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Audio can be used as a tool to set moods and evoke feelings. It can add realism to a production, which can help to further immerse an audience member in the theatre experience. A sound system can also be used solely to reinforce the voices of actors on stage so that they can be heard in a large hall. Often times, a combination of music, sound effects and voice reinforcement is used in a theatre production.

There are generally a few possible production positions that pertain to audio. Not all productions will have all of these positions, but it is certainly possible. Most common is the audio designer, who is responsible for determining what types of sound to use for the play, creating the effects, and designing the sound system. Sometimes the audio designer only determines what effects should be used, and an_audio engineer_ creates and gathers the sounds and designs the sound system. On occasion, an audio operator is present to run the equipment during performances. It is not uncommon for one person to do all of these things under the guise of audio designer or_audio engineer_. The distinction between the positions is not clear cut, and there is a lot of crossover.

In order to successfully design a sound system and audio effects for a show, a working knowledge of the equipment is necessary. Many diverse components are used to form a complete audio system, many of which are complex devices in their own rights. The intent of this chapter is to provide a reasonably broad exposure to the equipment and techniques used to create, edit, and reproduce audio effects in a theatre setting.

Next: Input Up: Audio Previous: Audio Contents Index

Steve Richardson 2000-07-06

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