I
borrowed this quote from Daniel Barenboim’s talk on the Nature and Power of
Music. Most technological experiences, especially online, have been primarily
visual experiences. The web gives us a visual workout but few online
experiences stimulate our hearing to create fuller sensory experiences.
With the Microsoft Surface
interaction paradigm it’s time to prepare for an audio assault as sound is
getting the consideration it deserves. Interaction Designers are digging
deep in to their auditory and visual toolkit as sound gets crafted in to the
Surface experience. The ear is back in vogue.
OK,
so the gaming industry has been treating our senses to full immersive
experiences for some time but most other technological experiences have relied
heavily on visual alone.
Surface
doesn't just encourage but mandates a fuller sensory experience. But are
agencies ready to build auditory experiences and are clients ready to pay for
sound design?
If
you can communicate the return on investing in sound design to your clients
then they will pay for it. Sound is not there just to titillate the
senses. It is used to enhance a brand, stir emotion, create immersive
experiences and communicate information. When users manipulates digital
content, information is revealed through sound, visual feedback and movement.
Sound is not simply about providing a fuller sensory experience but acts as
another information layer.
I
recently met with Andrew Diey, Founder & CEO of Radium Audio,
a leading music and sound design company that have experience in designing
sound solutions for Surface experiences. Does
Andrew feel that clients are ready?
Andrew
doesn’t see such digital auditory experiences as a huge leap. Advertisers
know the importance of sound to enhance a brand. This is not about
introducing something new but transferring a proven art to a new
paradigm. Andrew believes clients are ready but it’s down to agencies to
communicate the value of sound. Andrew suggested agencies establish a manifesto
which defines the terms on which they approach immersive experience
design. The manifesto should outline principles, policy and action plans
for future work in immersive experiences. Most agencies have a design
manifesto but does it include sound? If you want your client to buy in to
sound design then you need to plan for it from the beginning. The task of
getting your client to understand the value depends on your belief and
recognition that sound is critical to the delivery of a full sensory
experience.
Are
agencies ready?
Yes. It hasn’t been about not having the sound design know-how but
more so about not having an environment where sound design is treated with the
same importance as visual design. Most agencies that specialise is online
solutions may not be experienced in sound but with experienced sound designers
such as Radium Audio there is no reason for agencies not to be ready. Sound is
part of an interaction designers domain to define audio feedback that
complements the interaction and visual design. The brief is then given to the sound
designer, internal or external, to weave their magic and create seamless
experiences between the audio and interaction.
At EMC Conchango we
have in-house sound design capabilities but we are not professional Sound
Designers. For superior production and bespoke sound design we look to work
with professional sound designers. We employ experienced Art Directors and
Creative Designers to achieve our creative vision. Our approach to audio
is the same. To craft an immersive auditory experience we need to work
with the best.
So
there is no reason why we should not be entering a new sensory era of
compelling and immersive experience that combine sight and sound. It’s now up to us
to be heard...