Autogenous Spatialization

Autogenous spatialization (Yang and von Coler, 2024) is an experimental approach for distributing audio signals to loudspeaker systems, based only on the signals’ properties and the geometry of the loudspeaker setup. The concept is described in detail in the IEEE I3DA paper. It consists of five main stages:

Feature extraction
Feature processing
Envelope generation
Envelope combination
Dispersion

/images/spatial/autogenous_flow.png — *Generalized signal flow in autogenous spatialization.*

Time-domain and frequency-domain audio features of incoming audio streams are extracted and serve as control signals. The audio streams are then distributed to individual loudspeakers, based on a mapping between these signals and properties of the loudspeakers, such as position and orientation. Results of the approach can range from a localizable shifting between loudspeakers to alienating modulation effects and spatial sound synthesis. Spatial behavior is embedded directly within the synthesis signal chain, allowing the sound to spatialize itself, based on its own morphology.

The Zerr* Framework

Zerr~ (Yang and von Coler, 2025) is a collection of externals for autogenous spatialization and spatial sound synthesis, available for both Pure Data and Max. The tools allow real-time extraction of signal descriptors (e.g., spectral flux, centroid) and distribution to speakers with a few custom objects.

/images/spatial/PD-demo.png — *Pd patch for 8-channel spectrum-driven spatialization.*

/images/spatial/MAX-demo.png — *Max patch for 8-channel spectrum-driven spatialization.*

Most importantly, all features are provided in audio rate in the whole Zerr~ workflow. This allows audio-rate modulations that do more than just spatial processing. The externals and how to work with them are best described in the 2025 PdMaxCon~ Paper.

The Studies

Live performance with analog input (binaural render, 2024):

Live performance with PD only (binaural render,2025):

References

2025

Zeyu Yang and Henrik von Coler. Zerr autogenous spatialization in pd and max. In Proceedings of the Pure Data and Max Convention (PdMaxCon 2025). Urbana-Champaign, IL, 2025.
[details] [BibTeX▼]

@inproceedings{yang2025zerr,
    author = "Yang, Zeyu and {von Coler}, Henrik",
    title = "Zerr\textasciitilde\ Autogenous Spatialization in PD and Max",
    booktitle = "Proceedings of the Pure Data and Max Convention (PdMaxCon 2025)",
    year = "2025",
    address = "Urbana-Champaign, IL"
}

2023

Leo Izzo. Edgard varèse's poème Électronique: from the sketches to the sound spatialization. Computer Music Journal, 47(4):5–28, 2023.
[details] [BibTeX▼]

@article{izzo2023edgard,
    author = "Izzo, Leo",
    title = "Edgard Var{\`e}se's Po{\`e}me {\'E}lectronique: From the Sketches to the Sound Spatialization",
    journal = "Computer Music Journal",
    volume = "47",
    number = "4",
    pages = "5--28",
    year = "2023",
    publisher = "MIT Press 255 Main Street, 9th Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA\textasciitilde …"
}

Zeyu Yang and Henrik von Coler. Autogenous spatialization for arbitrary loudspeaker setups. IEEE, 2023.
[details] [BibTeX▼]

@book{yang2023autogenous,
    author = "Yang, Zeyu and von Coler, Henrik",
    title = "Autogenous spatialization for arbitrary loudspeaker setups",
    year = "2023",
    publisher = "IEEE"
}

2013

Erik Nyström. Topology of form and motion in electroacoustic music. Organised Sound, 18(1):26–35, 2013.
[details] [BibTeX▼]

@article{nystrom2013topology,
    author = {Nystr{\"o}m, Erik},
    title = "Topology of Form and Motion in Electroacoustic Music",
    journal = "Organised Sound",
    volume = "18",
    number = "1",
    pages = "26--35",
    year = "2013",
    publisher = "Cambridge University Press"
}

1992

Iannis Xenakis. Formalized Music: Thought and Mathematics in Composition. Pendragon Press, 1992.
[details] [BibTeX▼]

@book{xenakis1992formalized,
    author = "Xenakis, Iannis",
    title = "Formalized Music: Thought and Mathematics in Composition",
    year = "1992",
    publisher = "Pendragon Press"
}