Dolby Atmos-Based Recording and Spatial Audio Production Approaches for Turkish Folk Music

Özet

This study aims to bring together the traditional performance practices of Turkish Folk Music (TFM) with contemporary audio technologies by examining the recording and spatial mixing process of the anonymous Erzurum folk song “Uyan Sunam” in the Dolby Atmos format. The primary objective of the research is to reveal how traditional instruments such as the bağlama, cura, kaval, and various percussion instruments can be represented aesthetically and technically within a three-dimensional sound field. To this end, multichannel microphone techniques, the use of height channels, object-based mixing approaches, and spatial placement strategies are discussed in detail. The possibilities offered by spatial audio technologies not only create an expanded auditory space but also provide a more immersive listening experience that aligns with the collective, participatory, and spatial characteristics of Turkish Folk Music. Within the scope of this study, a 15-question survey was designed to understand preferences between stereo and Atmos audio formats. At this stage of the process, face-to-face interviews were conducted with participants who listened to the mixes. A total of 41 individuals, comprising bağlama performers, Turkish Folk Music performers, audio engineers, academics, and students, were asked questions regarding the prepared TFM Atmos mix. The results for each question were grouped and analyzed according to common themes. In addition, the data obtained through SPSS analysis and their interpretations are summarized at the end of the study. The main outcome of this research is to present perceptual evaluations alongside technical ideas and approaches that can be utilized in future Atmos audio engineering studies. The findings indicate that Dolby Atmos can preserve the timbral richness of traditional instruments while offering a perspective that positions the listener at the center of the performance. This study demonstrates that modern audio technologies have the potential to make significant contributions to the contemporary reinterpretation of a culturally rooted musical genre such as Turkish Folk Music, opening up new areas of research from both creative and aesthetic perspectives.