The world of video is changing. But, then again, it always has been. It wasn’t too long ago that 480p video was the standard online format. 720p came, and then Full HD, then 4K, and so on. The point is that video content is constantly evolving, and if you’d like to stay ahead in this industry, it’s helpful to be ready for the next level.
As we’ve covered on the Soundstripe blog, immersive video and audio are among the new frontiers for brands and content creators alike. Whether you’re looking to create content for the Apple Vision Pro or if you’re looking to be prepared for a growing VR/AR video revolution, audio is always going to be a part of the equation.
Let’s take a look at immersive audio, the partner to immersive video that often goes ignored. We’ll also go over how to capture, record, and use immersive sound in your projects, and how to be prepared to use immersive music as the soundtrack for your future videos.
What is Immersive Audio?
We’ve explored the budding world of immersive video for virtual and augmented reality in the past, but immersive audio is an often-overlooked aspect of immersive content. Immersive audio is a type of 3D audio technology that places a listener within a soundscape by providing traditional 2D surround sound along with an additional vertical dimension.
This additional vertical dimension, called height, completes the audio trifecta that makes 3D immersive audio. Immersive sound and audio give the listener a sense of complete immersion, where sounds can come from anywhere around them.
Immersive audio and sound are similar to, and often used interchangeably with terms like 8D audio and spatial sound and are supported by leading immersive audio technologies such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Sony 360 Reality Audio.
How to work with immersive audio
As you might expect, working with immersive audio today is quite tricky. Most cameras and recording gear don’t record in this immersive format. However, as any die-hard Apple fan will likely point out, there is one company making great strides in this space.
Apple is leading the way in the immersive video and audio space with its Vision Pro AR/VR headset. Apple iPhones can also record immersive video and audio natively, without extra upgrades or equipment.
If you’re curious to try it yourself, iPhone 16 models or later can use Spatial Audio to record video. If you’re curious about this immersive video and audio format and how it works with Apple, here’s a complete guide on how to work with the Apple Vision Pro.
Using copyrighted immersive audio
Now that we’ve explored a bit on how to record immersive audio, let’s move on to the trickier aspects. The trickiest might simply be licensing music and audio for your new video formats.
The best option for many will always be to use proven music licensing resources, such as Soundstripe, to access high-quality, royalty-free music that has been pre-cleared for all your marketing purposes. This ensures it's safe to share across all your social channels and platforms.
Soundstripe offers fully licensed and cleared music for subscribers to use in their videos and content. The artists have been compensated, and as a Soundstripe subscriber, you can use any song or sound effect in our libraries in your videos without paying additional royalties or fees—hence the “royalty free” term.
Royalty-free music can be an excellent option for your immersive videos, simply because it’s easy to find and use. Soundstripe’s music is composed and recorded by Grammy-winning artists who know how to make great music for all types of films and video content.
Best royalty free immersive music and audio
While immersive audio and music still have a long way to go in terms of recording and usability, if you’re looking to start experimenting with new formats and other traditional types of video and audio content, we do have to share some of our top royalty-free music tracks with you.
These tracks, while not immersive or 8D audio just yet, will give you an idea of what the future could hold and—in most instances—work just fine with your ambitious future-focused projects today.
1. Space Child by Cast Of Characters
- Description: A low-energy, hip-hop song best described as chill and quirky. Drums and electronic drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 92
- Key: A Minor
- Listen and license here
2. Wild and Free by Andrew Jordan
- Description: A high-energy, electronic song best described as fun and inspiring. Drums and samples are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 160
- Key: A Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, electronic song best described as angry and suspenseful. Ambient tones and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 100
- Key: F Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A low-energy, underscore song best described as hopeful and inspiring. Synth and guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 90
- Key: A Major
- Listen and license here
5. Majestic Skies by Strength To Last
- Description: A medium-energy, electronic song best described as chill and happy. Ambient tones and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 90
- Key: Bb/A# Major
- Listen and license here
6. A Quiet Place by Gold Coast
- Description: A low-energy, ambient song that is best described as inspiring. Ambient tones and strings are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 92
- Key: F Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, electronic song best described as chill and fun. Bass and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 88
- Key: F Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A low-energy, electronic song best described as reflective and hopeful. Synth and ambient tones are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 121
- Key: B Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy, electronic song best described as chill and fun. Bass and synth bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 128
- Key: A Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy rock song best described as angry and reflective. Ambient tones and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 130
- Key: C Minor
- Listen and license here
These are just a few recommended royalty free music tracks for you to consider. You can always explore more tracks in our Soundstripe app.
More resources for working with immersive audio and video
If you’re looking for more insights and resources to explore in the immersive space. Or if you’re looking for help understanding this fascinating, but at times confusing, world of music licensing for video, check out these additional articles from the Soundstripe blog below.
- The Psychology of Music: Exploring the Effects of Music on the Brain, Mood & Emotions in Film, Video and Beyond
- Ethics in AI Music Creation: How Generative Tools Are Transforming Music and Challenging Creators
- What is Sora? A Guide to the Sora Social App, Sora Cameos, and How AI Video Sharing is Changing Content
- Soundstripe's AI Song Editing Feature Allows You to Edit a Soundstripe Track in Seconds
