Gareth Fry
Sound Design for Theatre
Commonly used systems fall into the following types:
An operator manually operates a number of playback devices, for example CD players.
A computer hold a cue-list and triggers other playback systems, for example CD players, Samplers.
A computer holds a cue-list and plays back audio through a sound card
(c) Gareth Fry 2009
Show Control and Playback
This is perhaps the most confusing, as playback systems develop and change rapidly, become obsolete just as rapidly and are based on a range of technologies.
Nearly all the items in this section have emerged in the last 10-15 years. Only 15 years ago the most popular playback medium was 1/4” reel-to-reel tape.
During the 1990’s, playback systems were cobbled together from a range of devices originally designed for other purposes, notably Samplers.
Over the past 10 years computers have got powerful enough to take on playback and processing duties properly, and software solutions designed specifically for theatre are more prevalent.