Conclusion
In this research, I wanted to investigate what insights spatial analysis can offer for immersive electroacoustic composition, focusing on the psychoacoustics of hemispherical loudspeaker arrays and the limitations of traditional spectral analysis. Through the examination of a part of my composition 'In Motion', it became clear that spatialisation is not just a technical consideration but a central compositional tool that shapes the listener’s perception, supports the narrative of the piece, and directly influences how meaning emerges from sound events in a three-dimensional environment.
By combining spectral and spatial analysis tools, this study demonstrated that certain perceptual relationships—such as the clarity of sound localization or the masking and unmasking of sonic elements—only become apparent when spatial attributes are explicitly visualized and considered alongside frequency content. For example, the difficulty in localizing sine tones and the improvement in localization with added harmonics highlight the need for composers to think beyond the frequency domain and engage with the full perceptual experience of their audience. These findings reinforce the argument that spatialisation is not an afterthought but a primary compositional parameter, one that can either enhance or undermine the intended effect depending on how it is realized in different acoustic spaces.
However, this research also uncovered the inherent challenges in analysing and documenting spatial music. No single analytical tool can fully capture the complexity of spatial perception, and visual representations often fall short of conveying the lived, embodied experience of listening. The subjective nature of perception, the variability of loudspeaker configurations, and the influence of listener position all introduce uncertainties that composers must navigate. This points to the need for ongoing development of more nuanced and perceptually informed analysis methods, as well as for a critical awareness of the limitations of current tools.
Looking forward, several possibilities for future work can be considered. First, there is a clear need for more perceptual experiments that can inform compositional practice, especially those that take into account real-world listening environments and diverse audience experiences. Developing standardised methods for evaluating listener responses to spatial attributes—such as envelopment and engulfment—would not only benefit composers but also contribute to a more solid theoretical framework for spatial music. Additionally, further exploration of how spatialisation interacts with other musical parameters, and how these relationships can be effectively communicated through notation or visualization, can be a productive area for research.