Is it possible to have more than one listener in SPAT?

gabrielestrada · February 16, 2026, 10:11pm

Hello, I’d like to know how I could be able to have more than one listener in SPAT. What I’m doing is an interactive soundscape in which 3 persons would need to have their personal sonic POV, so for each one the spatialization would be placed differently (depending on their position but that’s another thing). I’m having issues in creating more than 1 listener, even by duplicating spat5.spat an spat5.oper doesn’t really help as the listener seems to remain connected so no matter which one I move the listener is still always only one

Thank you so much in advance, you’ll be saving me on this one!

cheers

tcarpent · February 17, 2026, 10:41am

Hello,

Not sure to exactly understand your problem.
Attached an example patcher that demonstrates how to create two fully independent spat5.oper + spat5.spat~, each with a moving listener.

Then I presume that you want to have the multiple listeners navigating within the same scene. This would require yet another spat5.viewer to control to two (or more) ‘sub-scenes’ (and little bit of boilerplate patching).
Note that spat5.viewer only supports one listener object. So to display multiple persons, you’d have to use a different kind of object to visually depict the different persons in the scene. (again, this needs a bit of boilerplate, but nothing dramatic)

Hope this helps,
T.


----------begin_max5_patcher----------
2466.3oc6bszjhiiD9L0uBGd2SaPAVR94dZlXNsQrm18X0cTgADf5wXSXKSU
0Nwz+1W8xFavPIvBnpoftKvuSkY9o7kR3OdXf8jrWwE1V+SqmrFL3OdXv.wg
3GXfZ+A1qhecZRbg3xrmlsZENkZOTdNJ9Up33+aRAEmhys9avpykVthjlfoh
aDr8fYkzpi5nN55X5zkjzEOmimRkCmHufQNCsbGAXuB7GZ4i36ChF4X8c0sQ
lInc1je7nanM+X+4COveanw3FfY3FXvowMAljaJKvVzkjBqMD7KLlhlYsJNk
rtLIlhsRT7Z0skPRwSyJSE2K5Xb+7rTZZ7JrfH+ZNINo5YLobxjD7YIo.NQQ
BQiOXjG6CGfPvEzPPwYreTVPIyISiojrzcGTEj+mj376c68LMKIKWREG9Cc6
afCnFpwxEwavydNlRyISJo3saUnzGJEREq+7jE0TaPiSOvF+55bbQgZTaSWh
WgEW5HwlOuy8KuMFFn8imKKE5o9PiVOjcITKAltO9DxF7ySYZf7rjmmun9g9
v1O9JhocARTVf7Cf6MDRCtCouwP5T7KLMwdH5jr3YShSWbBNb.GwLJDAEv.W
AZvym+NrInP9bnusFKuCaAw6By..mi2n4IYrQq8wmrkuJVLf86j+fGyMAP3Q
0WxdNuO6YO7XrXsk90w4ro+Tb9y3zX0Ddmyf8WwfSwKv6olGWYaZ7awuX826
N9B3IqtUhiHgfHzSCwQmhAz4no4SQFwrbPYydTOyMw40VQab5mfe2LvaUzg.
GosNup2OU908XpcvIaobSbRINa991WZ93YSJjCor4y4fRtMG0Xq0Uxl+rnSg
XPkPr0kuhoSZLpaetrYr+ia3lp0oKVlkS6hTcQmJYJ71ZI7vNpOUPjxDh6oZ
g7.tkaBu7r6sTo4LoBFS3MRFwySfuumfq44s9ERJg9Bgtz5a1iKxJymhGyDM
SXmBLzp5H+iwwqw4zxb73MjBBC4KNasQJ7LBMt5nuPRmk8xXJgIWrhmTjkvl
D7M6NixxyDJOz6aAPZ5W4liGf0w8.H96TTg9siWhcL1P3Hl.Nn+CiNEQpoYp
.XNNwHySfuqnFhDohIyj8880dRRYiluK29g0jRRB8QRp0+5+7aOCbbcrlESi
6Dp51JB+BhzPI75m5KD4KySP3OSVhf.uaQZBfv6oIbiSS3PAPVgmMTfip7Df
dhO7BOyHGgN1ly5FcYdoQiSDJ8wyX1yk8.eHYuJsGBIS.J5bYOnsISwYYNct
4RsohGkw56d1pPOS5iYVVIyPxiSSHS+cdwmxViSsX1CrjwH0oeFXm9Yt9kiJ
JTfSPPU4nDeftI9Yf928y7knbTp53qLD2qxQACtvEo.8cCyzQ8qJEvvOiUoH
7ulUoX+7wYl9OR137ydzbwOP9yP8gftuODDAkUCF3yWTMDRqzjGdH7XzsMm3
CF2grvDey9+JjvbQ6PqwbHEyIq03EwrrAeDYn.mCTqoip9CAmafynqZfyFnp
YUPJWmyHly2uT.Hn8GUmXUpb3YVvvlbo6Y6CiCi+4AcgINaCqQcBxYOPFyEm
lhSps23zozv6ckFdPAxWh+E0iuleywIrfG2zxK0dhnBBy8QB2Vy1s3+Mmo6n
7M3khraYXfNtEmmMsrXRV9LbdGQmBh7cBEaED5h.hspok9dT6hHGMht8BFTC
exbeH7IrULfltikHB3Q8F6OxoyyRDi1GEqacO8WuDGOa8xrTlv6Htq654Tx3
6B5aR0pa+8mOQ.l21b.75kKp8MIgPeqEXc97BLsMhoFcjjM82wylkGunXJKX
7jlShDoExLFmUtXYyiKgmK2+FjmXy9mPRkJSlUGcxhcD71Rv2NSjMfstP0Jq
pr7czfWUSfqufchShjttj9yQLcw535DpaNeNx1zEHm+9O4QewnbgEfuECQwF
jEVgV+BiADGG1N9r0LCiLgwXNmYMgjFWlGmbfnzbuvqxgRM3ppeEJnpHcuqV
nsA0SvA71JK9gZEOLqqbOY4NUQu0qzQi930bDHINIvL8Fg6m6ViPILTsJvY2
ZDdW3hN.LTQGTcZJ.zuZNf.eFq4f28NivH43o.QAWrNi.gtbcFwW51hnZ5u+
kssHPd2aKBknF5dwZKBj+81hfGqlrqHBu4cEQf68Uq5KQWQnRO.52ulhHv6C
YWCTY3JnmMEAJ7CI6oTdH2d1SDnOt8DQEKB5WKQ.ht2RDpjDchZzGM2zVhvy
6tSluBsDgKDzvJb+9B53bYKNgQYXTO+Na36+YrxDHvWo1g3CYuPTg+PFrUHP
26DBKkOS+d1HDA9exZDBEdR8k60z8AAz8CaePnT3n92FDmUBDeEW+VmSMfVe
GYaYnV8GTzd0ArQvhOYATAjpdq40si48oYqeKmrXI8vKjquykr4Vt7c1hBXi
tUM1x89ZQ+9ZA3duwVt2XKmxuDOxY29xdxFEt0W1gr3sJiomX4YdX6c28hcg
5BIUjFQWulPBduGj5VI3Fb8ZAIvsMqJlve6pGxcugSohR90zLRzHenmHr+fn
nnPmpWLesn.2Qn.9OdU7jB3GyMR8BrEW1k1pIwNuuBwfQgAr+gpHnO+q141e
0w.gi.P1+7qFttrC55NJj8B5tM1v54wUAVwLhjNCKTQfvN5Qn5UF6fgjT+lW
MY107AKMAkxajSWQo5LhEKCJ.M7.asERtNOaMyIsRL5LBEcgvALYm.Gv9rMN
v6lhCTt2tJpduOQpdwUILetyu5gBYH+3swCx5SUU6OQ29wnVMslgKnLiyUD6
o5k8SbQcB4zkPg5PHeCPnpGxQoDzDDxSCBAZKfWQlsNi4vTos7j+n.Bib4ez
budN170QHfLfPPGY.xD3G9Rg+9TJvTTBnCk.8kRZvRlP1gzYVdk.teTJ7Jg6
PZAvCMAkzBhaBKWHcvCHinlP5PIfInD7DfdcajDvW9ZQHIxl+CDUuWeGbfqk
0KjVVuhLAkzw6m6wj2tHg3FE4IaFis60ygFTGyP6.XN.V.IadtV612QmNltf
lPEACzgRlv1ETGaWPSDLDTGaW.MfctxJ7ihp2ouir9OiPEX1EXFAr+yH38q6
EZFA3pMiPGyi6.lOfb.FJhkt0t8czoOztWzAni8QnIhdBnkEHivS5DmFvDgs
CzJcLWSPIsr0YhHBAnqFkzBjaDrmVVULQTt.crp3aDomNE2vPzAnAcZmXprH
QwqWuAmWsxlBRXuJ9GxBRIpCFyjZpbWw2PS6bLeAbjWuX4ksiymtjPwS4eQh
DEL6UeYgRE0+JOsjHpp1CxEL0VT5Qd05KVGK4CQEJe3Oe3+Srk8eJ
-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

gabrielestrada · February 17, 2026, 3:36pm

Thank you T, this is very valuable!
Two questions:

I tried duplicating spat/oper/viewero objects just as you did but manipulating one listener from one viewer would change the other, something that I don’t see happening here. Do you happen to know why that was happening?
how would I control subscenes with a third spat5.viewer as you suggest? I’m not sure I’m following you there, but yes you’re correct saying that I want 2/3 listeners to navigate independently the same virtual scene.

Thank you again for your kind answer!

Gabriele

gabrielestrada · February 17, 2026, 3:41pm

EDIT: For some odd but lucky reasons, duplicating spat, oper and viewer in my patch worked this time! To me this seems like it’s already allowing me to have two listeners with two different experiences. Do you think anything from the following bottom-half of your explanation is still needed? The two environments are duplicated so that’s technically the same scene, I’d say.

Thanks again

tcarpent · February 18, 2026, 1:50pm

Hello,

Attached a very quick-and-dirty patcher that somehow demonstrates how one global viewer (global SCENE) can control multiple ‘sub-scenes’.
You’d have to also manage the listeners’ orientation, which is yet another story.

Hope this helps,
T.


----------begin_max5_patcher----------
1023.3oc4XEziqZCD9bxuBKt7ZqRSvFHKompT0JU0C8P6w9pVYHVa7qfMx1j
rqd58euC1vlrcST.Bgci5g.xCN9yeey3wi8WmNwKQ9DS6g9IzeglL4qSmLwZ
pxvj51S7xoOklQ01t4kJyyYBi2L22LrmLV6+58+w8yPkZt3Qzmx4oJYwFof8
IjQhVyJ3oFjYCCkWlY3EYLTFWaXBlRi3B6WzoPy4nuipR3FEU8LJcijmBl9s
RsAQ0HJZmT8OTkrTrFkvRokZ3uUPMQy2xY6XJjTj8LRWVTHUFMzZOLeeyDNi
KXovHXm0Q0F4qsbPl7keLLnomhxbtHiYr7FWaDPKcCvwGTrTiS2BVEN2eFJd
Y0Shue0q6Hy8Q+89ARVZZFI+ZqIkIIYL6XWY3aSmV8XVKcCB1NX19FufYipr
wnCSyyEL27zy6kYzA7MHt670RwfH6Kxc1m3Sx22W1spmrirbzYmKRVpSmCQ3
FVAzczBsrTkxZdCF1uzZQvQioCOo.M6feGSrB86oXgicubw9QwmTsBuJpEqH
iBZzOyEbyNtYC5yduRlPnEMoA9rWO0ripW3tpWgggtnpVpWAuqqcB6J8Hjan
LCQ8jc2BYFHCblgfk8Tr9XmYfbsxLDbWm0q6tkxLz4ZjhduRL7pxCeUbfacy
B.4D3Swy1GJrXKWygZy.BAFoOCyLTUcsYLn8NtXsb2BCGlsn+7Wt+2uO3DgN
Q8KzgzyMgCwtPmJcEJ.0+zgN0V0zsr0O.XBizCTiQwSfjK5ZMtVjqPTQyYFl
5AlfVWwpu8aVOzsiehLn9IRbOSIda6mxjz0ITwimLgg8iGUv5c4DtbggWgjF
4Lsl9H6Mr7vMI9gE7bnO0GzrI1atQVLWu8wtk3jb7DmjypA00bfiuBh.DMYj
ht6PwuPliF50QmMt9nDNhF177iXoiXb+196VnxQ7.W4H1ueZ0G6BGwWqBG67
0Uf8e2pabD1xFOnaYG2uPw+GWXEv2CC6q6ZPq7cC55hNmw8ksSbuVc10EWEe
mELK++O2wtcFWY+0NTmKoVPp4MZ+TdMSa3BpgCaWuuOUWa2AcRpVyTuLedSP
TaQ1Np3y.c00qVA8kij+ngD4bxIdHPpMNtpqd+hQp5pFNORgCARKag50Lctb
jNarWzPgj+XfTqBHVd7Ux3Kiigs.ZxfDKF2FRRFBjVMZquhFs0WAs.ogfR3V
EKFL.HsZr.B2lL6CwVH313jviT9B7I14mbQHSFKJRZUhoAK73banfwCER9cG
IWkhzhhsLktt2VPfh7+hz5UimYaxEtlKsMUrpZ0c82dpHOpBpE1.kuVprSLu
mV5t4MubIDeHJ40ao.zCfzd.BATLKbPAGSrmyX52l9uvAM7B0
-----------end_max5_patcher-----------