Experiences today are often overloaded in an effort to engage every sense, leaving audiences overstimulated rather than deeply connected.
This talk places renewed emphasis on reintroducing music and sound as foundational forces in experience design, not secondary layers.
Drawing from real-world productions and experiences, music therapy studies, and ancestral sound practices, Gen Cleary shares how a pivotal realization in her own work reshaped her approach.
She introduces a practical framework and clear protocols for using music, sound, haptics, and spatial environments with intention, so experiences can entertain while also helping audiences heal, unite, and transform, creating deeper impact without compromising well-being.
Key takeaways:
- Exploration of protocol for using music and sound with intention
- A dosage checklist to avoid overstimulation
- A body-first approach to music and sound design
- We can hear but are we listening
- Yes to introducing haptics into our experiences, but only with a clear safety playbook in place