What are the possibilities hidden in real space? (Part 2)

"Future Space Business" Interview Plan #01

This article is based on the theme of "the future of the space business", and through interviews with pioneers and challengers and the dissemination of their own ideas, it is a project to reconfirm the future value of space and consider the possibilities of the space business. .

As the first project of this project, we will pay attention to Yamaha's "Real Sound Viewing", which is attracting attention as a new wind in the live business.

We asked Mr. Hideyuki Tsuge, director of the Yamaha Design Institute, who is leading this project, about the origins of the project's idea, his motivation for taking on new challenges, and his outlook for the future.

Mr. Hideyuki Tsuge, Director of Yamaha Design Institute

In the first part of the interview, we asked about the content and background of the "Real Sound Viewing" project and the process leading up to its realization.
In the second part of this article, what is the spatial experience through live performances? With that in mind, we asked them to delve deeper into their elements and values.
* Click here for the first part of the interview article

1. Elements that make up the important “realism” in a live experience

Kajimura
When I actually experienced "Real Sound Viewing", I was very surprised that I could feel a considerable sense of realism. It was an opportunity to think.
In addition to the movement of musical instruments, the reverberation of sound, and the presence of an artist performing right in front of you, the feeling of the surrounding atmosphere, the movement and enthusiasm of becoming one with the audience are all part of the Real Sound Viewing experience. I imagined that when combined, it would create a more authentic live experience.

Is Yamaha doing research on such realism?

Tsuge
Yamaha is researching "sound field reproduction technology" in the sense of realistic sound.
It is a technology that reproduces the sound environment.
Specifically, it is difficult for voices to pass through, and there is not much reverberation. If you go to a church in Europe, the ceiling is quite high, so you can hear all the voices that are speaking.
Humans perceive space through the way they hear, so combining sound field reproduction technology with "Real Sound Viewing" makes it possible to reproduce the sound of that venue (reproduction of past live performances).

As Mr. Kajimura said, I think there are many elements that make up the sense of presence.
It's not just that the sound is good, or that the video is beautiful, but the movement of the fans around you is also an important factor.
When I watch a live performance, the most memorable thing is the performance of the artist, but what I actually see is mostly the people around me. You can see the head of the person in front of you. Since it is a realistic feeling including such places, it may be an important point how far it can be reproduced.

Kajimura
I think that not only auditory and visual information, but also smell, temperature, and humidity are important factors for a memorable experience.
I felt that the ultimate sense of presence could be achieved by combining various factors that appeal to the senses.

Tsuge
Sound is not only heard by ears, but there are many places where you feel it with your skin.
That's why it's hard to know how good it is until you experience it.

2. A “unique” spatial experience value that is born from the presence of culture

Kajimura
I feel that how we define the value of a live performance is also important.
From the fans' point of view, the excitement leading up to the day of the concert, the excitement when moving to the venue, the excitement and tension when entering the venue and the venue being filled with fans, and after the live. I feel like the afterglow of the live is also worth it.
I thought it would be perfect if I could reproduce or simulate the experience up to that point.

Tsuge
I think that this will naturally be reproduced in "Real Sound Viewing".
The performance date is fixed, so we can have a period of anticipation, and if the audience is around the venue, it will be close to the real venue. And if the lighting is dimmed when the live starts and the SE (sound effects) are properly reproduced, I think we can get pretty close to that.

If the artist waves his hand, the audience will wave, and if he shouts yay, the audience will return it. Such production structure is established in live entertainment. I think that if you put that into the content, you should be able to create content that gives you a sense of presence that is very close to a real live performance.

Kajimura
The venue may be a very important element to feel the presence.
Because the live house venue is a place where the style of "watching a live performance" has been established, the audience can also enjoy the content reproduced as a live performance.
Even if live content is put in a place where the style of enjoying live performances has not been established, it will be difficult to establish a business.

3. How to create a space that allows various behaviors

Yamada
I think that the live experience has elements of experience and space that are similar to watching sports.
For example, a baseball stadium is a space where people who share the same love for baseball gather, but how they see the game, what they pay attention to, and how they cheer for the game differ from person to person. While allowing people to behave as they please, there aren't many spaces where people can gather for entertainment.

Tsuge
I agree. Live is a very mysterious space.
For example, when it comes to movies, everyone has a common understanding of the story, but when it comes to music, the point of view is completely different.
One person is only listening to the song, another person is only looking at the hands of the person playing the guitar, and another person is just dancing. Everyone is different, but at the end it ends with "Ah, that's good." I think it's an art like no other.

Yamada
Listening to Mr. Tsuge, I felt that it is impossible to create a space based on specific behaviors. You can't create a space where everyone looks in the same direction, so a certain amount of tolerance is necessary.

Kajimura
“How to create a blank space” may become important in space design.

Yamada
I feel that a sense of scale will also become important in creating a space that allows for differences in behavior between individuals.
If the space is too wide and the margins are excessive, it will be difficult to feel the excitement and enthusiasm of the venue.
It's an interesting theme because it's difficult to think about what is necessary in a space that allows it, but also raises the feelings of the people who gather, and how to create a mechanism for the space.

last

At the end of the interview, he also talked about the development of "Real Sound Viewing" and space as a set as a future prospect.
The contents of the development include not only the selection of the venue, but also the creation of a mechanism that can preserve and reproduce the "sound of the performance," "the appearance of the artist," and "the lighting that directs the entire venue," which are important elements that make up the live performance. I was surprised by the height of the perspective in the future prospects.

On October 23, 2020, a permanent exhibition where you can experience "Real Sound Viewing", which is looking forward to future developments, opened in the Yamaha Ginza Building "Brand Experience Area".
Why don't you experience the "realism" just like a real live performance?

Also, a new project by Mr. Tsuge is underway, and "Distance Viewing", which was developed with the aim of revitalizing the live music industry, which has been affected by the ongoing spread of the new coronavirus infection, is also worth paying attention to.