Sample Sound Design

Design Brief
What Was Done Then?
Running The Show

The Show

This is a design for a production of "Sunday In The Park With George", a musical by Sondheim, which was performed in the O'Reilly Theatre, Keble College, Oxford. This is a 200 seat studio theatre with a flat stage and raked seating. There is a balcony along the stage left side of the stage and auditorium. This is where the band, consisting of strings, three woodwind, electric piano and synth were sat.

Design Brief

This is a musical, with a live band and several principal singers. There are several chorus numbers, which also need to be catered for. The band are located on the extreme stage left, which will lead to a slightly unbalanced sound for the audience. There are several sound effects, including a rowing boat and a soundscape of city noise in Chicago.

What Was Done Then?!

Sound effects sourced from the internet and BBC sound effects CD's. Rowing sound was cut down and looped using Wavelab, and city sounds were combined to produce the Chicago soundscape using Cubasis VST.

Two minidisc decks with "autopause" for sound effect playback.

Four radio microphones for principals (George, Marie etc.)

Three float microphones across the front of the stage, and two shotguns on stands in the wings upstage for dialogue and chorus. These will be used in preference to the radios as much as possible.

Compressors used on each of the four radio microphones to smooth out sound and remove volume spikes.

Graphic equaliser placed across stereo mix from stage microphones and EQ's to remove troublesome frequencies and reduce the likelihood of feedback.

Band was dealt with using overhead microphones (M201's) for strings and woodwind, and DI boxes for the piano and synth. They were mixed mainly to the stage right side of the auditorium at a low level to balance out the sound.

Full range speakers were hung level with the front of the stage on either side as a stereo pair for sound effects. A further one was hung centrally for the vocals, with another centrally half-way up the auditorium. Subs were placed upstage for bass and the city rumble.

A powered monitor speaker was placed at the conductors feet to provide a mix of the vocals on stage.

An SM58 dynamic microphone was placed on a stand in the wings, to be used for a dog which sings offstage.

Running The Show

Show was mixed on an Allen and Heath GL2200, with the four group outputs feeding the four speakers, and the main L-R output running the subs. A pre-fade Aux send was used to provide the mix for the conductors monitor.

The radio mics were all worn in the hair, with the wire running down the back and the transmitter concealed around the waist.

The sound was mixed to produce as natural a sound as possible, using mainly the ambient microphones onstage. The radios were at a low level to provide clarity for the lead parts.