Hofstra Drama 20 – Sound for the Theatre

Wednesday, April 21nd, 2021 at 3:03pm

Location: 10th Floor of the Axinn Library

Farthest Sounds: planes flying by, the elevator moving here and there, birds (crows?) outside, sometimes hitting the windows with their wings

Medium Sounds: gusts of wind, occasional thunder, the heater making noises, chairs and film equipment being moved around, fun music being softly played in between takes

Closest Sounds: my friends and I talking and laughing, my friends and I in awe of the sudden tremendous downpour, the sound of very heavy rain thrashing itself at the windows and the ceiling, closer thunder, us shuffling around, dancing, goofing and enjoying the rain, keys jingling

Sound Description / Level: loud, yet peaceful — I love the sound of pouring rain. I don’t care for light rain and I dislike “average” rain. It sucked that it was pouring at times when we had class (like before sound class), but it was enjoyable now because we were in the library the entire time just enjoying it from the inside.

Important Sounds: laughter and dancing, keys jingling, the sudden downpour and thunder, moving of equipment

April 9, 2021 at 2:55 PM

 Location: Physical Education Building; Hofstra’s vaccine site

Far Sounds: The doors opening and closing and people enter and exit the building, the names of students being called when their 15 minutes wait time is over

Medium Sounds: People walking, conversations between the student and the person administrating their test next to me, chairs scraping on the floor as people get up and sit down, a custodian sanitizing the chairs after each person leaves

Close sounds: The woman administration my vaccine typing on the computer, the questions she asks me as she fills out the necessary forms, her chair rolling over towards me, my breathing getting more exaggerated as she gets ready to place in needle in my arm

Sound Description/Level: Medium to low, the environment is continuously moving which heightens the sound level and then mellows out for a few moments

Important Sounds: Doors opening and closing, typing on the computer, and various conversations

4/9/2021, 11:59 pm, HofUSA

Sounds farthest away from me: People will talk frequently, more of it coming from the back in the kitchen, sometimes they’ll even shout out orders that are ready. I’m not sure what is being discussed in the larger dining area, but I’ll hear laughter sometimes.

Sounds at a medium range from me: The whir of the milkshakes being made, the ice being shuffled from the ice machine, and the check up of utensil inventory. There is never a dull moment when there are no orders.

Sounds closest to me: I am in the side room, the room right in front of the register. The show, Friends, is playing on the TV behind me with the occasional commercial running. I half expect to hear Joey say “How you doin’”, but it never comes. It’s always the same canned laughter being played.

The general sound level and amount of sound activity: Although there is a lot of activity, there is not a whole lot of sound being produced, so the whole sound level is low

One word description to the “sound environment”: Entertaining

Three sounds which are essential to the sound environment: Intermittent talking, the shuffling of ice, and the canned laughter from Friends.

Friday April 9th 2021 7:14pm

Location: ZAT House

Farthest Sounds: cars driving across front street, the wind whooshing by as the car past each other, horns, an ice cream truck’s melody is heard as it passes by the house

Medium Sounds: the fish tank bubbling in the next room, Harrison getting ready for Phaedra on Zoom in his room, the neighbor’s kids outside playing around

Closest Sounds: Josh and I gabbing about our days, Josh typing on his computer, someone is revving motorcycle VERY loudly outside

Sound Description/ Level: Medium to low noise – very relaxed atmosphere (excited to see Phaedra in under an hour!)

Important Sounds: Harrison’s zoom, Josh’s laugh, SUPER NOISY CYCLE

Thursday, April 8th, 2021 at 1:12pm

Location: Pride Park, near the Ratt

Farthest Sounds: cars driving by, planes flying by, the occasional beeping of car horns, skateboarders, music being played from the distance, girls laughing

Medium Sounds: birds chirping, occasional wind, grass and leftover leaves rustling, people walking in the grass, Hofstra workers driving by here and there in their little Hof-mobiles

Closest Sounds: me tapping on the screens of my iPad and phone in order to do a homework assignment, my friend typing on her computer as she sits on zoom for class, our other friend watching videos on her phone, our other three friends talking amongst themselves

Sound Description / Level: relaxing and peaceful — summer is arriving very quickly and this entire week has been beautiful out. It was pleasant especially for such a stressful week

Important Sounds: talking from different places, laughter, birds chirping, rustling of grass and leaves, homework and zoom — our screens being tapped, our friends talking

Thursday March 25, 2021 8:05 pm

Location: on the steps of an Airbnb, the location of a senior film shoot

Farthest Sounds: Cars passing on the road nearby, a person flickering a lighter to light a cigarette in the yard, people talking inside the house

Medium Sounds: Crickets chirping, a car pulling into the driveway, car doors opening and closing, the car being locked, people loading bags out of trunks, tree branches moving wildly in the wind

Closest Sounds: The wind blowing loudly, the door opening and closing, people’s footsteps as they enter and exit the location

Sound Description/Level: Medium and hectic. There are a lot of active noises but not overwhelming.

Important Sounds: People’s footsteps, the wind blowing, cars passing by

Friday, March 26th 3:00

Location: sitting in my car on Hofstra’s Campus, Outside of Breslin 

Farthest Sounds: People speaking to each other as they pass by, people watching videos on their phones as they pass by

Medium Sounds: cars driving by(the tires going over the asphalt), music blasting from cars, squeaky breaks, and horns honking(lol) 

Closest Sounds: the surprisingly strong wind blowing, plants and trees rustling 

Sound Description/Level: Medium. There is a lot of life going on which gives it a busier feeling but it all kind of blends in the background. 

Important Sounds: The tires on the asphalt, people talking and the trees rustling from the wind. 

3/26/2021, 6:15, Quarantine housing in Colonial Square (Salem, suite 928)

Sounds farthest away from me: Although confined to one space, I can still enjoy the amazing weather we’re having. As the wind whooshes from outside, and dives through my window. Birds chirping, trees rustling, people walking, and then finally a rusty cart rolls on bye. Completely covered in brown paper bags, food for those imprisoned in quarantine housing.

Sounds at a medium range from me: Paper bags being placed, followed by a knock, signalling that dinner has arrived. Metal doors, opening one by one, to pick up the precarious meal before them. Eager to eat, they rush back inside, as the metal door shuts with a metallic thud.

Sounds closest to me: Other than the keys I punch into my computer, there is not much noise at the center. Occasionally, the A/C unit in the room will loop harmoniously with the winds from outside. The only other predominant sound found at the center is myself, as my stomach growls with its own eager maw.

The general sound level and amount of sound activity: The general sound level is low and the amount of sound activity is sparsely placed throughout the house.

One word description to the “sound environment”: Suspense, the culmination of these subtle sounds can make or break a man’s sanity.

Three sounds which are essential to the sound environment: Rickety rusty carts, metal doors opening, and my stomach growling.

Friday, March 26th 4:07pm

Location: The front steps of my house 

Farthest Sounds: students talking and walking down the street on the way to campus, cars speeding on Front Street, a distant car horn (someone is MAD)

Medium Sounds: the ice cream truck parked two houses down, people inside my house running up and down the staircase, birds sitting on our fence chirping  

Closest Sounds: the next door neighbors talking in their back yard, the Spanish music playing in our neighbors’ backyard, the slurping sound I make as I throw back a nice glass of strawberry wine, the wind rustling the leaves on our trees in the from yard and plants next to me on the stoop (kinda a papery crunchy like sound) 

Sound Description/Level: Bubbly – there are moments of stillness and quiet, but there is the occasional interruption of a melody or something reacting to their environment. Feels like a nice spring day. I could get used to days like this. 

Important Sounds: the sound of the wind almost feels like it’s playing with my hair, the ice cream truck reminds me that the weather is turning finally and the warmer and sunnier it gets the happier I will be. This is what peace sounds like.