Hofstra Drama 20 – Sound for the Theatre

1 – 2/6/14 – 5:10pm – Costco, Nesconset

2 – Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.
-A piece, that sounds like it’s in a Major key, being played loudly on one of the demo baby grand pianos.
-A Costco worker’s voice as she describes “Brownie Brittle” to customers.
-Customers talking back and forth.

3 – Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.
-Multiple cart wheels rolling on the concrete floor.
-Someone opening a refrigerator door and closing it suddenly.
-A customer picking up a cereal box.

4 – Identify and list the sounds closest to you.
-The constant humming of the refrigerators.
-A fellow shopper saying “Oh, I’m sorry,” as he brushed past me.
-A Costco employee operating a beeping, motorized hand cart in order to move pallets and stock items.

5 – Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.
-It wasn’t as busy as it normally is at Costco, probably because I was there in the early evening. Both the sound level and sound activity were tolerable this time around. It was easy to have a conversation with the person next to you without having to shout or ask them to repeat themselves.

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

7 – Select and list 3 sounds which are essential to the sound environment.
-The Costco employee asking customers to sample the food.
-The refrigerators’ humming.
-The operation of the motorized hand cart.

1- Feb 27, 10:10pm, Dutch Treats

2- The door to the store bumps open and closes every so often as students exit or enter, plastic bags rustle as items are put in them, a general hum of conversation

3- The refrigerated display hums loudly, the mini oven of the sandwich place beeps to signify something is done warming, a worker is fussing with some food items – perhaps cutting something (it is difficult to tell by sound what exactly he is doing due to the incessant humming of the refrigerator)

4- The squeaking of shoes and crinkling of chip bags as people shift in line, I can hear several more distinct conversations regarding/complaining about how long the line is, that it is “taking forever” and that they should open up the second register.

5- The general sound level is at a medium high – the “background” noises are loud, making things a little more indistinct. The sound activity is also about a medium high

6- Impatient

7- the more distinct conversations about the checkout line, the humming of the refrigerator, and the rustling of the people waiting in line