December VR/AR News #4: AR audio, post-VR sadness and music in VR

Around the world, more and more developer spaces are being devoted to VR and AR startups “to share resources, experiment, and network.” These include the Upload Collective in San Francisco and the Realities Centre, which opened earlier this month in London.

Game designer Jack de Quidt talks with Jason Rubin, the head of content at Oculus, about how the technology company can embrace storytelling in its VR projects. According to de Quidt, for VR to get past its “train approaching the screen” stage, VR stories need to have memorable characters, a strong plot and engaging virtual interactions.

According to Wired, audio is the future of AR, with “headphones and earpieces that filter out unwanted noise and notify us.” For example, Amped, created by Finnish-Swedish company Zoundio, is an app that algorithmically “deconstructs harmony and chord structure to blend users’ playing with existing tracks.”

How can artists embrace VR? UploadVR has the guide on how to use Google’s Tilt Brush to make virtual works of art, including how to create a sense of environment and use special effects brushes.

To pounder: Should we be talking more about “post-VR sadness?”

For fun: Could 2017 be the year when music and technology come together for VR and 360 music videos, allowing audiences to reengage with the artistic medium? Rap duo Run The Jewels has already experimented with 360 for its “Crown” music video. Also, check out McKenzie Stubbert explaining how he composes music for VR. Stubbert has scored the VR films Clouds Over Sidra and The Displaced.