The Audio Alchemist

Hats off to all who helped with our online experiment re: sound/scent associations. I presented the findings (along with our lab experiment) at the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium. Check out my post here: www.linkedin.com/posts/stevek...

#SonicStrategy #Pangborn2025 #MusicScience #crossmodalism

Thanks to those who have responded to my request for help with our "sound/scent" research. Hoping to boost our sample size a bit more.

Link to survey if you haven't responded: pandora.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Feel free to share. NOTE: No responses from SiriusXM Media colleagues, please.

Working some research into sound/scent associations and need your help with a quick survey, listening to two soundscapes and subjectively rating associations with various aromas.

Here's the link - and thanks! pandora.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

#MusicScience #Crossmodalism
#BehavioralScience

One last push!

Thanks to everyone who's responded!

If you haven't, please take about 10 minutes to answer some survey questions as we explore sonic interventions that could make our workplaces more healthy and humane.

hks.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

#MusicScience #Neurodiversity

I need your help!

We're exploring the impact of sound in the workplace on focus, creativity, & group work.

If you could answer some survey questions, I'd appreciate it!

Access via this link. Takes about 10 minutes - please share:

hks.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

#MusicScience #Neurodiversity

Soundscapes of the Future: Safety and Harmony in EV Sounds SXSW 2025 Schedule | For a century, much of vehicle engineering was about masking sounds. In the EV revolution and its absence of internal combustion engines, vehicle engineers are challenged with bri...

Won’t be long now…

Join GM’s Jay Kapadia and me today at 4PM(CDT) for our #SXSW2025 fireside chat, diving deep into the power of sound and its implications for sound design for EVs.

You’ll find session details here:
schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/...

#SonicStrategy #SXSW #EV

Soundscapes of the Future: Safety and Harmony in EV Sounds SXSW 2025 Schedule | For a century, much of vehicle engineering was about masking sounds. In the EV revolution and its absence of internal combustion engines, vehicle engineers are challenged with bri...

When it comes to the emotional connection between humans & automobiles, sound has always been in the driver’s seat. EVs represent an opportunity to take that connection further.

Jay Kapadia & I will dive deep into the world of EV sound at @sxsw.com.

Join us!

schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/...

Tragic for so many reasons. Thank you for taking a stand.

Respect.

A photo of the SiriusXM logo with the phrase "Shaping the Future of Audio" in the background

A photo of Steve Keller's CES Exhibitor badge, on tope of a pillow that has been embroidered with "SiriusXM Media"

A photo of a neon SiriusXM logo

Kicking off #CES2025 in Vegas!

We've got a busy week, exploring #TheFutureOfAudio with Studio Resonate's "Super Sonic Sound Summit," a Sonic Sommelier wine/sound pairing, a floor tour with friends from Razorfish, and participating in an "AI House" panel.

Catch me if you can 😏

#SonicStrategy

I'm with you on this one!

A number of things happen in loud restaurants. The Lombard effect kicks in (amplifying the noise even more), alcohol consumption increases (triggering the "cocktail effect" that dulls lower frequency hearing), food is perceived as less flavorful, & at these dB levels, temporary hearing loss.

Decible meter showing the volume of noise at a restaurant - 96 dB

Decible meter showing the volume of noise at a restaurant - 114 dB

Happy New Year!

Welcomed 2025 at a wonderful dinner with friends at one of our new favorite NYC restaurants. The food is consistently great & the venue small & cozy - which was a problem last night: They hired a DJ & by 10:30PM, the volume at our table averaged 96dB & 114dB closer the speaker.

6 Ways to Unlock Audio’s Potential in 2025 Audio’s future is full of possibility, but realizing its full potential requires a fundamental shift.

2025 is almost here!

Rather than yet another "Audio Trends Report," I'm offering six suggestions I think will help brands & agencies unlock audio's potential & maximize ROAS in the year ahead.

Link to the @adweek.bsky.social article here: www.adweek.com/partner-arti...

#SonicStrategy #Marketing

Photograph of the front cover of Ben Folds' holiday album, "Sleigher."

Photograph of Ben Folds' record album, entitled "Sleigher," playing on a turntable.

Photograph of the back cover of Ben Folds' album, "Sleigher," with titles and credits.

Sunday #vinyl Sessions: Holiday Edition

This year's favorite spin is @actualbenfolds.bsky.social latest gem, "Sleigher,"
serving up a playful blend of wit, melancholy, longing, & hope (with a pinch of Guaraldi & a dash of Bacharach thrown in for good measure).

Guaranteed to warm the heart.

Lend them your ears...

I think it would be difficult to have an immersive sonic environment that wouldn't overwhelm/disturb other ears in the vicinity - particularly if game play was meant to amplify arousal/cortisol/adrenaline levels.

There are some consumer facing models designed for home that I've tested & work surprisingly well - but to your point, that's user-side. From a design standpoint, one solution might be to create two user selected audio program options: one with basic functional sound only & one more immersive.

Hyper directional speakers might be an option if headphones can't be used

Photograph of the front cover of William Shatner’s “Has Been” record album

Photograph of a vinyl copy of William Shatner’s “Has Been” record, playing on a turntable

Photograph of the back cover of William Shatner’s “Has Been” record album

Sunday #vinyl session:

William Shatner’s “Has Been” is brilliant. Really.

It sucks you in with its writing, its wit, its swagger, & its moments of beautifully brutal vulnerability.

Produced by @actualbenfolds.bsky.social & supported by a wonderful cast of contributing characters.

It’s an attempt to compete with the novelty of NotebookLM’s “podcast” generator. ElevenLabs has some of the best AI-generated voices in the business in my opinion, but from the demos I’ve heard of this podcast generator, they have a way to go before beating NotebookLM.

When it comes to brand design, you shouldn't ignore the #crossmodal relationships between sound and our other senses.

Check out this issue of Transform Magazine for more on the topic (with a few bits and bobs from moi)

transformmagazine.net/articles/202...

#SonicStrategy #Multisensory

Hey, @actualbenfolds.bsky.social! Glad to see you here! We need to get Joe Costa to make the jump! 😏

There are a ton of #MusicScience peeps here, too. You'd dig that community - along with the #MusicTherapy practioners and advocates.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Freemans Restaurant

In that case, try Freemans (www.freemansrestaurant.com)

I saw someone mention Thai Diner - which is also a great option if you enjoy Thai.

If you'd like something a bit more French with live Jazz on the side, Le Gratin offers a delightful Sunday brunch: legratinnyc.com

Photograph of the album cover of "Empire Central" the jazz fusion album by Skinny Puppy. The cover features a line drawing of the Dallas, Texas skyline.

Photograph of a record album playing on a turntable.

Photograph of the back cover of the album, "Empire City" by Skinny Puppy.

Sunday #vinyl Sessions:

Skinny Puppy: "Empire Central"

The band's ode to Dallas is full of swampy, funky, improvisational goodness.

With 12 musicians, 16 tracks, 3 discs & over 1.5 hours of live recorded music, it's a bit of a slog - but when they hit the mark, it's pure bliss.

More of a #MusicScience "pracademic" than an academic, but would be happy to be included if you'll have me.

Human Male Sexual Response to Olfactory Stimuli | American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons Folk wisdom has it that various aromas are sexually enticing but no data exist demonstrating effects of specific odors on arousal (Human Male Sexual Response).

It's #Thanksgiving here in the States.

Beware the dangers (or advantages) of mixing lavender and pumpkin pie (with apologies to cranberries): aanos.org/human-male-s...

#Sensehacking

Hats off - excellent work!

3) The other two papers were co-authored with my friend and compatriot in #crossmodal arms, @ox.ac.uk's Charles Spence.

You'll find them here (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...) and (marketing.expertjournals.com/ark:/16759/E...)

#SonicBranding
#SonicStrategy