What does the metaverse sound like? Part 1: Sonic Branding Meta by Stephan Vincent Nölke
"People with a new idea are considered crackpots until the thing catches on" - Mark Twain
What writer Mark Twain already noted in the 19th century is more true today than ever before: In a digital and ever faster developing world, one or two things may seem strange, weird or even outlandish. This is precisely the attitude with which many people are looking at the latest online development these days: the Metaverse.
A completely digital world in which anyone can build a complete life. A place where the boundaries between reality and virtuality become blurred. Even though there may still be many doubters, this futuristic-looking world is gradually gaining acceptance - and will become the norm just like the Internet back then, Facebook in the 2000s, or self-driving vacuum cleaners today.
While major brands are already implementing stores in the metaverse, land prices for metaverse real estate are shooting through the roof, and art in the form of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) is experiencing a new era with blockchain technology, one of the most important components of any world is all but forgotten - sound.
What does the metaverse sound like? And what technologies does it need to be able to move in a digital world with completely natural acoustics?
Stephan Vincent Nölke, expert for audible brand digitalization and CEO of comevis GmbH & Co. KG Cologne
I will discuss the special topic of voice branding in the metaverse in the second part of this article. There you will learn how to deal with the topic of voice in the metaverse and which technologies are already available today. In this article, I focus on sonic branding and the sounds of the metaverse.
A world without sound is not a real world
Can you imagine a world without acoustic stimuli? A park without birdsong, a shopping center without soft music in the background, a visit to a restaurant without the backdrop of conversation, a commercial without brand sounds or even a concert without sound?
No, because all these sounds, tones and sounds make up our world. We perceive them with all our senses - sight, touch and hearing. So it's all the crazier that a new world is currently being built, in which the appearance of avatars and environments that look as real as possible are being diligently worked on, but only minimally on soundscapes, music, sounds and sound branding.
Sound rethought
Fortunately, however, the first seem to recognize the need for sound in the metaverse. Companies like "Audio Metaverse" and "PatchXR" are even specializing in it. PatchXR, for example, offers a metaverse paradise for musicians who can rediscover composition and concerts there. So the sound of the Metaverse is gradually becoming a topic - for us, too, of course!
Because while PatchXR focuses on musicians*, for example, we focus on sound branding and extended acoustic brand digitization in the Metaverse. We see great potential in this and believe that the acoustic layer of the Metaverse is a great opportunity for anyone involved in acoustics and sound.
Why different tones are struck in the Metaverse
Because the Metaverse sees itself as an extension of reality, the possibilities in the digital world are almost limitless - and that includes composition, sound branding and sound design. We can give sound to many more objects, navigate an entire world with sounds, and give a new emphasis to acoustics. Acoustics and visuals can also be reconciled more than ever - literally. And to an extent that would not be possible at all in our reality. What is becoming more important than ever in this context are, for example, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and bot technologies.
At comevis, we have been serving these in our innovative C-Cloud for years and are thus ideally equipped for the Metaverse. Learn more about our C-Cloud here and dive into a world full of digital sound tools. We make audible brand digitization easy to use with the help of artificial intelligence and deep learning algorithms, and also really smart. More
Acoustic stimuli
How do you orient yourself in a new world? The best way is with sound and audio signals. This means that companies in the metaverse will also be able to attract attention with sounds and tones in addition to their visual presence. That goes far beyond a jingle there. Navigation sounds like those in an app, acoustic stimuli throughout the metaverse that draw attention to a company, and perhaps even a dedicated sound for stores, products, or offers are moving into the spotlight. Acoustic stimuli of any kind can draw Metaverse users' attention to you. Inevitable and one of the biggest challenges in the metaverse: 3D audio.
To illustrate this, imagine a trade fair. You walk from booth to booth, participate in conversations, walk past conversations, or hear a presentation on stage that you want to listen to more closely. All of these acoustic stimuli are sometimes louder, sometimes quieter, and feel natural without overwhelming your hearing. Now imagine an online event of the same kind. If this were to be spoken to in the same way in one-on-one conversations, presented at the same time, and possibly music played somewhere else, your headphones or computer audio would glow and create a loud unpleasant mass of noise.
So the digital metaverse has to make it so that acoustic stimuli - of any kind - can move in three-dimensional space, not just two-dimensional space. They must become spatial audio. This is the only way to guarantee a natural and sustainable acoustic world in the metaverse.
At comevis, we are also concerned with sustainable acoustics in the real world and would like to dedicate our C-Ecology to your brand's acoustic sustainability needs. Discover our portfolio: More
The challenge - and opportunities
Today, companies that deal with sound branding have to think holistically from the very beginning. All the sounds and tones of a brand should work in real life, on social media, and now in the metaverse. This can seem challenging and a lot at the beginning, but will pay off in the end. Because the metaverse is the future and it won't work without digital acoustics. So the metaverse is an opportunity to give the company its very own identity with "Sound Branding - Meta" in the metaverse - and a much more detailed one than before.
5 Questions about Sonic Branding - Meta
Companies that are already taking care of their sound in the metaverse are far ahead of their competitors. Because those who set the right course now will be among the first big players in the metaverse. That's why companies should consider early on how their brand is positioned in the metaverse:
For example, how does the Store sound in the Metaverse?
How do employees sound and how are spots designed in the metaverse?
Does the product perhaps have its own sound?
Are there certain acoustic stimuli that point to your own brand?
Or can unique acoustic brand experiences be created for users?
The possibilities are endless.
At comevis, we are already thinking ahead to these topics with an eye to the future.
With all these developments around the sound of the Metaverse, what we've always been doing - creating sonic identities - is more important than ever. We're excited to see what else the Metaverse has in store for us in the realm of acoustics and look forward to taking this step with you.
Do you want to take care of your code-based sound & voice branding, working with one of the most innovative experts? Then feel free to contact us and we will introduce you to our capabilities and innovative tools. More