Research & development
The ZiMMT is not only a concert and exhibition space, but also a research laboratory for immersive 3D-audio technologies. The focus is on the development and testing of 3D audio software and the artistic implementation of new technologies. Practical tools for creative and performative work processes are developed and researched in projects such as Grapes, Spatial Clubbing, LEMM3D and Mazetools. The research includes comparing different 3D audio algorithms and their reception in space. The results are directly tested and further developed in artistic productions. As part of a multi-faceted mediation approach, the ZiMMT promotes the exchange between art, science and technology with university collaborations, residency programmes, workshops and formats such as the AV Lab and sets new impulses in audio culture.
Spatial Clubbing
3D audio belongs in cinemas, studios and the music industry – until now, only the club scene has been left out. Yet music has long been produced in 3D. What is missing are performative tools for DJs. This is precisely where the Spatial Clubbing research and development project takes action. In collaboration with Grapes 3D Audio Control, ZiMMT is developing a system that adds a spatial dimension to existing DJ setups – such as CDJs, turntables or controllers. A compact additional controller enables intuitive control of 3D effects: Tracks are distributed in the room beat-synchronised and dynamically without DJs having to change their routine. A 3D audio engine handles real-time rendering in the background. Initial live tests, for example during the sens festival at ZiMMT, demonstrate that the technology works: Immersive clubbing works – technically, artistically and in terms of audience response.
A Game Changer for Spatial Audio: Grapes – 3D Audio Control Revolutionizes the Industry
Grapes is a powerful tool for mixing, performing, and controlling 3D audio in music, film, theater, art, and live shows. Available as a VST3 plugin and standalone app, it integrates seamlessly into existing workflows and supports native OSC communication with IEM Plugin Suite, Auralite, L-ISA, d&b Soundscape, SpatGRIS, and many more. With its intuitive interface, Grapes simplifies the complexity of spatial audio and empowers artists to focus on creativity – regardless of the audio engine they use. From immersive soundscapes to precise sound object choreography, Grapes opens up new dimensions in 3D audio production and performance. Developed by Not a Number GmbH in Leipzig, Grapes is built for producers, sound designers, and performers around the world looking for a smart, accessible solution to bring immersive sound into their creative workflows.
Mazetools
The project experiments with the combination of music and visualisations and integrates multisensory elements such as touch as well as face, hand and body tracking. It is based on an artistic development practice within projects such as audiovisual performance, interactive installations and studio productions. Several stand-alone cross-platform applications have been extracted from this core, including Mazetools Soniface, Mutant and the VR application Modyssey A Geom.
The developer of Mazetools is musician Stephan Kloß (Cheetah Dragon, Dr Eck), co-developer is Jakob Gruhl, co-founder of ZiMMT. Both are founders of the creative lab Ectoplastic in Halle/ Saale. The project began in 2011 with an intensive exploration of the relationship between geometries and sound synthesis. The central feature of the project is the visual interface, the combination of generative design with specially developed DSP processes in an object-based surround audio environment with interfaces to motion tracking. Mazetools was used in several performances at ZiMMT, especially in co-operation with the performers Tomoko Nakasato and Mia Gara.
LEMM3D – Live Electronic Multichannel Mixer
LEMM3D is a unique software tool that merges multichannel sound synthesis and manipulation with spatial design in a highly intuitive live setup. Unlike most spatialization tools that separate sound creation from spatial control, LEMM3D integrates both from the very beginning. Sound becomes space, and shaping space becomes the sculpting of sound. Primarily designed for live performance, LEMM3D is ideal for concerts, improvisation, and advanced spatial sound design in the studio. Its standout features include a fully adaptive, automated channel routing workflow, as well as dynamic, channel-based VST integration—making any standard stereo plugin multichannel compatible.
The spatialization engine is built on IRCAM’s Spat algorithms, offering flexible control with the ability to use multiple methods—such as Ambisonics, VBAP, or Wave Field Synthesis—simultaneously on different channel strips. A powerful and thoughtfully designed macro control system simplifies live interaction with complex parameters, enabling intuitive and expressive control of both sound and space. LEMM3D turns sound and space into a single, expressive instrument.
Sonic Moves
Sonic Moves is an innovative app for iPhone and iPad that combines music, movement and technology. Users can use body movements to control sounds, perform music or experience interactive compositions. The app consists of two parts: the Sonic Moves Creator, which is used to create compositions and define movement data, and the Sonic Moves Player, which can be used to play these pieces. Control is via the device’s camera – either with webcam-based tracking or via Apple’s ARKit.
The application was conceived, developed and designed by Marc-André Weibezahn. Marc-André has been researching the combination of physical movement and digital sound generation for over six years. Co-developer is ZiMMT co-founder Jakob Gruhl. Sonic Moves is the joint result of continuous work on the question of how music can be experienced and controlled through movement – a platform that combines technical expertise with artistic vision.