re: Microphones!!- Page 2

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 11/20/06 at 12:01pm

Gypsy9, you make some great points. Sound design for theater is an art, and has to be practiced with great skill to not detract from the overall experience.

I find that the best sounding shows usually have some of the live sound of the pit audible in the house. Unfortunately an open pit is often sacrificed so that elaborate sets and hydraulic lifts can be installed under the stage. At times members of the band, or even the entire band, have to play from separate rooms to allow more space for lifts and trapdoors. In this case there's no hope of a natural soundscape.

One thing that has long driven me up the wall about the sound reinforcement of "Mega Musicals" is the loss of directionality that results from the actor's voices all coming from the front fills regardless of where they are on stage. This was particularly annoying in the Broadway Ragtime, where I would find myself searching for actors who might be singing from anywhere on the elaborate set. Sound designer Jonathan Deans has solved this problem for The Pirate Queen. The sound seems to always eminate from the location where the actors are singing. My understanding is that some sort of new "tracking" device is being used to have the sound reinforcement appear to come from each actor's current location. In general Pirate Queen sounds wonderful in the house, and not harsh or artificial.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 11/20/06 at 12:05pm

One nice thing about the Kennedy Center Sondheim festival was how open the pit was, especially since that hadn't been the case in some of the original productions.

Btw, this article may be of interest:

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm?int_news_id=4778

[kelzama]

Posted: 11/20/06 at 1:35pm

Regarding microphones: Please don't make up for a lack of talent with an exponential increase in volume.