Guides: Sound Design: Sound Reference + History

Digital Resources

Selected Sound Ebooks

A/V A to Z: An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Media, Entertainment and Other Audiovisual Terms by Richard W. Kroon
ISBN: 9780786444052
Publication Date: 2010
Defining more than 10,000 words and phrases from everyday slang to technical terms and concepts, this dictionary of the audiovisual language embraces more than 50 subject areas within film, television, and home entertainment.
Dramaturgy of Sound in the Avant-Garde and Postdramatic Theatre by Mladen Ovadija
ISBN: 077354173X
Publication Date: 2013
In this surprising, resourceful study, Mladen Ovadija makes a case for the centrality of sound as an integral element of contemporary theatre. He argues that sound in theatre inevitably "betrays" the dramatic text, and that sound is performance. Until recently, theatrical sound has largely been regarded as supplemental to the dramatic plot. Now, however, sound is the subject of renewed interest in theatrical discourse.

Sound Databases + Web Resources

Arts & Humanities Database This link opens in a new window
Full-text scholarly coverage of art, architecture, design, history, music and theater. from 1970 to the present.
Oxford History of Western Music This link opens in a new window
The Full Text of Oxford History of Western Music, by Richard Taruskin.
Garland Encyclopedia of World Music This link opens in a new window
More than 9,000 pages of material, combined with entries by more than 700 expert contributors from all over the world.
CREDO Reference This link opens in a new window
A premier virtual reference collection including encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, images, audio files, and videos in a wide expanse of subject areas.

Physical Materials in the Library

Searching the Library Collections

Materials in the library are organized by subject. Browsing the shelves of the library in-person can help you discover new work, materials, inspiration, and connections. Listed below are general call number ranges for sound and theatre at UNCSA Library:

ML162-197 - Music history and criticism > By Period
ML198-360.6 - Music history and criticism > By Region/Country
ML3544-3776 - Music history and criticism > Folk, National, and Ethnic Music
ML3805-3817 - Physics and Acoustics
PN 2085-2091 - Theatre > Stage and Accessories
TA365-367 - Acoustics in engineering; Acoustical engineering
TK7800-8360 - Electronics

You can search our digital and in-library collections simultaneously by title, author, subject, or keyword via LibrarySearch. Click Advanced Search for additional search criteria (like material type, language, year, etc.).

Selected Print Books

The Art of Theatrical Sound Design by Victoria Deiorio
Call Number: PN2091.S6 D44 2019 - Stacks (3rd Floor)
ISBN: 9781474257794
Publication Date: 2019
Emphasising the artistry behind the decisions made by theatrical sound designers, this guide is for anyone seeking to understand the nature of sound and how to apply it to the stage. Through tried-and-tested advice and lessons in practical application, The Art of Theatrical Sound Design allows developing artists to apply psychology, physiology, sociology, anthropology and all aspects of sound phenomenology to theatrical sound design. Structured in three parts, the book explores, theoretically, how human beings perceive the vibration of sound; offers exercises to develop support for storytelling by creating an emotional journey for the audience; considers how to collaborate and communicate as a theatre artist; and discusses how to create a cohesive sound design for the stage.
Sound Systems: Design and Optimization by Bob McCarthy
Call Number: Ref. TK7881.4 .M42 2010 - Production - Lighting & Sound & Tech, Browsery (2nd Floor)
ISBN: 9780240521565
Publication Date: 2009
Illustrated with color diagrams and screenshots throughout, this guide gives techniques to ensure perfect sound reinforcement and fulfill design needs. Outlining how sound is spread over a listening area, looking at the physics of speaker interaction, methods of alignment including mic placement, equalization, speaker placement and acoustic treatment, and case studies.
Digital Sound and Music by Jennifer Burg; Jason Romney; Eric Schwartz
Call Number: TK7881.4 .B795 2016 - Stacks (3rd Floor)
ISBN: 1590282744
Publication Date: 2016
Explores the science and mathematics of digital sound in a way that connects it to theatre, movies, and music production.
Show Networks and Control Systems (Formerly Control Systems for Live Entertainment) by John Huntington
Call Number: TK7881.9 .H86 2012 - Stacks (3rd Floor)
ISBN: 9780615655901
Publication Date: 2012
With a combined focus on computers, networks, control systems, art and practice, this book offers an in-depth examination of the control and networking technology used in lighting, lasers, sound, stage machinery, animatronics, special effects, and pyrotechnics for concerts, theme parks, theatre, themed-retail, cruise ships, museums, interactive performing arts, and special events.