Singing in Virtual Reality

The Covid pandemic forced us to expand the boundaries of collective music-making, moving from the classroom to the Zoom room. For all the good discoveries yielded by this great (and necessary) experiment, many of us have experienced our share of less-than-satisfying musical collaborations over the Internet. Researchers at the University of York’s Audio Lab are having a go at improving the experience of singing together online through virtual reality. Using immersive technology, the project aspires to produce the same health benefits gained from in-person choral singing while offering an opportunity for people who are homebound to join in. Initial testing at care homes in England showed good potential, and you can now try it out for yourself as part of an ongoing exhibit, Turn it Up: The Power of Music, at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, England.