Is there a software method to "rotate" music around my head?
from plankton@programming.dev to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world on 15 Mar 14:46
https://programming.dev/post/47244696

I like to listen to music with headphones while lying down. Some songs sound “wrong”, and I understand that is because the original recording was made for an upright head.

So if an instrument or voice was supposed to sound like it was in front of you, now it sounds like it’s coming from someone crawling across my ceiling.

It’s an insignificant and stupid problem so I don’t know what to search for lmao

#nostupidquestions

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Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world on 15 Mar 14:59 next collapse

What if you rotate the head phones so the band is at the top?

plankton@programming.dev on 15 Mar 15:20 collapse

I tried that, it doesn’t work

Something about the timing of the sound going to each ear

Devadander@lemmy.world on 15 Mar 15:31 collapse

You’re wearing headphones, the timing doesn’t change whether you’re upright or laying down. There’s nothing to fix, because this perceived problem is caused by you physically laying down. In-room speakers may provide what you’re trying to achieve. Otherwise, close your eyes and get lost in the music, so what if it’s coming from the ceiling? lol

plankton@programming.dev on 15 Mar 15:36 next collapse

I know the timing is the same. I’m asking if there is a technique that can emulate different timings with an existing recording or master

ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org on 15 Mar 22:27 collapse

Yes, the timing and balance does not change whether the source is directly in front of, behind, above or below you, but people still tell these apart somehow. I think it’s the frequency response of sound from different directions reflecting off earlobes.

atropa@piefed.social on 15 Mar 15:09 next collapse

leslie speakers ?

philanthropicoctopus@thelemmy.club on 15 Mar 21:39 collapse

Now your talking

givesomefucks@lemmy.world on 15 Mar 15:17 next collapse

Yeah, it’s a thing.

Was always a gimmicky part of speaker software back in the day.

Like, a page in setting was a picture of a generic room and you can drag and drop an icon for the picture to change how 3d sound was displayed.

So you could likely find something like that and co-opt it for headphones.

Search for something like “3d audio setup” or “positioning software”.

That being said, this isn’t a problem with how you’re processing sound. It’s more likely an inner ear thing, but it’s impossible to say if it’s a “problem” or just weird variation. So anything you do with the headphones is just going to compensate for it, not actually solve it.

It’s probably also weird watching TV or a screen from an angle either, fixing the inner ear thing would likely solve a lot of stuff for you, especially if you consider yourself clumsy

SGforce@lemmy.ca on 15 Mar 15:20 next collapse

Many years ago soundcard drivers used to include things that could do this. Something like a “virtual surround sound” where you could place the speakers in a simulated spot. I don’t know if anyone has continued doing that on that front, but it can absolutely be done in a game engine. So if you’re willing to learn a little game development you could theoretically throw something together that could place virtual speakers in a 3d space.

sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz on 15 Mar 15:47 next collapse

The song is playing in stereo. Depending on the device you’re listening to you can change it to play in mono.

On a computer there’s an option called “balance” you can change the distribution of the sound so all of it will come out of the side that you’re not laying on. Some phones may have this option too, I don’t think android does.

real_squids@sopuli.xyz on 15 Mar 15:53 next collapse

Android does have that, at least 10 and newer. It’s under accessibility options, near the bottom, same as mono audio

IronKrill@lemmy.ca on 15 Mar 22:21 collapse

They seem to mean rotating the sound, not balancing the L and R. Imagine laying on your back. An airplane rolls overhead on the soundtrack. It sounds like it’s coming from your headboard rather than the sky, because your head is flat. The OP wants the sound to still be in the sky, essentially rotating the soundscape forwards 90 degrees.

sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz on 15 Mar 22:24 collapse

…oh. I thought I understood their situation but it turns out I really really don’t. Thank you for clarifying

etherphon@piefed.world on 15 Mar 15:51 next collapse

You can look for something called headphone crossfeed, there are DSP plugins for a number of music players for this, you can use these plugins to simulate the stereo field of speakers using headphones by having some of the signal from each channel bleed into the other, since of course when you are listening to speakers, that’s what’s happening unless you have your speakers very close to your head.

Praxinoscope@lemmy.zip on 15 Mar 15:53 next collapse

Some newer headphones, like the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 4 that I just got, have 360 audio with head tracking. So, if you turn that on while you’re upright, then lay down, the audio should compensate for your movement.

plankton@programming.dev on 16 Mar 05:54 collapse

Oh sweet

ViatorOmnium@piefed.social on 15 Mar 16:06 next collapse

Try to look for earphones with 3D head tracking. They work better for horizontal movement, but they might also help if you are lying down.

fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 15 Mar 16:35 next collapse

On iOS with AirPods there’s spatial audio which does this.

BassTurd@lemmy.world on 15 Mar 19:26 collapse

Android and pixel buds to the same. I’m not sure if the buds are required to use it or just android.

LuigiMaoFrance@lemmy.ml on 16 Mar 01:25 next collapse

Fascinating and funny problem, great thread.

Kolanaki@pawb.social on 16 Mar 01:29 collapse

Just wear the headphones the same way you would if you were upright. 🤨

Or close your eyes. They are still in front of you. But what is in front of you is the ceiling.

plankton@programming.dev on 16 Mar 05:53 collapse

my sleep paralysis demon will sing sweet nothings to me 🙂‍↕️