My first experience with sound for theatre was in eighth grade. I was only playing cheesy

Transcription

1 1 IDIM: Sound Design and Technology My first experience with sound for theatre was in eighth grade. I was only playing cheesy and cartoonish sound effects for a middle-school adaption of Miss Nelson is Missing, but in that moment, it was one of the most amazing things I had ever been a part of. In retrospect, it was a very superficial introduction, but the passion and enthusiasm it inspired in me was real. The melding of technology, music, and the unpredictability of live theatre into something that was simultaneously a science and an art form enthralled me. That combination appealed to me, having always had one foot in the arts and one foot in the sciences as the artistically-inclined daughter of parents with backgrounds in math and computer science. I eagerly immersed myself in every theatrical experience that presented itself to me and learned as much as I could, something I continue to do so in such a dynamic industry. Throughout my four years of high school and into college, I have come to realize the power of sound and music in a production goes far beyond anything I expected. It can influence the audience s perception of the themes and messages in the show in incredibly subtle, subconscious ways. A slight change in the tone of the music or ambient sound can alter the mood of a scene gradually or instantaneously. Theatre is simultaneously a response to, and a reflection of, contemporary and historical moments. All aspects of theatrical design work together to create this response and reflection, with every detail carefully weighed and considered. I want to examine the ways audio technology and the manipulation of sound (physically/acoustically and digitally) can influence the aural environment in a live setting particularly, but not exclusively, theatre and how to design an environment that is strong and effective to the end goal of a production. I want to approach it as a space- and time-specific problem to be solved, where space refers to the venue of performance and time refers to the significance of the production in its current moment. Because of theatre s power

2 2 to open audience s minds, and the melding of art and science in sound design and technology, I am proposing my interdepartmental major entitled Sound Design and Technology. The first component of my program is Sound Design, which focuses on the art of creating appropriate and effective acoustic and aural environments. It emphasizes creativity and the perception thereof in sound as an art form, thus enhancing the design aspect of my program. It is the process and planning behind using sound to support the greater intent and design objective of a production. From matching a drawn-out creak with the movement a door in the set to complementing shadowy blue lighting with an equally eerie ambiance, every decision has to be deliberately made. This concentration provides a theoretical and artistic approach to the execution of my theme. In TH 1101W Introduction to Theatre: Culture and Performance, I learned techniques for critically reading and thinking about plays. The class explored how to identify themes in plays, why the playwright included them, and what they intend to do for the audience. This is important to consider in sound design, as the design influences how themes are aurally influenced and conveyed to the audience. In TH 3559 Introduction to Sound Design for Theatre, I will learn the fundamental concepts behind creating an effective sound design, such as research, paperwork, and audio editing. The class will also expand on script analysis, with specific application to audio. TH 5559 Advanced Sound Design expands upon concepts from TH 3559, while also exploring communication and formalized processes in sound design. The class also addresses psychoacoustics, which is crucial to understanding how audiences perceive sound, and how that influences decisions made in sound design.

3 3 In ARTS 1001 Introduction to Contemporary Arts and Theory, I will learn about how visual art connects to social justice. While this class is also a prerequisite for higher-level ARTS classes in my program, the concepts behind viewing the arts through a social justice lens transfer easily to theatre, which is a sort of visual art in its own right. Understanding social justice through the arts is crucial to being able to effectively communicate similar themes and messages through sound design. In ARTS 3605 Sound Art and ARTS 5650 Advanced Sound Art, I will explore how to artistically manipulate sound. The skills I will develop in these classes such as audio editing techniques, manipulating the mood and tone of sound, and ensuring that my sound has a clear intent that will transfer easily to sound design in theatre and other types of performance. I am interested in exploring how speaker placement affects edited sounds in these classes, as it will be applicable to theatre. In MUS 1001 Fundamentals of Music, I will learn music notation and fundamental concepts underlying musical structure. Through topics such as harmonic analysis, chords, and intervals, I will hone my aural perception to become more aware of shifts in frequencies of sound. I will also develop the ability to describe sound more accurately by using precise musical language to reduce risks of miscommunication. The second section of my program is Sound Technology, which focuses on the physical/electronic aspects of sound, as well as the implementation, per the design, and maintenance of sound systems. It is important to understand sound technology in order to create a strong design that most effectively utilizes the available technology, and it is important to understand sound design in order to understand the why of technology. It is a practical approach to my theme.

4 4 In TH 1501 Introduction to Design and Technology for Live Performance, I learned the theory and universal language of theatrical design. This class introduced all the design areas of theatre on a basic level, including scenic, lighting, costumes, and sound. Understanding the theory and language of all of these design areas ensure I have a greater understanding of the commutative and collaborative processes of theatre, so that I can effectively navigate them. This is important to sound technology because I can understand how sound technology, my area of focus, affects the designs of all the other areas. In TH 3571 Introduction to Stage Technology, I will learn how to use the basic tools and techniques of all the design areas, including scenic, lighting, costumes, and sound. It is the more hands-on complement to TH 1501, so learning these skills will enable me to use sound technology more effectively in conjunction with other areas of design. In TH 4555 Audio Technology, I will take an in-depth approach to sound as a science, to build on TH 1501 and TH I will learn about the technology used to create and manipulate sound, recording techniques, effects and signal processing, and microphone and mixing techniques. All of these techniques and technologies carry the message of the sound and enable the sound design to be successfully expressed to the audience. In TH 5545 Stage Lighting Technology, I will learn about the technology used by lighting designers to implement their visions. This is important to sound technology because the two often work very closely around each other when it comes to installing their technology in a performance space. Understanding lighting technology will enable me to work more effectively around and with lighting technology and designers, making sure both visions for the design are carried out to maximum efficacy with as little conflict as possible. In TH 5510 Drawing and Rendering 1, I will develop important visual communication skills, such as spatial awareness in two dimensions, to be able to successfully convey my ideas to others. This is important to sound technology to be able to visually provide a

5 5 clear and accurate description of how speakers, cables, microphones, external signal processing units, and other audio equipment are set up and connected to one another. Additionally, it will ensure that I can understand these same drawings and renderings when somebody else presents them to me. Overall, this class will ensure that I can effectively communicate through visual mediums. I will take TH 3100 Theatre Practicum or TH 5100 Theatre Practicum every semester. Which one I register for in a given semester will depend on my involvement with the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance is for that semester. I will discuss this with my advisor as needed. These courses guide my involvement in theatre productions outside of classes. They allow me to put the skills I learn in class to use towards fully staged productions. I help to create and carry out artistic visions for productions that reach beyond the department into the greater Twin Cities community. I learn collaborative and creative processes in real time, and learn how I work within them as my role changes depending on the production. The final section of my program is Audio and Media Production, which focuses on applications of sound beyond theatre and other live performance settings, as well as creating other forms of closely-related media, such as recording and film. Working in unfamiliar filmic mediums, I expect to face the challenge of theatre having difference terms for the same thing. Film and other inherently recorded mediums can also be redone, unlike a live theatrical performance, so I hope to learn an approach to sound that is more controlled and detail-oriented. Additionally, I hope to learn about new technology and approaches to thought processes that I can adapt for use in sound. Learning about these other applications of sound and media will give me a broader understanding

6 6 that will enhance my work in my primary application of theatre. It is an extended and complementary approach to my theme. In TH 4450 Video Technology, I will learn about technologies and techniques to set up and record video. Sound designers often end up working with video in some capacity, so knowledge of video technology is a useful complement to sound, whether I end up working with video equipment or around it. I will take either TH 3541 Introduction to Lighting Design or 5540 Lighting Design, depending on which works best with my schedule when it is being offered. As sound designers often end up working closely with, or around, lighting designers, an expanded knowledge base of the work they do and their processes is important for strong collaboration. Additionally, this class contributes to a well-rounded theatre education, which in turn leads to a well-rounded theatre-maker in the professional world. In COMM 3201 Introduction to Electronic Media Production, I will learn about producing and analyzing messages in various forms of electronic media. This complements sound design and technology for theatre because it is important to convey clear, accurate themes and messages. Additionally, conveying those messages in various forms of electronic media strengthens my process in sound design by knowing the strengths and weaknesses of various media forms, what I can learn from them, and realize where they may not work in a certain situation. In COMM 3202 Audio Production and Media Literacy, I learn about sound as a medium of communication and constructor of reality, and how those persuade the audience that what they are hearing is realistic. This is perhaps more closely related to sound design for theatre, but because this course works purely in aural mediums, it will help me to think creatively and in-detail about choosing and editing sounds in order to most effectively convey my intent.

7 7 In ENGL 3061 Literature & Music: Shakespeare & Verdi, I will explore how the addition of, and adaption to, music from one form of performance (straight plays) to another (opera) affects the same story. By thinking critically and analytically about the same story in two different forms of text and performance, I will hone my script analysis skills as well as music analysis. Additionally, I will expand my familiarity with great classic works of performance, both spoken and sung. My studies at the University of Minnesota will be complemented by a semester abroad through the Study and Intern in London program, where I will complete an internship in theatre and take courses. By taking a more general approach to theatre, this program will expand my perspective of theatre as an art and the theatre industry, as well as the world. In conclusion, my interdepartmental major entitled Sound Design and Technology will allow me to explore the audio technology that is currently available and how it can be implemented, manipulated, and combined to effectively and precisely control and alter aural environments. I will explore how sound designers, sound system designers, and audio engineers manipulate sound physically and digitally to create a strong and effective sound design. My union of sound design and technology into one program is valid because one (design) cannot exist without the other (technology), and one (technology) cannot be understood without understanding the other (design). As the and in the title implies, they are completely symbiotic. My program will ultimately allow me to explore the usage of sound technology and the creation and implementation of a sound design to create controlled acoustic and aural environments in a live

8 8 setting that are effective for the design objectives of a project of production. I want to be able to make artistically and technologically informed decisions when manipulating sound to design creative and effective soundscapes which supplement a theatrical production. I will demonstrate this with my senior project. Upon completion, I will deeply understand the relationship between sound design and sound technology.

9 9 BIS/IDIM Program Course Worksheet Name: ID#: Total number of credits in proposed program: 61 Total number 3/4/5xxx level credits in proposed program: 48 Total credits in program left to complete: 55 IDIM Title: Sound Design and Technology Title: Concentration One Sound Design Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) Not Complete: Credits (Term) TH 1101W Introduction to Theatre: Culture and Performance 3 TH 3559 Introduction to Sound Design for Theatre 3 TH 5559 Advanced Sound Design/Sound Design for Performance 3 ARTS 1001 Introduction to Contemporary Arts and Theory 4 ARTS 3605 Sound Art 4 ARTS 5650 Advanced Sound Art 4 MUS 1001 Fundamentals of Music 3 TOTALS: 3/4/5xxx level credits in area: 14 Total credits in area (IDIM only): 24 Title: Concentration Two Sound Technology Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) Not Complete: Credits (Term) TH 1501 Introduction to Design and Technology for Live Performance 3 TH 3571 Introduction to Stage Technology 3 TH 4555 Audio Technology 3 TH 5545 Stage Lighting Technology 3 TH 5510 Drawing and Rendering 3 TH 3100 Practicum (1 per semester = minimum 6) TH TOTALS: 3/4/5xxx level credits in area: 18 Total credits in area (IDIM only): 21 Title: Concentration Three Audio/Media Production Dept. Course Code Course Title Complete: Credits (Grade) Not Complete: Credits (Term) TH 4450 Video Technology 3 TH 3541 Introduction to Lighting Design 3 COMM 3201 Introduction to Electronic Media Production 4 COMM 3202 Audio Production and Media Literacy 3 ENGL 3061 Literature & Music: Shakespeare & Verdi 3 TOTALS: 3/4/5xxx level credits in area: 16 Total credits in area (IDIM only): 16