Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Niall Delahan 

BA [Hons] Creative Music Production

Niall has been involved in music since a young age. He studied traditional West African percussion from Master Drummers in West African over a twelve-year period. He has also been an electronic music producer and DJ since 1992 and commenced academic studies in Creative Music Production in 2018. Since then, he has focused on music and audio production in 3D, using multi-channel speaker systems, and virtual headphone 3D audio through binaural techniques. Niall is a trained and qualified sound therapist, and is now using this combination to produce audio for meditation and sound therapy sessions, while also continuing other electronic music production ventures.

A Choice and Random Based Generative Approach to Audio Production for Sound Baths and Sound Meditation

This Project designed a prototype system using digital audio production approaches and generative music processes that address drawbacks to the traditional approaches to sound baths and audio supported meditation. There were several drawbacks overcome. These include: infinite and unpredictable audio-on-demand; precisely tuning instruments to target specific frequencies, tuning systems and temperaments; and the accessibility of a multitude of instruments recorded in state-of-the-art recording facilities through sample libraries. The system provides the ability to customise the generated audio from a range of options known to affect the human body and mind. Including atmospheric scene, tempo, root frequency, brainwave entrainment type and target range, vocal toning assist frequency and vowel, and instruments to include. The generated audio is automatically mixed in real-time in a three-dimensional virtual scene. It is rendered in many formats, including higher-order ambisonics, multi-channel speaker arrangements, and virtual three-dimensional for headphones using the binaural approach.