Authorship in Immersive Music

When it comes to immersive music production, much of the current discussion centres on whether object-based or channel-based approaches should form the basis of master deliverables. Proponents exist for each, but in practice there is rarely a single “best” option. The appropriate approach depends on the project at hand, both technically and artistically, but also on something less frequently discussed: authorship. In many cases, the most effective solution is a considered combination of the two approaches.

For clarity, I’m drawing a distinction between mixes where the experience is intentionally authored; with instruments and vocals combined with their effects, balanced against other elements, and presented within a deliberate spatial framework — and approaches where instruments and effects are delivered separately; allowing space, balance, and perspective to shift dynamically based on listener position. In the latter case, moving closer to a source may change early reflections, alter the direct-to-reverberant ratio, and rebalance elements relative to one another.

As immersive delivery expands across platforms, particularly in virtual and augmented reality, there has been increasing advocacy for fully object-based production and delivery. Much of this enthusiasm reflects very real platform and technology needs, especially in contexts where the listener is expected to move freely through a virtual space. Those priorities are valid. They do not, however, always align perfectly with the priorities of artists creating authored musical works, and it’s important that artists understand the implications of choices made during production.

Dolby Atmos, while adaptable to many uses, was originally developed for cinema, for narrative storytelling, with a key goal of maintaining the creator’s intent across a wide range of playback environments. By contrast, many newer immersive technologies are conceived from the outset for virtual or interactive experiences. A loose comparison might be this: traditionally, music is presented much as one might hear an ensemble perform. The listener sits back, and placement, balance, and timbre are shaped by the performers and the space. In virtual environments, the goal is often the opposite. The listener may walk into the ensemble, move between sections, or place their ear next to a single instrument. Achieving this convincingly requires not only significant processing, but also a high degree of control. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, provided it aligns with the intent of the work and is understood by everyone involved.

Object-based masters are essential for exploratory experiences: environments that allow audiences to navigate freely and encounter a work from multiple perspectives. That does not mean they should be the default choice for all projects.

When an artist delivers a true object-based master as the primary representation of a work, they are implicitly granting permission for that work to be reassembled, rebalanced, and re-presented in contexts far removed from the original intention.

That may be desirable, but it should be a conscious choice.

Choosing an exploratory format as the primary master isn’t just a technical decision; it’s a decision about authorship. It affects how much control an artist retains over how their work is experienced, both now and in the future.

It’s understandable that different practitioners emphasise the approaches they specialise in. What matters is that artists are given a clear picture of the implications of those approaches, rather than being led to believe that one method is universally “best” or inherently future-proof.

There is room for both authored and exploratory experiences. Production methods and deliverables can, and should, adapt to the type of experience being created, with the creator fully aware of what those choices entail. And while advances in stem-splitting and re-rendering technologies may eventually blur some of these boundaries, that doesn’t mean we should unknowingly deliver a de facto multitrack master by default.