Quadraphonic Surround – Luc Ringeisen

June 20, 2020

That state of trance which we are seeking after so much.
—
“Quadraphonic Surround“

The concept is to bring surround into our beloved dance music, not an experimental concert type of event, but actual “club music” in surround, executed in real time on analog drum machines, modular synthesizers, a quadraphonic analog “Studer” console from the 60’s and multichannel digital multi-effects, fully using all the possibilities offered by a quadraphonic set up, such as 3 dimensional immersive impression, where the dancer feels like he stands inside the artificial “space” created thanks to surround possibilities such as surround reverbs and other effects, and the use of analog spatializers creating the feeling of “distance”.

On top of placing each sound in a 3 dimension space thanks to the quadraphonic console, the use of eurorack modules such as joysticks (yes like in the 80’ies video games) and “quad spatializers”, any sound of the mix, can at any time be sent in motion around the dancers. Synthesizers and percussions are literally turning around the crowd each in an independent way regarding their direction, speed and distance from center.

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The artist is in control of each sound motion, allowing him to create unprecedented “psychedelic environments” where the dancer can loose himself in the middle of synth sequences and percussions that are literally “dancing around him”, so he can enter much easier in that state of trance which we are seeking after so much.

A very simple upgrade on one of the dance floors of a festival or a club can allow an outstanding new way to experiment electronic dance music via quadraphony. Instead of 2 channels (= stereo), the quadraphony uses 4 channels, which are placed on each of the 4 corners of the dance floor, allowing to create immersive audio, also called surround.

“The artist is in control of each sound motion“

“How to listen to a Quadraphonic file”

You will need a sound card with at least 4 outputs, and 2 pairs of speakers, ideally of same brand and power.If the brands are different try to use speakers with more or less the same power. Place 2 speakers in front of you (= channels 1+2), and 2 speakers in your back (= channels 3+4). The set up should look as much as possible like a perfect square. The center of the square made by the speakers is your listening position.

To listen to the quad surround file:

First of all you have to configure you computer for quadraphonic audio, assigning the audio outputs of your sound cards to your 4 speakers. For example if you connect the output 1 of your sound card the speaker FRONT /LEFT, output 2 to the speaker FRONT / RIGHT, output 3 to the speaker REAR / LEFT and ouput 4 to the speaker REAR / RIGHT, you then have to tell your computer that you did so. On a Mac go to UTILITIES => AUDIO MIDI SET UP. On the left side you can select you sound card, then click on “CONFIGURE SPEAKERS” then select “QUADRAPHONIC” on the top right corner.

Finally assign an output to each speaker:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

To play this file you will need a player able to play quadraphonic audio files, like for ex. VLC / QuickTime / Foobar and most of audio player softwares (many of them are free), or some home cinemas set up might work as well.

You can also play it from a DAW supporting surround formats such as Logic Audio, Cubase etc. (in audio settings select “quadraphonic” as surround format and create an empty quad audio track).

Place the quad file on a quad track and set up the outputs from the DAW audio preferences following those indications:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

To listen to the split files (front+rear) surround version from a DAW (such as Ableton Live) you will need a sound card with at least 4 outputs and a multichannel music software such as Ableton Live (important: “WARP” has to be turned OFF on both audio clips), Logic, Cubase etc also probably Traktor can do the job. Open 2 stereo channels, one routed to the outputs 1+2, the other one to the outputs 3+4. Set up the outputs of the sound card following those indications:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

Load the “FRONT” file into the stereo channel routed to output 1+2

Load the “REAR” file into the stereo channel routed to output 3+4

Play both files simultaneously (they really have to be perfectly synchronized). In Ableton Live you will have to make sure that the start points of each audio clip (right next to the “warp”option) have the exact same values, to avoid delays.

Quadraphonic Surround – Luc Ringeisen

That state of trance which we are seeking after so much.
—
“Quadraphonic Surround“

“The artist is in control of each sound motion“

“How to listen to a Quadraphonic file”

To listen to the quad surround file:

Finally assign an output to each speaker:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

To play this file you will need a player able to play quadraphonic audio files, like for ex. VLC / QuickTime / Foobar and most of audio player softwares (many of them are free), or some home cinemas set up might work as well.

You can also play it from a DAW supporting surround formats such as Logic Audio, Cubase etc. (in audio settings select “quadraphonic” as surround format and create an empty quad audio track).

Place the quad file on a quad track and set up the outputs from the DAW audio preferences following those indications:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

Load the “FRONT” file into the stereo channel routed to output 1+2

Load the “REAR” file into the stereo channel routed to output 3+4

Play both files simultaneously (they really have to be perfectly synchronized). In Ableton Live you will have to make sure that the start points of each audio clip (right next to the “warp”option) have the exact same values, to avoid delays.

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Quadraphonic Surround – Luc Ringeisen

That state of trance which we are seeking after so much.— “Quadraphonic Surround“

“The artist is in control of each sound motion“

“How to listen to a Quadraphonic file”

To listen to the quad surround file:

Finally assign an output to each speaker:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

To play this file you will need a player able to play quadraphonic audio files, like for ex. VLC / QuickTime / Foobar and most of audio player softwares (many of them are free), or some home cinemas set up might work as well.

You can also play it from a DAW supporting surround formats such as Logic Audio, Cubase etc. (in audio settings select “quadraphonic” as surround format and create an empty quad audio track).

Place the quad file on a quad track and set up the outputs from the DAW audio preferences following those indications:

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 1 = FRONT LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 2 = FRONT RIGHT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 3 = REAR LEFT SPEAKER

OUTPUT 4 = REAR RIGHT SPEAKER

Load the “FRONT” file into the stereo channel routed to output 1+2

Load the “REAR” file into the stereo channel routed to output 3+4

Play both files simultaneously (they really have to be perfectly synchronized). In Ableton Live you will have to make sure that the start points of each audio clip (right next to the “warp”option) have the exact same values, to avoid delays.

That state of trance which we are seeking after so much.
—
“Quadraphonic Surround“