Explore new ways of composing and performing with Spatial and Immersive Sound and unlock new exhibiting and performance opportunities in the rapidly developing immersive sector.

  • Learn how to create and deliver immersive sound works for live performance and installations.
  • Gain rich skills in working with spatial sound that complement your practice.
  • Hear from exhibiting sound artists with tips and tricks for professional practice.

This four-week Ableton and Envelop Training (for Live Performances) course introduces musicians and performers to the fundamentals of spatial sound, including ambisonics, binaural audio, and sound diffusion for performance and installation works.

Led by spatial sound composer and artist Nik Rawlings, during the course you’ll develop a creative and critical approach to composing immersive music and sound works, have space to share and reflect on your work with your peers and create a work that is ready to perform or install.

You'll spend time undertaking independent research and composition, putting into practice skills learned during the course’s workshops and contextualising your work within established frameworks of spatial composition. You’ll also have the opportunity to share sound pieces on an immersive sound system and engage in reflection and peer to peer feedback.

You'll attend hands-on workshops and talks by artists performing and exhibiting spatial sound internationally, sharing their knowledge and tips for navigating the challenges and requirements that you may face when presenting spatial sound works in different settings, and how to create technical riders and specifications for production teams.

By the end of this course, you’ll be equipped with skills, knowledge and tools that de-mystify immersive sound creation, and allow you to grow as an immersive artist. You’ll also build your portfolio and be confident in your ability to deliver spatial sound works for a wide range of venues, galleries and collaborations.

Ableton and Envelop Training (for Live Performances) is designed for artists, sound designers, composers and producers who are looking to open up new horizons in their work and gain the skills necessary to become an immersive sound artist.

Participants will require some experience using Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs); we will be using Ableton Live and Reaper. Before this course you are required to ensure that you have a working copy of Ableton Live (30 day free trial licenses are available) installed on your own computer.

Overview

Session one

Introduction to Spatial Sound and Music

  • History and development of spatial sound approaches: From Xennakis to Atmos
  • Comparing Ambisonics, Multichannel Diffusion, Wavefield Synthesis and binaural
  • Listening session: examples of ambisonic, binaural and multichannel works
  • Critical design with spatial audio: choosing the right approach for your work.

Assignment: Install Ableton, Envelop for Live and Audio Routes plug ins. Prepare a track or sample pack to work with during next session.

Session two

Working with Spatial Sound in Ableton

  • Introduction to Envelop for Live spatial plug ins in Ableton with demonstrations on spatial speaker array
  • Creative composing with spatial sound: creating spatial narratives, sound clusters, sequences and phases
  • Templates for working with Ableton and Envelop for Live
  • How to prepare your work for spatial production
  • How to export your spatial sound piece with Envelop for Live
  • Supported independent working - first experiments in spatial sound
  • Sharing 30 second pieces with peers on spatial speaker array.

Performing with Spatial Sound

  • Introducing performative approaches to spatial sound
  • Tips and tricks for performing live with Ableton Envelop
  • Performing with multichannel installations and sound diffusion
  • Supported independent working time.

Session three

Spatial Sound Installations

  • Examples of multichannel sound installations; gallery works, public art and interactive pieces.
  • Critical and conceptual design of sound installations
  • How to prepare works for different venues, exhibitions and spaces
  • DIY and ‘MVP’ Sound Installation tips.

Exhibiting and Touring Spatial Sound Works with Freya Dooley

  • Guest lecture by Freya Dooley, sound artist exhibiting works internationally
  • Finding your funding: Who funds and commissions immersive work?
  • Writing technical riders for spatial sound works and working with production teams
  • Promoting your work: professional practice as a sound artist.

Assignment: Take everything you’ve learned to create your final spatial sound piece. Create a draft project pack and tech rider to communicate where and how you will present the work.

Session four

Final Sharing Session

  • Sharing final spatial projects with the group
  • Presenting spatial works to residents of The Studio and public
  • Wrap up: reflections on learning & next steps. Where will spatial sound take you next?

For this course you'll need a laptop that is able to run, and has installed a copy of Ableton Live Suite and Envelop for Live. We will also look more briefly at Reaper and IEM Tools - also free to use. You must also have experience working with Digital Audio Workstations at a basic level.

Your course leader will create a pre-course pack with instructions for downloading and installing Envelop onto Ableton.

This course will take place in person at The Studio, Bath, BA1 2NH.

The next course takes place on the following dates:

  • Tuesday 6 January, 6:30-8:30pm
  • Tuesday 13 January, 6:30-8:30pm
  • Tuesday 20 January, 6:30-8:30pm
  • Tuesday 27 January, 6:30-8:30pm

This short course costs £325 per person.

Before this course you are required to ensure that you have a working copy of Ableton Live (30 day free trial licenses are available) installed on your own computer.

Meet the team

Nik Rawlings

Nik Rawlings is a singer and composer based in Bristol, UK. With a background in choral singing, queer club music and sonic arts, their work addresses voice’s relationship with technology, queer embodiment and collectivity through spatial sound performances and system design.

In 2021 they received of Bristol + Bath Creative R+D’s Expanded Performance Prototype grant, leading the project ‘breathing.systems’ developing prototype wireless, wearable multichannel sound systems.

This work was showcased with a performance piece at Bristol’s Trinity Center in August 2021 with ten performers drawn from Bristol’s queer community; whose movements spatialised live, processed singing. The work formed a collective body of sound for Nik’s voice, on and between the bodies of performers. They have presented this system and practice at IRCAM Forum at New York University, University of the West of England, and Sampad, Birmingham.

In 2022-23, Nik was resident on the Down The Wire Live residency commissioned by Cryptic, Glasgow and B’sarya, Alexandria with immersive exhibitions and performances in Scotland and Egypt. They have presented their movement and sound diffusion performance practice at IRCAM Forum at New York University. They teach spatial sound composition at UWE, and won an Arts Council England DYCP grant to open an immersive sound studio in Bristol - which is now B-Form Studio, aiming to become Bristol’s key independent immersive audio R&D studio.

Nik has previously shown performance work at LUMA Westbau with 89plus, Guest Projects and The Surrounding in London. They have performed as a DJ extensively around the UK, and Europe, and hosted shows on NTS, Noods Radio and Threads.

Natalia Mamcarczyck

Natalia Mamcarczyck is a sound artist and audio engineer specializing in immersive, multichannel and binaural audio installations. Her compositional work explores sound's spatial context through field recording, soundscape techniques and disembodied voice, complemented by her classical piano training and improvisation experience.

With expertise spanning Ambisonics, Dolby Atmos, object-based, surround sound, and 360° audio implementation, Natalia provides consultancy and engineering services for VR, sound installations and cinema sound production. Her technical knowledge supports businesses working across immersive technologies.

As an educator, Natalia lectures at dBs Institute and UWL while mentoring at UCL, focusing on spatial audio production, post-production and research. Her extensive artist development portfolio includes projects funded by the British Council, PRS Foundation, and ACE, working with record labels, commercial artists, and independent creatives.

Terms and conditions

Read the terms and conditions for taking part in this short course.

Contact us

For more information about the course please email your enquiries to shortcourses@bathspa.ac.uk .