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The Role of the Specialists - The Sound Designer Part 2

© Marilyn Cameron

In The Role of the Specialists - The Sound Designer Part 1, we explored the artistic benefits good quality sound can bring both to our workshops and to our productions, and how the necessary equipment for your sound production requirements should be included as an important item on your budget list. So what equipment might you need?

First, let's take a brief look at sound. Sound is vibrating air. Vibrations can occur at different speeds. The faster the speed, the higher-pitched the sound. The number of times a sound vibrates in one second is the frequency of that sound and frequencies are usually divided into high, middle, and low ranges.

High frequencies are directional, and so move in the direction in which the source is pointed. Low frequencies are omni-directional and spread equally in all directions.

To reinforce sound, we use microphones, and these are available in different types to suit frequencies. Omni-mics pick up sounds coming from every direction equally. Cardioidspick up sound vibrations coming from the front easily, and less so from the sides - they can pick no sound up from behind. Hypercardioids, the mics commonly known as 'shotgun' or 'rifle' mics, only pick up directional sound from in front.

For picking up general stage sound, to reinforce everything spoken or sung, condenser mics are excellent. They can be placed at intervals across the stage or suspended above it.

Dynamic mics are used as vocalist's mics and those are sensitive to certain frequencies and so emphasise them. Radio mics have a built in transmitter and an aerial which sends a signal to the receiver which is plugged into the mixer or sound desk. They can be worn on the head, hand held or clasped to clothing. If you use more than two radio mics, they have to operate on different frequencies or they will interfere with each other.

The mixing or sound desk, is the heart of the sound system. Almost all your sounds will be noted, timed, and collected together by your Sound Engineer or Operator who will control them and their frequencies at the mixing desk. Pre-recorded music and sound effects will also be controlled by the Sound Engineer, who will have recorded them in the necessary running order required by the play. Voice, volume levels, inputs and outputs are all the responsibility of the Sound Engineer or Operator.

The best position for the mixer or sound desk is the centre position at the back of your performance space, behind the audience. Here, the Sound Engineer or Operator, can hear the same sounds as the audience through the loudspeakers and adjust the controls as necessary.

The copyright of the article The Role of the Specialists - The Sound Designer Part 2 in Drama Workshops is owned by Marilyn Cameron. Permission to republish The Role of the Specialists - The Sound Designer Part 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.