Drama IGCSE - Sound terms

Sound

The effects audience hears during performance to communicate character, context, or environment

Sound Design

• Functional → e.g. practical sounds (gunshot) to coincide with an action on stage

• Atmospheric – i.e. possibility of using underscoring (may include music but may also be form of a soundscape)

• Incidental – where sound used to cover moments of transition (e.g. between scenes or to cover the placing of stage props).

Sound effects

• Recorded – often abbreviated to FX. There are many sources for recorded sound effects, from compact discs to downloading from the internet. May form an obvious part of the action (train arriving at station) or may be in the background throughout a scene (e.g. birds chirping).

• Live – gunshots, door slams, and offstage voices (amongst many others) are most effective when done live.

Sound Elements

Music, sound effects, actors’ voices.