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What is sound design for musical theatre?
According to Broadway sound designer Kai Harada:
"It is extremely difficult to quantify a sound reinforcement design, but we can outline some of the factors that contribute to a design's aesthetic:
Imaging refers to the human ability to localize a sound source. Some designers develop systems and manipulate them in such a way that the majority of the audience is under the illusion that the sound appears from the performers themselves, rather than from a system of loudspeakers scattered around the venue.
Loudness refers to the average overall loudness level (quantifiable in dB SPL) that the audience member hears from both the acoustic sound from the performers coupled with the sound emanating from the loudspeaker systems.
Intelligibility refers to the ability to understand spoken words and sung lyrics as they pass through the venue, both from the performers and the sound system.
Balance refers to the difference in levels between voices (words and lyrics) and the orchestra (music). Some designers are known for their CD-like designs, while in other designs intelligibility is sacrificed for a louder orchestra mix."
The sound design concept for this musical was to create a transparent sound system that provided a natural sound reinforcement of the orchestra and actors, focusing on the above factors to craft the design aesthetic.
Speakers!
Additional speakers were added to the rep sound system in the Tedford for a more even coverage and to help with sound imaging, allowing the audience to perceive the amplified sound to come from the same location as the actors. This included adjusting the signal delay on the actors mics based on their location on stage to take advantage of the Haas effect.
Orchestra
Microphones were added in the orchestra pit so that the cast could hear the music in on-stage and off-stage singing locations, as well as to allow for balancing and clarity between instruments for the audience. Given the electronic keyboard instruments, additional speakers were placed in the orchestra pit to still source these digital instruments from the same location as the rest of the orchestra that could be heard acoustically by the audience.
Can you SEE what you hear?
Through a grant from the WFU Interdisciplinary Arts Center we acquired a Rational Acoustics SMAART system, which allows the user to visually see what the audience hears using a measurement microphone. This allowed the design team to adjust settings on the sound system to ensure proper intelligibility, even loudness throughout the seating area, and to balance the speakers.
Assistant Sound Designer
Large scale musicals would not be possible without the help of an assistant sound designer. Read more about assistant sound designer Julia Medina's process and experience here, as well as see the documentation created to help implement the sound design.
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