Réaltacht: Creating Immersive and Accessible Experiences of Irish Traditional Music in Virtual Reality
Cárthach Ó Nuanáin, Kevin O’Mahony, Kevin Maye, Andrew De Juan, Joseph Clarke, Hugh McCarthy, Mike Griew, Sara Morrissey · 2023
In this article we report work in progress on an interactive immersive experience that brings several recordings of live music performances in the Irish tradition to virtual reality (VR) headsets and online 360° streaming. Using 360° green screen technology we virtually locate the musicians in three well-known cultural institutions of Ireland including a traditional pub, a former church repurposed as an arts centre and Siamsa Tíre - The National Folk Theatre of Ireland. Immersive audio is achieved using close-miking techniques, virtual ambisonics and impulse response captures of the reverberant destination spaces. We discuss the wider motivations of the project in the context of inclusive and accessible concert attendance as well as cultural heritage. The production pipeline is described, from inception and design to studio and venue capture followed by VR post-production, implementation and next steps.