances?
This is what Ben is trying to find out. In research conducted at the University of Melbourne, Ben is asking “what is the experience of singing in VR like compared to video conferencing?”. He aims to tease apart the attributes that contribute to our experience on online music making.
In previous work, Ben examined how VR might be used to deliver Music Therapy to clients over vast distances. Collaborating with colleagues from Music Therapy, Ben looked at new ways of engaging in group singing VR and networked performance.
Now, Ben is taking this further in his current Masters of Music (Research). He is running an online study where participants can take part in a VR singing experience. Have you ever used VR? Have you ever wondered what the experience of making music in VR would be like? Now’s your chance to find out! Click the link below to participate in Ben’s study and experience music making in VR for yourself.
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