Content Creation
Fly Trap
Fly Trap is a virtual world that uses audio visualisation to allow the viewer a new way of experiencing music.
The viewer can play a song of their choice and watch the visuals of the world react to it.
Overview of the Project
Why a music listening experience?
Fly Trap was my first endeavour in virtual reality. I was eager to familiarise myself with the medium and leverage its potential.
This, paired with my interest in designing for audio, resulted in the decision to design and create a new way of experiencing music.
Our experience of music varies greatly based on our environment. We experience music more deeply when it allows us to disengage from reality and the space or situation we are in.
This is a sentiment I sought to replicate.
Photo by Uriel Soberanes on Unsplash
Audio visualisation is the process of drawing frequency data from audio to generate visuals.
Specific elements in the scene are generated by, or react to audio. This allows for variations in visuals in response to the viewer’s choice of audio.
This feature is powered by the Audio Visualiser Unity asset by Dog Eat Dog Games.
Why Audio Visualisation?
Closer look at the World
The viewer can navigate the world while wearing the VR headset. The world itself is filled with fantastical elements, drawn in VR using the software Open Brush. As the viewer explores the world, the selected sound track begins playing automatically, triggering responses from certain elements.
Below is a screen recording of a demo of the experience. The viewer navigates using teleportation and explores the world on their own.
Still captures of the world
Closer look at the Audio Visualisation Elements
The Waveforms
A series of audio waveforms are generated by different levels of frequency in the soundtrack creating a large circular pattern. These are visible on the horizon of the world. Being generated by the audio, the viewer perceives the movement of the patterns as corresponding with the music.
The Floor
To create a sense of depth in the virtual space, the floor level is indicated by a series of small spheres. These spheres change colour with variations in the frequency. Due to the close range, the variation is subtle so as to not overwhelm the viewer.
The Sky Forms
The spherical clusters in the sky respond to the frequency by changing colour and through movement. They resemble firecrackers in the sky of the VR world.
