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There are many ways to introduce and teach the skill of sound design in the classroom – but a good place to start is with key terms and definitions.
Direct your students to this blog for a clear, concise, and illustrated glossary of key sound terminology, perfect for your next technical theatre lesson!
Check out our existing glossaries...
- Theatre Glossary: 70+ Simple Definitions Everyone Should Know
- ELA Glossary: 30+ Simple Definitions Everyone Should Know
- Costume Glossary: 20+ Essential Definitions Everyone Should Know
DIEGETIC SOUND
Sounds the characters can hear on-stage or on-screen.
EMOTION
A strong feeling arising from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.
ENVIRONMENT
The surroundings or conditions in which the play takes place.
FOLEY
The reproduction of everyday sound effects to enhance the auditory experience. Foley is often added in post-production to add in 'missing' sounds for a more believable experience.
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Explore Foley in our three-part How To: Sound e-learning series...
NON-DIEGETIC SOUND
Sounds that the characters cannot hear, but that help to create the mood or atmosphere of a production. For example, music playing over a montage scene.
SOUND DESIGN
The process of recording, developing, or creating audio elements to achieve a certain tone or effect for a production.
Introduce your students to sound design with this Key Concepts episode...
SOUND EFFECT
A sound recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point without the use of dialogue or music.
SOUND PALETTE
A library of consistent sounds that the designer can draw from to unify an audio piece (much like a visual artist uses a variety of colors to create a unified piece).
SOUNDSCAPE
A combination of sounds that creates the sensation of a particular acoustic environment. For example, the soundscape of a playground would be very different from that of a hospital.
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SOUNDTRACK
Music accompanying and synchronized to the action on-stage or on-screen.
TRANSITION
When the music or action is changing from one location or time to another on-stage.
UNDERSCORING
Music that plays under the dialogue or action on-stage or on-screen.
This glossary has been adapted from Unlocking Sound: Discover, Explore, Assess, written by Julie Benitez and Kirsten Giard Branch. This resource is available to customers on the DT+ platform.
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