I’ve been performing music and experimenting with audio in Somnium Space for almost two years. In Somnium Space VR, I’ve streamed myself dj-ing for weekly Saturday Disco parties through Twitch, which Somnium players can watch on the “big screen” in-game web browser. I’ve performed acoustic shows wearing my vrGuitars on my selfie-based Ready Player Me avatar. I’ve even performed a fully body-tracked concert with my Visitors of Imma Degen NFT avatar with a Twitch stream of myself performing irl.
In Somnium Web, I host weekly open mics that you can access through most devices – no powerful gaming equipment needed. Another musical pioneer in Somnium Space, Scessions, recently broke the freestyling world record rapping in Somnium Web, broadcasting himself via Twitch (Scessions hosts weekly freestyling cypher jams at The Bassment every Monday.)
Here are a few videos of Somnium Space performances – twitter compressed them a lot but you’ll get the concept:
@Shontelle_Layne’s avatar launch and song release party:
Livestream for Ukraine:
Dance party at my virtual club with dj DanceStash performing from Twitch:
Almost daily, I get audio questions from pioneering musician who want to perform in the new virtual universe we call the metaverse. Turns out, getting high-quality audio output to your audience for performances isn’t as difficult as it seems. Here is a straightforward, comprehensive breakdown of my sound set up to get you started performing with perfect audio in Somnium Space.
Below, I’ll show you the hardware and software I use to perform. You can use these things separately or in combination.
Note: I’ve found that using my Allen & Heath USB mixer along with Voicemeeter Potato software works best but be aware – Voicemeeter can be glitchy. The most consistently great audio I get is using my usb mixer alone. Learn more below!
Setting up sound with hardware mixer or interface:
You can use a simple audio interface, as pictured in the photo above on the left, or a more advanced audio mixer with effects and EQ-capabilities as pictured in the photo above on the right.
Simply plug in your microphones, instruments, dj decks, mp3 player and/or whatever you’re using to your hardware, then connect it to your computer, adjust system sound settings to relative hardware, then open Somnium Space, and configure your sound settings there. It works most consistently when you do these steps in order.
In the photo above, my microphone and guitar 1/4 inch are plugged into my audio interface. Then I just connect it to my computer usb slot and, from there, configure the input and outputs for Somnium Web or Somnium Space VR respectively as shown below:
Somnium Web:
Selecting microphone in Somnium Web during Friday night open mic at Prizm Club
Somnium Space VR:
Complete your interface/mixer set up and adjust your PC sound settings (shown below under “System Settings”), then launch Somnium Space VR Client in VR.
Open your in-game tablet by pressing the “A” button on your right controller. Click select “Settings” in the bottom right corner. In the Settings menu, scroll down to “Mic source”, open the dropdown menu, and select your mixer or interface. In the photo below to the right, I am selecting my Allen & Heath usb mixer titled “Microphone (2- USB Audio CODEC).
In Somnium Space VR 2d mode, the tablet will be in the upper right of your screen as shown below.
System Settings:
Windows output settings in Somnium Space WEB
Note that you can use a Mac for Somnium Web, but not for Somnium VR.
WARNING: Making sure to keep your performance input different than the in-game audio and the output you’re using to hear the game, otherwise everyone in the game will hear themselves and it will cause annoying echoes and feedback.
For example, I set my system output to my headset with headphones connected (pictured below), while the input setting in my computer and Somnium Space is set to the mixer or interface.
Setting up sound with Voicemeeter virtual mixer and virtual cable:
Voicemeeter by VB Audio is a great tool to use in substitution of hardware or in combination with it to fine-tune and utilize more channels (for example, you can play a karaoke track from youtube directly from your PC into the game). Either way you choose, it is recommended to use Voicemeeter in combination with Virtual Cable and Ear Trumpet.
Voicemeeter offers a variety of free virtual audio tools like Voicemeeter Banana and Potato, which I use (pictured above). They also offer Virtual Cable on their website, which you will use for virtual mixing as well.
To install and set up Voicemeeter properly, watch our tutorial & installation video or read the full article below:
Somnium Web:
Select Voicemeeter as your input in the upper right settings of Somnium Web as shown below.
Somnium Space Vr:
Set up your virtual mixer and/or hardware first, then launch Somnium Space VR. Open your tablet by pressing “A” on your right controller. Go to the “Settings” menu, then scroll down to “Mic source” and select “VoiceMeeter Aux Output”. Now everyone in the game can hear what you’ve mixed using Voicemeeter.
In Somnium Space VR 2d mode, the tablet will be in the upper right of your screen.
System Settings:
Playing instruments:
As mentioned above, you can plug your instruments into your mixer or interface, then select your hardware as your Somnium Space and system inputs.
The below left and middle photos are of cellist Metaveo using custom controller-holder gloves to play in Somnium Space. Below on the right, you’ll see how I put my hands through my Meta Quest controllers and tighten to my forearms with built-in straps. You can also duct tape them, but I don’t recommend that as it’s hard to readjust quickly to your hands if you need to move around in the game.
Dj-ing:
While dj-ing, I use my mixer as my Somnium Space input and my PC system input, and then plug my DDJ-400s directly into my mixer and my computer via usb. I then mix using Rekordbox with the Rekordbox output going to my DDJs.
Ddj400 link: DDJ-400 – Pioneer DJ – USA
RekordBox download link: rekordbox – free to download – System Requirements – Manual
Streaming from Twitch:
You can also perform on Twitch using OBS and stream into Somnium Space. Just add a web browser to your parcel and link it to your Twitch. No parcel, no problem! Contact club owners through the Somnium Space Discord and they’ll set you up. Below, I’m performing at R00T’S CLUB NFT World:
You’re ready to go! I hope to see you playing music in Somnium Space someday soon. It’s a wonderful experience for the performer and audience alike. I highly recommend it 😉 . Contact me with any questions on Discord at OlySounds#6405.
Oly is a musician, writer and gamer usually playing Somnium Space VR.
Check out her latest music, NFTs, and gaming projects at linktr.ee/olysounds.
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