Hofstra Drama 20 – Sound for the Theatre

1- 9:13 PM, Axinn Library (Lobby), 1/28/14

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.

• People outside Hammer Lab, talking loudly, their voices mumbled and distorted by the glass doors of the library
• The rumblings of the people on the floor below me, trailing up through the open staircase
• The voices of the people at the front desk, helping those who need assistance

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.

• The clicking of nearby keyboards from the PC’s in the middle of the first floor
• The clicking of high heels against the tile floor as a woman exits the library
• Keys jingling as a Public Safety Officer approaches the front desk
• The turning of the pages of a book the man a few tables over is reading

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).

• The clicking of the keys on my friend’s Mac, as she types furiously away
• The vent above the outside door, continuously blowing
• The roll of a book cart across the floor of the Axinn
• The noise of sipping, as my friend enjoys her coffee

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.

• As would be expected in a library, there is not too much loud noise, however the sounds of people busy at work create a lot of sound activity.

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.

• Focused

7- Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment. Note: you need to try and figure out what sounds make up this environment and which of those sounds need to be there for the feeling of the environment to stay intact.

• The sound of the vent above the door
• The voices of those talking (well, practically yelling) outside the Axinn
• The turn of the pages