Experience music in 360 degrees at Moogfest

A3 (Audio Cubed) will host this 360-degree sound experience starting Thursday afternoon. Featuring more than 20 independent audio sources, the sound is designed to come from every angle throughout each performance.

A3 has been working with Meyer Sound and Virginia Tech's Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology for the project.

"The music is going to be all around you. It is going to be moving. You might hear things coming on one way or from behind you," Virginia Tech grad student Ryan McHugh said. "This is one of the largest scale spatial audio performances that has been done in the states."

Performers have gone to Virginia Tech and Meyers Sound in Berkeley, Calif., to work in special studios designed specifically for spatial sound.

"Songs have been written specifically for this immersive spatial sound," McHugh said. "This music has been specially designed to be experienced spatially."

What we are doing with Moogfest and with Virginia Tech is to take the technology and apply it to live sound where music is being made as we're mixing," Meyer Sound's Applications Director of Digital Products Steve Ellison said.

For Ellison, this project marks a departure from what he has worked on with the company.

"My history as a company with Meyer Sound have been doing multi-channel audio support through shows like Ciqure du Soleil," Ellison said.

There will be rear subwoofer speakers in addition to a variety of overhead audio channels.

"It is going ot be a an experience that you will feel as well as hear," Ellison said.

In addition to performances by artists including Shabazz Palaces, Jenny Hval, Author and Punisher and Mouse on Mars, there will also be workshops where artists talk about their process.