I am passionate about creating unique moments in music, as well as new experiences, tech, coffee and food. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive some of thoughts, insights, behind the life, and a bunch of other stuff!
Outside The Box: Apple's Atmos Push and What It Means for Music
Hey, Reader, it's Jerome -↓Is Apple Music’s Atmos Initiative a Game Changer?In the past year, Apple has been steering its platform firmly towards Atmos technology. More recently, they've upped the stake by suggesting higher royalty rates for releases with an Atmos mix. This move is unprecedented in the streaming world and raises questions about accessibility, especially for independent artists. While an Atmos mix is typically cheaper than the original stereo mix, the financial return on Apple might not always make sense for some artists, unless Apple starts to focus heavily on promoting Atmos-enabled tracks. So, why is Apple betting big on Atmos? The clues lie in Apple’s ecosystem. Apple isn’t just about streaming; it’s a hardware giant, with products like the AirPods Pro & Max featuring spatial audio capabilities. They’re aiming to provide an exclusive "Apple-Only" experience. Though not perfect, the AirPods Pro & Max make Atmos, or more precisely, spatial audio, fairly accessible to anyone now! And I believe that’s a key driver for Apple Music’s push into Atmos. And since last Friday, Apple has added another layer to this, with their new product: Vision Pro. While the idea of mixing in a VR environment is captivating, the real excitement lies in combining this with Atmos or spatial audio. It hints at a new, multi-dimensional experience for Apple enthusiasts. |
Let's demystify Atmos and Spatial AudioIn simple terms, Atmos is an advanced surround system that adds height and elevation to audio. Atmos isn't new. It first came in cinemas, then transitioned into the video game world, and now it's trying to make its place in music. More versatile than its predecessor, the 5.1 surround, Atmos introduces a game-changing feature: algorithmic downmixing. This capability allows it to adapt seamlessly to both larger and smaller setups, theoretically scaling even down to mono. Spatial audio in all this is essentially a virtual simulation of Atmos but tailored for a personal experience using just a pair of headphones. However, are we ready to move beyond stereo with Atmos becoming a new standard? Not at all. Our world still relies on mono sound in many places. So, Atmos is not redefining standards, it certainly offers a new listening experience, as Apple is pushing towards. In the coming years, we'll likely see an explosion of new experiences combining VR with Atmos/spatial audio. Some companies are already working on products and concepts, and some are quite exciting! Anyway, you know where to find me! Best, Let's Exchange NotesGot insights or cool finds in music, innovation, or entrepreneurship? |
Jerome Renard
I am passionate about creating unique moments in music, as well as new experiences, tech, coffee and food. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive some of thoughts, insights, behind the life, and a bunch of other stuff!
Hey, Reader, it's Jerome - ↓ Language & Mixing We don't often think about it, but the language of the lyrics influences how I mix a song.Let me explain.The lead vocal is one of the most important elements in a song.But, our perception of different languages changes --Each has unique characteristics. I learned early on that different languages have different intelligibility criteria.Let's take a cliché: the French are loud.What's behind this is that the French language needs a higher volume to...
Hey, Reader, it's Jerome - ↓ Blake's Vault The conversation around artists’ revenue has been going on for over a decade. The last few weeks were not left apart. James Blake took the hot seat, believing he has the solution. Introducing Vault, a subscription-based app to access the artist’s unreleased music. But wait. Haven’t platforms like Patreon been offering a similar model for years? Yet, this is not going to save music. Behind the curtain, Vault is another initiative of Sound.XYZ, mainly...
Hey, Reader, it's Jerome - ↓ AI on the front wall of UMG Deep fakes threaten artists' successes, and AI stands prominently at UMG's forefront. Seems like we've been warned about a lot of what’s been happening lately. And of course, we're only starting to measure against growing AIs. To cite a few: The Taylor Deep Fake saga raging on X UMG's new marketing strategy heavily involves AI tools Majors & Governments passing laws against AI-generated music We could continue with these examples, but I...