A Definition of Theatrical Sound Design
by Michael Rasbury, Assistant Professor of Sound Design
Department of Drama, University of Virginia

The sound designer is a conceptual artist that exploits the expressive possibility of sound by employing a synthesis of sound and music proficiency with technology. It requires abilities in a range of subjects including composition of sound and musical timbres, research, sound equipment specifications and installation, physics of sound, and expertise in sound related media. Sound designers and technicians share the common fact that the final result of the work occurs ephemerally in the air. Because much crossover exists between fields relating to sound, an overview of these related disciplines is necessary to better understand the role of a theatrical sound designer.

An example of a technically savvy sound designer is the sound system designer. These designers combine electrical engineering with the physics of sound and are responsible for designing complex systems of electrical components for controlling sound. Sound professionals in this field are sometimes referred to as sound designers because of their ability to design and deliver a quality sound system. Sound engineers often discover this career because of a love for reinforcing and mixing live music. Acousticians participate in sound design. These technicians study the physics of sound and are concerned with designing and controlling the acoustic qualities of architecture. This field also requires a deep knowledge of current trends in sound systems, as well as an understanding of live performance. Some modern electronic composers approach composition in a similar way. New types of music compositions with non-musical tones have developed. “Ambient” and “New Age” music often takes this shape. Both creative artists of film sound and electronic music use recording arts and composition. The resulting work of these respective sound designers may be anything from a collage of sounds representing an environment to an original musical composition.

Sound designers for television and film are closely related to theatrical sound designers. These sound designers are responsible for creating the sounds of realistic and abstract environments and for editing prerecorded film music. Therefore, this type of sound designer is an artist who works as a composer of sound elements and uses recording and sound mixing technologies to deliver their work. The final product is a score of sounds and music that can be concretely aligned to a predetermined timeline.

Each of these types of sound artists requires clever ability for blending technical skill and artistry.

The role of sound designer for theatre is unique because a firm understanding of all these areas is required. At the core, the theatre sound designer is responsible for insuring audibility and for the creation and/or manipulation of sonic environments and music to accompany a play. Each sound element added to a particular production is in itself a mini-composition. Sound design for the theatre requires a combination of composing with sound and musical timbres and experience with sound equipment specifications and installation, knowledge of the physics of sound, and expertise in the recording arts. A final and most important qualification is that all of this work is intended to augment a live performance and should organically coexist with the fluid timeline of a live performance.

The position of sound designer is one of the most recent additions to theatre’s collaborative team of artists. Sound design is such a new field that The American Theatre Wing offered the Tony Award for the first time in its over fifty year existence in sound design for the 2007 season of Broadway plays and musicals . Now, the role of sound as an artistic medium is used more than ever. Many directors encourage sound designers to provide musical and sound underscoring and sometimes replace traditionally scenic elements with sonic metaphors of environment. Given the field’s new prominence and the exponential development of sound technology over the last ten years, extended possibilities for sound’s power are still being uncovered. The sound designer is not just a technologist, but rather a conceptual artist serving on a collaborative team of equally skilled theatrical artists \working toward a unified concept intended to augment a live performance. The most successful theatrical sound designers posses skills in multiple categories and are skilled in research, composition, sound technology usage, critical listening, sound related physics, and recording arts.