Room Acoustics Affects Immersion and Musical Behavior in Virtual Renderings of Real-World Spaces

Virtual reality (VR) can not only be used to create fantastical environments and experiences, but also to simulate reality. An underexplored area of research is how room acoustics affects users’ behavior and immersion in virtual-renderings of real spaces. Previous research has shown that musicians adapt their performance according to the reverberation of the space they are in, and that auditory feedback can affect immersion in virtual environments. This study investigates how room acoustics affects individuals’ sense of immersion and musical behavior in VR. Participants performed short musical compositions in virtual-renderings of real-world spaces. We systematically varied the auditory feedback to simulate dry (no room acoustics) or reverberant conditions both with the same visuals. Our results revealed that the presence of room acoustics enhanced participants’ sense of immersion and affected their playing-speed and key-press intensity. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating room acoustics into VR-design to foster immersion and influence user interaction.