Beyond narrative: sound design as dramaturgy in contemporary performance

Autobiographical performance is often characterised by a linguistic approach to storytelling. This paper presents discoveries from a practice-led research inquiry into the mediated translation of narrative elements within the making of autobiographical performance Train Tracks and Rooftops. Specifically, it presents the way sonic texts emerged within the process of translating away from narrative form. The paper sets out the technical aspects of the process and critiques the shift in meaning that comes from an understanding of sound dramaturgy and sound as performance architecture. The experience of the maker/performers' relationship to their live and mediated voice is discussed.

Time for tea

Contemporary dance has only recently gained the capability of mapping imagery into 3D theatre environments that appear to move towards and away from the audiences. This capability radically expands the metaphoric content possible in dance work. This dance performance simply named “3D” combines contemporary dance with stereoscopic and video imagery. It was performed live within the Melbourne Fringe Festival at the No Vacancy Gallery at Federation Square from September 30 to October 2, 2011. The dance character is a Victorian woman living in a drought-stricken land who dreams of having enough water for a cup of tea. The stereoscopic (3d) images are metaphors for her hopes and dreams. It was performed and animated by Megan Beckwith and the sound design was by the international sound designer Jacques Soddell.

Time for tea

Contemporary dance has only recently gained the capability of mapping imagery into 3D theatre environments that appear to move towards and away from the audiences. This capability radically expands the metaphoric content possible in dance work. This dance performance simply named “3D” combines contemporary dance with stereoscopic and video imagery. The dance character is a Victorian woman living in a drought-stricken land who dreams of having enough water for a cup of tea. The stereoscopic (3d) images are metaphors for her hopes and dreams. It was performed and animated by Megan Beckwith and the sound design was by the international sound designer Jacques Soddell.

Elves processing Christmas orders in an office SFX

A sound design that animates elves working in an office processing Christmas orders.

Arrow hitting wooden target (two takes- centred & L-C pan)

A sound design that animates elves working in an office processing Christmas orders.

Halloween witches and monsters SFX

A sound effect of vocal recordings and sound design depicting halloween styled monsters, witches, ghouls.

Halloween witches and monsters with bell SFX

A sound effect of vocal recordings and sound design depicting halloween styled monsters, witches, ghouls and a bell striking to midnight.

Deeper than the forest AMBIENT

A short instrumental featuring percussion, bells, synths, mandolin, and sound design.

Deeper than the forest AMBIENT with VOCAL

A short instrumental featuring ethereal female vocals, percussion, bells, synths, mandolin, and sound design.

Fear of music : sounded poetry and the poetry soundtrack

This essay proposes the term ‘poetry soundtrack’ for a form of sounded poetry that I have been practising for some years (examples of which can be found in this issue of Axon). The poetry soundtrack is a sonic object made up of original poetry, music, and sound design. Such a form is now being produced—under various names—by numerous poets, thanks to the development of the Digital Audio Workstation (or DAW). In my essay, I argue that the poetry soundtrack has occupied an aesthetic no man’s land between avant-garde ‘sound poetry’ and documentary-style recordings of poetry readings. I propose that a general ‘fear of music’ has led critics to favour such forms, and concomitantly to ignore musico-poetic forms of sounded poetry. In addition, I analyse the ‘digital poetics’ that can be found in producing sounded poetry with a DAW, especially with regard to the ‘vocal staging’ that such technology can produce in the poetry soundtrack.

Car

This digital creative output is a 'poetry soundtrack', an audio work comprised of original poetry, music, and sound design.

Another A.M. dream

The digital creative output is a 'poetry soundtrack', an audio work comprised of original poetry, music, and sound design.

A.M.

This digital creative output is a 'poetry soundtrack', an audio form comprised on original poetry, music, and sound design.

Another dream

This digital creative output is a 'poetry soundtrack', an audio form comprised of original poetry, music, and sound design.