Tags: posts polarity-music Bitwig Tutorial VST-Plugin Mixing

Binaural Plugin for Free

Tutorial | Jan 24, 2025

In my video, I demonstrated how to use the Oculus Spatializer plugin to create immersive spatial sounds by positioning audio sources around the listener's head using headphones for best effect. I showed how layering, stretching, and positioning sounds can craft a wide, binaural soundscape, enhancing pads and drones with increased spatial depth. The plugin is free, and I shared a link in the description for those interested in trying it out.

You can watch the Video on Youtube

Summary

Maybe you don't watch the video, here are some important takeaways:

In this video, I aim to inspire you with ideas for creating spatial sounds using a plugin called Oculus Spatializer, which functions as a binaural panner. This tool uses stereo tricks to give the impression that the sound is coming from a specific direction within a room. For those unfamiliar, binaural audio creates a 3D stereo sound sensation for the listener – typically requiring headphones for the full effect because it doesn’t translate as well through normal monitor speakers.

I start by demonstrating the difference when the Oculus Spatializer is activated. The sound shifts and feels like it's coming from a determined direction relative to your listening position, moving beyond just the left or right speaker. The effect incorporates various audio elements like a low-pass filter or delay to achieve this sensation spatially. You can pan sounds not just left and right, but also up, down, and behind to create a full spatial experience.

Next, I delve into using the Oculus Spatializer for my sound projects, particularly with pads and drones, to create a more immersive and wide soundscape. I demonstrate this using M1 synthesizer pads as an example. By placing sound sources in different 3D positions around the listener's head, you can achieve a binaural mix that places instruments in precise locations, enriching the auditory experience.

In my setup, I load pad sounds into an FX layer and apply some effects like stretch (using All Stretcher) and then use the Oculus Spatializer to position these sounds around the head. This adds a dynamic quality to the sounds, stretching them and adjusting their placement in the sound field. By using multiple layers with varying stretch amounts and panning positions, I create a complex and rich audio environment.

When these spatial elements are combined, I conclude with adding a reverb effect post the FX layer. This further enhances the spacious quality of the mix. Finally, I record the result into the master track. I also mention that while working on this, you have the control to adjust the position of all instances of the MIDI input within the plugin, allowing for more integrated adjustments.

To wrap up, I emphasize the creative possibilities this plugin offers in terms of placing sounds in different 3D spaces to achieve a broader, more engaging auditory impression. I recommend trying the Oculus Spatializer since it’s free and has become a staple in my music production toolkit. I encourage viewers to experiment with it, and as always, appreciate any likes, subscriptions, and support.

Transcription

This is what im talking about in this video. The text is transcribed by AI, so it might not be perfect. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.
You can also click on the timestamps to jump to the right part of the video, which should be helpful.

[00:00:00] Hey folks, welcome back. Today I want to give you a quick inspiration for nice spatial sounds.
[00:00:06] And I'm not sure if I made a video about this plugin here called Oculus Spatializer. It's
[00:00:11] kind of a Binaural Panner. So it makes some stereo tricks to make you or give you the
[00:00:17] impression that the sound comes from a specific direction in a room. So let's say this is
[00:00:26] without, then I switch it on. It sounds a bit different, but then you move it to the left.
[00:00:34] And you can see the sound is not coming only from the left and you're not only here at the
[00:00:41] sound from your left headphones speaker. And by the way, you have to use headphones to amplify
[00:00:46] this effect or to clearly hear what's going on. I don't think it works on normal monitor speakers.
[00:00:54] So use headphones for this. So like I said here, if you move the source to the left, so this is
[00:01:00] our synthesizer, right? We move it to the left of our head here. The sound not only comes here
[00:01:07] from the left speaker, it also comes from here, but a bit muffled, a bit low-passed, a bit delayed,
[00:01:13] and so on. So this is how this works. And it gives you the impression of a sound source moving around
[00:01:21] in space and also switch it to up and down if you want to move it up or down. That's not that clear,
[00:01:32] but left and right works pretty well. Also behind. So yeah, so we can move the source,
[00:01:45] the sound source around and you can maybe if you want to have a binaural mix down, you can place
[00:01:52] certain instruments in certain positions here in the room or around your head. So what I do sometimes
[00:02:00] is I create or use this to create pad sounds, drones, to make the drones or the sound more spatial,
[00:02:09] more wide in a way. So let's use here M1, just a demo version here, a browser, maybe some synth pads.
[00:02:21] Let's start with this one. Let's see. Something like this. And then we can place it here on the
[00:02:36] right side. Maybe increase here a bit the loudness by 60b. Okay, so we put this here into an FX layer
[00:03:04] and then we want to use in front here all stretch. I also showed us in a video how I make pads here
[00:03:11] with all stretch, but in combination with the Spatializer here, it's kind of neat. So let's record
[00:03:19] some sounds here. Oh, that's okay. Let's play this, stretch it out a bit. So we have your one
[00:03:40] layer in the middle, more or less. We can close this. I also want to disable this here. Then I
[00:03:47] just duplicate it. And here I just record something new, maybe a different sound.
[00:04:11] That's okay. Let's stretch this different amount, maybe. And here I can use a different position
[00:04:22] or the second layer, maybe a bit to the right. Okay, that's nice. Another one. Different sound.
[00:04:40] We can also place this already to the left. This was a bit too much.
[00:05:02] Let's hit play. Different stretch amount.
[00:05:28] And by the way, if you have one instance open here, you can also change the position of all the
[00:05:35] other instances just from one plugin. They are always connected, which is kind of nice.
[00:05:40] So we have now three pads, stretch pads here positioned around our head. If you use headphones,
[00:05:52] you can clearly hear it. Let's use this one and then put this maybe here.
[00:06:15] That's not something I like, maybe I use something different.
[00:06:43] Okay. So if you move it closer to the head, it comes louder. You can try and use this here
[00:06:59] to balance the sounds or the loudness of the sounds a bit. Okay, maybe another one.
[00:07:11] [MUSIC]
[00:07:21] [MUSIC]
[00:07:31] [MUSIC]
[00:07:41] Okay.
[00:07:52] [MUSIC]
[00:07:56] Another one.
[00:07:57] [MUSIC]
[00:08:02] And maybe position this here.
[00:08:04] [MUSIC]
[00:08:24] [MUSIC]
[00:08:34] [MUSIC]
[00:08:44] [MUSIC]
[00:08:49] And the last one.
[00:08:51] [MUSIC]
[00:08:59] Yeah.
[00:09:00] What is here?
[00:09:01] [MUSIC]
[00:09:27] And then when you have all of this in place.
[00:09:31] [MUSIC]
[00:09:35] I use after.
[00:09:37] [MUSIC]
[00:09:39] After the FX layer, I just use a reverb.
[00:09:42] [MUSIC]
[00:09:56] And then when I'm done.
[00:09:59] I just record it into the master record here.
[00:10:02] [MUSIC]
[00:10:16] And you not only can use your left and right.
[00:10:21] You can also switch it to up and down right and can place it here.
[00:10:24] So you have a lot of possibilities to put your sounds into certain spaces.
[00:10:29] And then it gives this much, much wider impression or spatial sound.
[00:10:35] [MUSIC]
[00:10:49] Maybe we need the bass here.
[00:10:51] [MUSIC]
[00:11:01] [MUSIC]
[00:11:11] [MUSIC]
[00:11:21] [MUSIC]
[00:11:31] [MUSIC]
[00:11:41] [MUSIC]
[00:11:51] [MUSIC]
[00:12:01] [MUSIC]
[00:12:11] [MUSIC]
[00:12:21] [MUSIC]
[00:12:31] [MUSIC]
[00:12:39] And this is how you can create these much wider sounds.
[00:12:42] This is how I do it.
[00:12:43] I thought maybe I give you the idea or maybe an inspiration here to try it out.
[00:12:49] I'll put the link to this one here in the description below.
[00:12:52] It's completely free.
[00:12:53] I use it all the time.
[00:12:55] Yeah, that's it.
[00:12:57] Thanks for watching.
[00:12:58] Leave a like, leave a subscription.
[00:12:59] See you next time.
[00:13:00] Bye.
[00:13:01] [MUSIC]
[00:13:12] [MUSIC]
[00:13:22] [MUSIC]
[00:13:31] (gentle music)
[00:13:34] [Music]