Sound Delta — A Compositional Approach to 6DoF Audio Environments by Zak Cammoun

➡️ This presentation is part of IRCAM Forum Workshops Paris / Enghien-les-Bains March 2026

What happens when the "sweet spot" of spatial audio isn't a fixed seat in a studio, but a 500-square-meter physical landscape?

This presentation shares the journey of Sound Delta, a 6DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom) spatial audio system designed to bridge the gap between architectural space and musical composition. By moving the processing from the studio to a mobile kit, Sound Delta allows for the emergence of the "Promeneur Écoutant"—a listener whose quiet walk through a space becomes an active, intimate exploration of a sonic environment.

We will break down an ecosystem built in Max/MSP that brings the composer’s gesture directly into the field. This is a fragile equilibrium: using the Sound Delta Mobile Interaction Unit, the act of composing becomes a physical one, where sounds are organized in layers and "sculpted" into the room’s air. It is a process of defining boundaries—halos, cuts, and fades—that only exist when someone is there to hear them.

Beyond the technical architecture, we will discuss the practical reality of protecting this experience. From the development of a "Spatial Solfège" to the creation of a simple diagnostic "heartbeat" for our fleet, we show how we managed to keep this system alive and stable for weeks of autonomous use in museums and festivals.

Sound Delta is a working environment where space and sound meet—a project that remains as delicate as it is functional.