Software for Sound Designers

Software and tools for sound design are an important and contentious topic. Preferences aside, there are several valuable and mandatory pieces of kit that you will want to familiarize yourself with as you make a career in this industry.

A quick note: most of the programs we use are tailored for or exclusive to MacOS, and a show will unlikely run on anything else.

---

Sound Effects

Qlab

Qlab is the workhorse of our sound effects. You'd be hard-pressed to find a show on Broadway that doesn't rely on Qlab, for that matter, on any show anywhere. Qlab allows simple sound file playback, more complicated cueing structures, automation, interfacing, and more. If you only learn one program on the list, it should be this one.

Cost: Free basic version with professional licenses starting at $249

Canvas

Currently, in beta, Canvas is a new and innovative take on playback and show control. Incorporating an element-based programming structure, Canvas allows for incredibly unique and complex designs. You can explore and join their beta here to get a complete list of what Canvas can do.

---

Digital Audio Workstations

The choice of DAW is far more than I can cover here, but below are the most common, and you can't go wrong with any of them.

Pro Tools

Avid's Pro Tools is the standard DAW for most designers and music producers. It's been the industry standard since its release in 1989. I find it most useful for live recording, music production, and long-form audio content. Even if this isn't your preference, it's worth learning the basics of Pro Tools; chances are you'll have to work with it at some point in your career.

Cost: Free basic version with professional subscriptions ranging from $10 - $100 a month

Logic Pro

Apple's Logic Pro fits the niche of an inexpensive yet powerful DAW. It's a favorite of musicians, composers, and sound designers. Logic feels slick and simplifies designing exciting and unique effects, even using its standard plugins and sample library. Logic Pro is my personal favorite for creating sound effects and writing compositions.

Cost: $199.99 for a perpetual license

Ableton Live

Electronic musicians, producers, and composers adore part DAW, part instrument, Ableton Live. Ableton's focus on live music production and electronic production is unmatched. Our industry often uses it for more complex sound effect cueing or generating click tracks for pit musicians.

Cost: $99 basic version ranging to $749 full license suite

---

Drafting

Vectorworks

A necessary evil, Vectorworks is the industry standard drafting tool. We use it to draft speaker plots, signal flows, rack drawings, layouts, plans, and dimensions. Vectorworks is also a favorite of lighting designers. Designers will spend countless hours drafting and redrafting as plots get passed back and forth. The Spotlight extension is mandatory for our line of work. For those who prefer Vectorworks signal flows, ConnectCAD is worth being considered.

Cost: Spotlight Subscriptions from $153/month or $1530/year

AutoCAD

Where sound and lighting designers prefer VectorWorks for their drafting, scenic designers and technical directors often prefer AutoCAD. The primary difference is its workflow and slightly fewer resources for sound and lighting AutoCAD. The scope of differences is beyond this article. However, AutoCAD may be more difficult, so experiment with both to find your preference.

Cost: Subsection model at $245/month or $1,955/year, as well as a unique "Flex" option.

OmniGraffle

What OmniGraffle lacks in precision and depth, it makes up for in design and speed. OmniGraffle is a fantastic (and relatively cheap) drafting kit perfect for signal flows and rack drawings. Its stencil and magnet concept makes doing repetitive tasks and complicated diagrams a breeze. I personally use OmniGraffle for all of my signal flow drawings. In a pinch, OmniGraffle can also compete with its more expensive competitors on plots and dimensions.

Cost: Standard License $159, Pro License $249 or annual subscription of $124.99

---

Paperwork

Excel (or Google Sheets)

Spreadsheets spreadsheets and more spreadsheets. This one doesn't need explaining, but you will spend much time making and looking at tables, charts, and lists. Without them is chaos. Whatever you or your team uses, it's worth knowing some valuable formulas and formatting.

Cost: Office 360: $69.99/year

Filemaker Pro

Every sound system is a bespoke creation, and keeping track of everything, from the lists to the labels, is no easy task. Many in our industry have devised unique solutions through relational databases and Filemaker Pro. Filemaker Pro has allowed people to create custom software to help us track our shows and systems. From Kai Harada's Show Tracker to Daniel Lundberg's Minotaur and more, these Database software are core to the work of associates and production audios. Having a Filemaker license to use these solutions may not be necessary. Still, the more you use Filemaker, the better you will understand the power of what people have created for our use.

Cost: Perpetual Individual License $594

---

Honorable Mentions

Rogue Amoeba Suite

Rogue Amoeba's software will inevitably solve some problems you didn't know you had. From the internal routing capabilities of Loopback to the app recording of Audio Hijack and the core audio management of Sound Source, I use one of their products almost daily. While they are not directly useful for work in the theatre, having them on hand can be a Swiss army knife in your back pocket.

Cost: Prices range per software; explore their site for more detail.

Iced Audiofinder and Soundminer

As you start to amass a collection of sound effects, it can be tedious to dig through thousands and thousands of files to find the exact bird chirp or police siren. The best solution is an audio file and metadata library manager. Both Soundminer and AudioFinder categorize, sort, and log all your files and make them easy to find and search using metadata, tags, and more. Beyond library management, they can help you edit and tailor your files within the program before shipping them off into your DAW for final touches.

Cost: Iced AudioFinder $79.95, Soundminer starting at $199

Splice and CoSo

Splice and CoSo are my secret music composition weapons. Building on the endless sample library on Splice, CoSo allows you to quickly and effortlessly build loops and basic compositions with just swipes and taps. CoSo is my starting place for building any electronic composition

Cost: Subscriptions starting at 12.99/month

Wrap Up:

Got questions about software or want more suggestions (maybe a part 2?) Leave a comment below or email me at: OwenMeadowsDesign@gmail.com

Owen

The Shop Build

One of the central parts of any New York or large regional show is the "Shop Prep," an essential step in the production when the sound system comes together.

The name "Shop Build" refers to the various rental shops from which shows rent their equipment for the duration of their Broadway stint, tour, or out-of-town experience. In essence, the shop build is when the sound team works with the rental shop to acquire, assemble, test, and ship all of the equipment used in the production. The build can take a few days for a small workshop to multiple weeks for a Broadway musical or national tour. The process follows the same steps regardless of the show or the shop.

Equipment Bid and Preparation

Three leading sound rental shops in the New York area provide equipment for Broadway and large regional productions. Sound Associates, Production Rental Group (PRG), And Masque Sound and Recording (the last two are technically in New Jersey). The process starts with an initial bid where each shop quotes a cost for the desired rental equipment chosen by the designer. This may include substitutions for equipment that may not be available. How a production chooses which shop to work with is beyond this post, but once a shop is selected, the sound team will move on to paperwork and preparation.

Preparation includes making any necessary substitutions for equipment, submitting lists for cable, and coordinating any additional needs that come up as the production moves forward. All of this is done with an assigned project manager from the shop who will oversee your rental for the duration of your build and beyond. Once the length and dates of the build are booked with the shop, the sound team, typically the production audio, will coordinate the labor that will help assemble the show with the production staff and design team at the shop.

Getting To Know The Shop

There is much to know about how a shop functions and what to expect from your first few days. The first and most important things to know are your "Zone" and "Captain."

Your zone is the area of the shop that you will prep in. This is where your equipment will be delivered, and all the work will happen. Shops will divide their zones between as many shows as they have prepping at a given time. The shop captain (sometimes called "key") is the shop staff assigned to your production and zone. They help retrieve equipment, manage inventory, and ensure you have everything. They are your direct line of communication for any questions or requests. Sometimes a captain may be assigned to more than one zone. Your show captain is vital to the success of your build, so make sure to treat them well and respect their time. It's best to make requests with detailed lists and quantities before you send them running back and forth for every bit of gear you may be missing.

The different quirks and staff departments around the shop are also worth knowing. Each shop does things slightly differently, has a different inventory, and even other cable types. The differences are many so ask questions and rely on your captains and production team to help you. As for staff, each shop divides its equipment or services into different departments; these departments may comprise one person or a group of people who specialize in something. Typically you will find computers, manufacturing, radio frequency (RF), console departments, and many others specific to each shop. Try to get to know each department's members; they are often great resources in solving problems on your build.

The Build

Your first time working in a shop build can be intimidating for newcomers. The prep process may be rushed and rag-tag or slow and methodical, but in either case, the process centers around some fundamental pillars of how a show is put together.

Bundles and Tails

Before shop prep, the associate designer and production audio will have sketched the sound system and prepared the paperwork for all the cables interconnecting the show. The first task is bundling that cable.

Bundles

A Sound Design Tech table containing 6 cables. flagged ends are marked with green gaff tape

A bundle -- sometimes called a "loom" in other parts of the country-- is a group of cables attached with friction tape to mimic a single cable. This makes for easier runs and better organization during load-in. When making a bundle, you'll typically be given a "bundle sheet" listing the bundle's contents and corresponding cable labels. The bundle sheet lists each cable's source, destination, and "flagged" end. One end of each cable is wrapped with colored gaff tape according to the sheet. This "flag" tells the person bundling the cable which end of each cable is grouped together in the bundle -- all flags on one side. When gathered, it can be bundled and checked off the list. Some shops will bundle your cable using shop staff, but you may have to bundle your own others.

A 9-Pair Male XLR Mult tail

Mult and Tails

Connecting all the equipment for a show takes a lot of cable and many bundles. The core audio cable we use is the multi-cable. A multi-cable or "Mult" carries multiple audio signals in a tight and compact package. In New York, you will usually find Wireworks G-Block multi-cable in various combinations from 3-Pair (3 lines) up to 19-Pair (19 lines). Each end of the mult is a set of "tails" These are the individual connections (usually XLR) in each multi-cable. Tails can vary from "fan" style single XLR cables to multi-port stage boxes or rack-mountable panels. Each shop varies in the type and style of mult they carry, but they all accomplish the same goal. In any case, shows contain hundreds of tail sets that must be labeled and accounted for during the shop prep.

Racks

With cable dealt with, it's time to tackle equipment racks. Each piece of gear on a show is installed into racks throughout the theatre, from front of house to backstage, booths, grids, and more. When you first build a rack, it's helpful to understand their unique measurements and styles.

The install racks for Griswolds Broadway Vacation. Taken at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle

Equipment racks come in a few different styles that are useful for different scenarios. The first and most used is the "Rack Insert" These racks are typically smaller and built from plywood with a set of rails on the front and back. They come with matching "surrounds" -- road cases -- for transport. You usually find "Install" or "MRK" racks for heavier-duty or more complicated builds. These racks are built from steel and come in larger sizes, are deeper than inserts, and have front, back, and middle mounting rails that can be adjusted. You may also see the occasional "double wide" install rack.

The many different styles and sizes of audio racks may be intimidating to sort through initially. Still, they are all based on the simple industry standard "rack units" (abbreviated to RU or just U). One RU equals 1.75 inches, and all rack equipment is built in multiples of this measurement. So a 3RU rack drawer is a drawer that takes up 3 rack unit spaces. Similarly, a 16U rack insert has 16 rack units worth of space.

A drawing of an SM Tech Rack with Com and video. Stek Plates are detailed A and B

Rack Drawings

Building your first rack starts with the rack drawing. This drawing shows the layout of the rack as designed by the associate and the production audio. The paperwork shows the type and position of each piece of gear and may (or may not) come with a signal flow diagram of how it all gets connected. There may be some flexibility in the layout of the rack, but it's best to check with your team if you can make adjustments.

Stek Plates

When we connect a cable to a piece of equipment in a rack, it can be a hassle to get into the rack and plug a bundle into something like an amp or processor. To make things easier, connections coming into the rack typically go through "steks." A stek is a blank 1U panel that can be customized with plates of different connectors and pass-throughs, including mult tails. These are outlined in the rack drawings and connection accordingly. The stek panels are convenient patch points for bundles and cables when the system is installed.

Testing

Once cables and tails are done and racks have been built, it's time to assemble them for testing. While conditions in a shop are different than in the theatre, testing with a setup as close to show conditions as you can manage is vital. All the racks are placed together in groups as they would be in the space, front of house is set up with the console, and bundles are run out to their corresponding locations. Once wired up, every input, speaker, com, and video line should be tested and checked with their proper cabling. Doing this ahead of time in the shop help to catch anything that may have been missed while you still have time and space to fix things, as well as find any gear that might need to be fixed.

Pack and Push

The final step of the shop build is getting it all out the door. Racks inserts are put into their surrounds, Installed racks are covered and wheeled away, and every cable, speaker, and loose piece of equipment is packed into road cases. Every case and rack is labeled (sometimes gaff tape and Sharpie, sometimes fancy labels) with a number, its contents, and where in the theatre it should go during load-in. The production sound person often decides what goes in each box beforehand, and a detailed list is kept.

Once in boxes, you will either push them directly onto the trucks or stage them for the shop employees to end up in trucks later. The truck layout will be specifically laid out for tours or larger shows so that each case arrives in the proper order and is unloaded efficiently and safely. Smaller shows that can usually fit on a truck or two may be laxer about how you stage your cases.

When it's all said and done, your show zone should be empty, and boxes should be on their way to the theatre.

Wrap up

Congrats! You've just finished your first shop build. This process is core to the success of any show and very often the majority of work you will find in the city. It may be intimidating at first, but the process will be second nature after a few times.

If you have more questions about shop prep or want to hear more about rack building or other topics, comment below or email me at OwenMeadowsDesign@gmail.com.

Happy building!

Owen

The Ears of Broadway - A Who's Who of Sound Teams

The best way to understand the world of Broadway sound is to start with a look at the people who make it happen. Unlike smaller community or regional theatre's where one sound person has multiple responsibilities, the sound of a New York show is the culmination of many audio people, all with particular skills and duties. While some hierarchy does exist, teams generally work together to get a show on its feet. Every team in every production functions with its own rules and delegation, but this is a general overview of who you'll see credited on a Broadway show.

The Sound Designer

The Sound Designer is the creative mastermind of the team. They are responsible for the entire aural environment of the show. This means designing an effective sound system and sound effects and, in some cases, even helping to manage the acoustic properties of the theatre itself. The designer works with the director, music team, and other departments to determine the content and needs of the show's sound. Based on this, they will design their system, including speaker placement, microphones for musicians and actors, and any other unique needs of the show. Each designer has their own distinct style. Some are composers or more content-focused, while others specialize in system design and supporting the natural sound of the actors and musicians. Though each designer is different, their work is always in service of the collective vision of the show.

The Associate

The Associate Designer sits right in the middle of the audio team; they are as much an ambassador as they are a secretary. Their primary responsibility is to take the designer's system and distill it into its parts and determine how it gets put together. The associate will also design video and communication systems between all departments. This means generating paperwork detailing the designed speaker positions, equipment rack layouts, and the miles of cable that keep it all connected. This requires a good understanding of their designer's individual peculiarities, aesthetics and how they envision their system functioning. Because of this, most associates will regularly, if not exclusively, work for the same designer repeatedly. Beyond the system, the associate is there to help create sound effects and communicate with the other departments.

The Assistant

The assistant is an associate with less responsibility and less agency. Like the associate, they are responsible for generating paperwork and working with the designer on the system and sound effects. However, they typically have less oversight and agency to make decisions independently. They may pass important meeting questions or decisions to the designer or associate rather than decide on their behalf. Often they are responsible for keeping paperwork up to date, distributing documents, and aiding the associate and designer with whatever else they need. Most shows either hire an associate or an assistant, but as shows get bigger, hiring both is becoming more common.

Production Audio

aka Production Sound aka Production Sound Engineer

What the design team puts on paper, the Production Sound person makes a reality. Their primary job is to oversee and manage the installation of the sound system. This means taking what the designer and the associate have laid out on paper and determining how that can be achieved. They will plan rigging, manage labor and budgets, and oversee the installation of every cable, speaker, and rack. Their job is to ensure the system functions as the designer wants and achieves it on budget and time. They often work with the design team to determine the most effective way to interconnect the system or specify equipment for video and communications. Once loaded in, the production person will be in charge of maintaining the system and overseeing any equipment changes, adjustments, or replacements. A Production person may sometimes have an assistant, associate, or "advance" team that helps them share the workload.

A1

aka Audio 1 aka Head Sound aka Mixer

The A1 is probably the first person an audience member thinks of when you say "sound person" The A1 is responsible for operating the show night after night. "Operating" is different for every show, but typically it means mixing the actor microphones and band and taking sound effects. In tech, the designer and the A1 will develop the sound of the show; once opened, the A1 needs to be able to re-create that sound every night. Not only does that mean pushing faders the same way or taking the cues properly, but it also means adapting to the myriad changes night to night. Understudies, new musicians, and even the weather and size of the audience will change how a show sounds between performances. The A1 does their best to wrangle these factors and keep the show sounding as close as possible to the designer's original intention.

A2

aka Audio 2 aka Deck Audio

While the A1 takes care of things in the house during the show, the A2 (or multiple A2s) handles things backstage. Their primary responsibility is the wireless microphones during show conditions. During tech, the A2 will construct and maintain the custom rigs used to place microphones on the actors according to the designer's needs, whether in a wig, secured to the actor's ear, or even hidden in a beard or hat. During show runs, the A2 will test the microphones, get them to the actors, and monitor them during the performance. They will also assist the musicians with any issues that comes up in the pit. As the A1 is actively mixing the show, the A2 is the first person to help troubleshoot problems backstage. On longer-running shows, the A2 often trains on the mix as a substitute or stand in for the A1.

*If you want to learn more about the roles of A1 and A2 Adam Savage of Mythbusters did a great set of videos here and here featuring the team from Hamilton in San Francisco in 2020.

Recognition

With some rare exceptions, every show on Broadway comes to life with some combination of the roles above. It may be surprising that just a few sound people run mega-musicals eight times a week. Everyone has their particular skill set and job, and most go unnoticed in the grand scheme. If you want to learn more about Broadway sound, or start a career in the industry, start by recognizing the people who put it all together. You'll find most of their names in a small typeface at the back of the playbill. But don't be fooled; they are all integral to the success of every Broadway show.

Have questions about these roles or learn what it takes to make shows happen? Leave a comment below, or feel free to email me at owenmeadowsdesign@gmail.com

Owen