What is 8D Music and How Does 8D Music Work?

Listening to 8D audio is an immersive experience, allowing the listener to feel as if they are part of the soundscape. It creates an auditory cocoon, with a distinct whoosh sound effect that transports you to a different world. 8D audio is the perfect way to relax, focus, and get lost in the music — but what exactly is it, and how does it work?

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What is 8D Music and How Does 8D Music Work?
Berrak Kayaoglu Published: Aug 12, 2021 Updated: Jul 17, 2023 7 min read

What is 8D Audio?

8D Audio is an immersive audio experience that creates a 3D soundstage effect on stereo tracks - and it's a total game-changer! Using audio processing techniques such as reverb and mixing, the stereo track is panned from left to right in a circular motion, creating amazing 360-degree technology sound effects. This effect is particularly popular in music, as it creates a more realistic and immersive listening experience. 8D audio has also become increasingly popular in other media, such as video games and virtual reality — which means that you can now experience reality in a whole new way!

How to Make 8D Audio?

Making 8D audio tracks seems to be relatively straightforward and is mainly done by using a variety of audio processing techniques.

The first step is to create a monolithic stereo track. The good news is that this step requires nothing unfamiliar. You may use a traditional regular recording setup to create this traditional track.

The same applies to the next step of the process which is editing. Here the editor will mix the track produced. This will result in audio that has separate left and right soundtracks. These soundtracks are basically what you hear when you put on headphones, your right ear follows the right track and the left follows the left. You may not notice but traditional tracks often choose to alter tracks for your left and right ears for musical effect (see “Left and Right” by Jung Kook and Charlie Puth). So this is nothing out of ordinary!

The final step is the magic touch. Here the 8D audio editor uses a digital audio program to achieve a rotation effect. For that, the editor positions the tracks on the map using a 3D stereo panner. The soundtracks are separated and assigned different speeds in order to make them fit their strategic positions on the map. Other experimental techniques can also be used to enhance the sense of depth — giving you otherwordly sound effects!

How Does 8D Audio Work?

D Audio is an audio effect that creates a spatial sound experience by synthesizing left-right audio signals and using different audio processing techniques. The effect is created by panning the audio signal from left to right in a circular motion, creating a 360-degree sound experience that is much more immersive and realistic than traditional stereo audio.

How to Make a Song 8D?

As mentioned, 8D audio is especially popular in music — for good reason too! Making an 8D song is not much different than making any other 8D audio track. In order to transform your music into a multidimensional sound experience, you do not need your song to have special qualities. Although some songs may make up for a more interesting 8D experience, any song of any type of music can be processed to have an 8D impact. Famous songs such as those of ABBA or Beethoven can be transformed into 8D, just as non-copyright music can. There are no limits to what can be done!

Many listeners also claim that 8D effect makes them feel like they are listening to their favorite songs live! In our opinion though, ambient songs (like from our royalty-free music collection) prove to be the best applications of 8D as they create a magical encapsulating environment for the listener.

Do You Need Headphones to Listen to 8D Audio?

Yes, headphones are required to experience the full effect of 8D audio. The 8D audio effect relies on the audio signal being panned from left to right in a circular motion, and this effect can only be heard when listening on headphones. So don't forget to grab your headphones before you get lost in the world of 8D audio!

Do You Need Special Headphones for 8D Audio?

Although you need headphones to fully experience the effect of 8D audio, you do not need any special equipment to experience the 8D. Any old headphones will do, but of course, quality music and sound-canceling are great features that would add to the immersion. So if you want to float in the music of 8D, you may just pick up your regular headphones and try it out anytime!

What Does 8D Audio do for ADHD?

8D audio has been found to have a calming effect on individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The immersive audio experience can alleviate stress and anxiety, and the sound panning from left to right can help to reduce distraction and improve focus. Additionally, studies have shown that 8D audio can help people with ADHD to better focus on tasks, leading to improved performance.

Still, it is important to exercise caution and acknowledge that this sound experience might have a different impact on different individuals. Some people claim that the experience causes dizziness, while for some other neurodivergent people such as those with autism or Asperger’s, the 8D effect may cause a sensory overload.

Where Can I Find 8D Audio Songs?

There are a variety of websites and streaming services that offer 8D audio songs. YouTube is a good place to start, as there are many 8D audio songs to be found there. Other streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud also have a selection of 8D audio songs. Additionally, many independent artists and producers offer their own 8D audio songs on their own websites — giving you plenty of options to explore!

In conclusion, 8D audio is an innovative way to experience music, video games, and other media. It has been found to have a calming effect on people with ADHD, and it can help reduce distractions and improve focus. With the increasing popularity of 8D audio, there are a variety of websites and streaming services offering 8D audio songs, making it easier to explore this immersive soundscape. Whether you're looking for the perfect musical backdrop to a podcast or just want to relax and get lost in the music, 8D audio is the perfect way to experience the world of sound.

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