Preface to the Second Edition

There have been many changes in the world of theatre sound since the publication of Sound and Music for the Theatre: The Art and Technique of Design—the most important being the evolution of the use of digital technology and the decline of analogue playback devices. Once out of reach to most sound designers because of cost, MiniDisc and CD players are now commonplace in many theatres. An experience Deena had speaks to the rapid changes that have occurred in the tools we use to produce and perform our work.

In May of 1998, Deena participated in a multicultural event for her son’s elementary school in New York City. At the front of the auditorium there was a great deal of confusion prior to one of the school’s presentations. The presenters had informed the school that the music that they would be dancing to was on a record, but no one, it seemed had made a record player available for the performance. While teachers and staff scurried to locate a turntable, the announcer stalled for time in front of the increasingly restless 500 children ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade. “So today, children, we will be seeing a dance performed to music that is being played on a record player! How many of you have ever heard of a record player ?!”

Deena was amazed! Less than one-third of the audience raised their hands. Of course, these children were familiar with the latest in computer technology and, in their formative years, will witness the advent of technological advances of such sophistication to rival only the coming of television. Surely some of them had parents (or grandparents?) at home who furtively held on to all their vinyl LPs. But we imagine that by the year 2010, very few children will even know what a cassette is. Or was.

These technological changes and feedback we have received from our readers prompted us to look at our book with fresh eyes. With this edition, we not only bring digital technology into the discussion, but we also invited other voices to share their experiences as working sound designers and composers. We hope to bring our readers new information to fast-forward their sense of sound into the 21st century.