Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

Virtuoso Lite Plugin Review: A More Affordable Binaural Rendering Solution

In this video, I explore APL's new Virtuoso Lite, a more affordable version of my favorite binaural renderer for immersive audio production, comparing its features side-by-side with the full version of Virtuoso. While both plugins share the same high-quality algorithms and core functionality, I'll walk you through the key differences to help you determine which version might be the right fit for your immersive audio toolbox, especially if you're working with Dolby Atmos.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

Is the Waves Immersive Wrapper Worth $250? An Honest Plugin Review

In this video, I take a hands-on look at the new Waves Immersive Wrapper plugin, which transforms Waves mono plugins into multi-channel tools for immersive audio production with flexible grouping, powerful sidechaining, and seamless integration between bed tracks and objects in Dolby Atmos. I'll demonstrate its innovative features and user-friendly interface by creating a practical workflow example in Reaper, showing how it can be integrated into both professional and hobbyist immersive audio production environments.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

3D Audio For Everyone: Exploring AudioSpace by Sounding Future

In this video, I chat with Fränk Zimmer about Sounding Future's AudioSpace – a free community-driven platform that helps immersive audio creators distribute their Ambisonics and multichannel productions while offering listeners high-quality binaural playback through any browser. Fränk shares insights about their rendering process, future plans including webcam-based head tracking, and how the platform serves as a valuable resource for both experienced spatial audio creators and newcomers looking to explore beyond mainstream formats like Dolby Atmos.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

How to Use the WavesNX Head Tracker with Dolby Atmos - Finally Made Simple!

In this video, I demonstrate how to use the WavesNX Head Tracker with the Dolby Atmos renderer using the latest version of NXOSC (v1.0.5), which now allows users to specify custom port settings. This eliminates the need for complex workarounds when dealing with port conflicts, enabling smooth integration between the WavesNX hardware and the Dolby Atmos renderer's native head tracking capabilities.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

My Essential Plugins for Spatial Audio: What's on My New MacBook

In this video, I walk you through my essential audio plugin setup on my new MacBook, showcasing the tools I consider most important for working with spatial audio. From binaural renderers and ambisonics processors to specialized Dolby Atmos tools and traditional stereo plugins, I explain why each tool makes it onto my system and how I incorporate them into my immersive audio workflow.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

I Made My Studio Headphones Listen to AirPods

Learn how to turn your Apple AirPods into a head tracking device for studio headphones using just silicone ear hooks and a few simple settings adjustments. By combining the AirPods' precise head tracking capabilities with your preferred studio headphones, you can create a powerful setup for immersive audio production, including Dolby Atmos, without investing in expensive dedicated tracking hardware.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

Create Perfect Immersive Audio from Stereo in Minutes

In this video, I demonstrate how to use INU (Immersive Nulling Up-mixer), a powerful and affordable plugin that converts stereo tracks into multichannel mixes for Dolby Atmos while preserving the original stereo fold-down. I'll walk you through the complete setup process in Reaper and show you how to use INU's features to manipulate direct and diffuse signals, control LFE and center channels, and adjust height and spatial positioning in your mix.

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General Topics Michael G Wagner General Topics Michael G Wagner

From Music Industry to Game Audio: A Graduate's Journey with Wwise

In this video, I talk with Sienna, a recent music industry graduate, about her transition into game audio, covering her experiences with Wwise middleware, Audio Kinetic's Strata subscription, and her internship at Sound Lab in LA. We discuss practical advice for entering the game audio industry, from hands-on experience with essential tools to valuable resources for portfolio development and networking.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

Headitude: The Best Head Tracking Solution for Audio Production?

In this video, I demonstrate how to set up and use Headitude, a free macOS application that captures head tracking data from Apple AirPods and guides you through integration with both Dolby Atmos Renderer and Cubase/Nuendo. I explain the unique features of Headitude, including its position maintenance and flexible OSC message formatting, while showing how Windows users can benefit from this setup by using an Apple Silicon Mac as an audio interface.

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General Topics Michael G Wagner General Topics Michael G Wagner

Turn Your iPhone or iPad into a Free MIDI Controller with NovoNotes Duo

In this video, I introduce a free MIDI controller feature within NovoNotes Duo, an iOS app that turns your iPhone or iPad into a fully functional MIDI controller with expressive features like pitch bend and MPE support. I'll walk you through the complete setup process, showing you how to connect your iOS device and integrate it with your DAW, all using this completely free tool that only requires downloading the NovoNotes Duo app from the App Store.

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General Topics Michael G Wagner General Topics Michael G Wagner

A Different Kind of Tier List: My 2024 Video Highlights

In this video, I reflect on my most memorable moments of 2024 by organizing 15 of my most important videos into six unique categories: Game Changers, Workflow Winners, Breaking News, Neat Ideas, Hidden Gems, and Time Sinks. From groundbreaking Dolby Atmos developments to my journey with AI content, these selections represent key milestones in both my channel's evolution and the immersive audio industry throughout the year.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

How to Start Making Dolby Atmos Music for Free (Complete Beginner's Guide)

In this video, I show you how to get started with Dolby Atmos music production using free tools, demonstrating a complete workflow with Reaper and the Fiedler Audio Dolby Atmos Composer Essential plugin. I walk through everything from basic setup to exporting master files, and even show how to achieve accurate monitoring using headphones with head tracking technology, making Dolby Atmos production accessible without requiring an expensive studio setup.

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General Topics Michael G Wagner General Topics Michael G Wagner

AI in Creative Writing: A Conversation with The Nerdy Novelist

In this conversation with Jason Hamilton (The Nerdy Novelist), we explore how AI is transforming creative writing, from his personal journey integrating AI into his writing process to his innovative approach to community-based business models. His thoughts provide valuable perspectives on working both smarter and harder with AI tools while maintaining authentic human connections, offering crucial insights for creators and educators navigating this technological transformation.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

Stemcell 2: Game-Changing Spectral Multichannel Ducking Plugin (Unless You Use Reaper)

In this review, I examine Stemcell 2, a multi-channel stem processor from The Cargo Cult that offers unique spectral ducking capabilities but suffers from significant limitations in Reaper due to its automatic channel layout detection inherited from its Pro Tools origins. While the plugin shines in DAWs like Studio One and could be valuable for film and TV audio work, its high price point and compatibility issues make it worth testing thoroughly before purchase, with Reaper users potentially better served by alternatives from Waves or PSP AudioWare.

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AI Music Michael G Wagner AI Music Michael G Wagner

I'm so Sora (Electronica)

"I'm so Sora" is an electronic track produced with the assistance of the generative AI system Udio.com. The primary purpose of this track was to test Sora's capabilities to produce video loops that can run in the background.

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AI Music Michael G Wagner AI Music Michael G Wagner

Waves of Serenity (Electronic Downtempo)

"Waves of Serenity" is an electronic downtempo track produced with the assistance of the generative AI system Udio.com. The track was primarily produced and edited with help of the inpainting tools in Udio. I only added some very basic remastering to control the AI artifacts.

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Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner Immersive Audio Michael G Wagner

Ground Control Sphere V2: Brilliant Update, One Big Problem

In this video, I explore version 2 of Ginger Audio's Ground Control Sphere, a virtual monitoring application for immersive audio that brings new features including a redesigned interface, multiple audio interface support, improved bass management, and deeper Apple Spatial Audio integration with AirPods head tracking. While the update significantly improves upon version 1, I discovered some workflow issues with the AirPods integration, though the software remains a powerful tool for immersive audio monitoring on Mac systems.

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General Topics Michael G Wagner General Topics Michael G Wagner

Personalizing Your Listening Experience: AirPods Pro's Hearing Aid Function for Audio Work

In this video, I reveal how I use Apple AirPods Pro 2's FDA-approved hearing aid functionality to enhance my music production work, sharing my personal journey with mild hearing loss and demonstrating the setup process. While these earbuds aren't meant for professional mastering, I explain why their ability to correct individual hearing profiles makes them valuable for audio work, even for those without significant hearing loss.

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