MPEG-H Audio Production Workflows for a Next Generation Audio Experience in Broadcast, Streaming, and Music

MPEG-H Audio is a Next Generation Audio (NGA) system offering a new audio experience for various applications: Object-based immersive sound delivers a new degree of realism and artistic freedom for immersive music applications, such as the 360 Reality Audio music service. Advanced interactivity options enable improved personalization and accessibility. Solutions exist, to create object-based features from legacy material, e.g., deep-learning-based dialogue enhancement. 'Universal delivery' allows for optimal rendering of a production over all kinds of devices and various ways of distribution like broadcast or streaming. All these new features are achieved by adding metadata to the audio, which is defined during production and offers content providers flexible control of interaction and rendering options. Thus, new possibilities are introduced, but also new requirements during the production process are imposed. This paper provides an overview of production scenarios using MPEG-H Audio along with examples of state-of-the-art NGA production workflows. Special attention is given to immersive music and broadcast applications as well as accessibility features.