Chintarmanya Vivian (VO)
APAUT3 - Listening Task 2
Choose a live video performance, of an artist/song of your choice. Discuss and explore acoustic topics covered in class, and how they affect/are considered/are leveraged to achieve the recorded outcome.
Acoustic Challenges of 'Hamilton the Musical'
‘Hamilton the Musical’ has a challenge: to represent music and vocals clearly in a large space for every audience member. The instruments provide as much character representation as the lyrics do (Evans, 2015) and need to be balanced alongside the vocals.
To address this challenge, ‘Hamilton’ uses diffusion and transmission through a combination of set design and the theatre’s acoustics to achieve clarity and maximum transmission of audio.
This YouTube clip (Bookstudy, 2021) showcases the production being performed at the Richard Rodgers Theatre to a seating capacity of 1300 (Lederman, 2016).
Bookstudy (28 Mar 2021) 'Hamilton - Aaron Burr, Sir / My Shot' [online video], Disney+, accessed 20 March 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1izVfVpBwE
The Set
The wooden set assists in reflecting soundwaves generated by the activity on stage with its reduction of flat surfaces (The Physics Classroom, 2021). Even the ‘bricks’ on the back of the set are made of plastic and wood (Dingfelder, 2018). This diffuses the sound on stage and reduces any build-ups of frequency to ensure clarity.​The floor is the only flat surface and the performers pick up a noticeable reverberation from the early reflections. This is in contrast to the performers on the scaffolding at 6:02, where they are further away from the floor. This intentionally provides a longer reverberation time, and gives the sound more of a chorus feel.
Figure 1: Dingfelder, S (2018) 'Image of the Hamilton Set [Photograph], Washington Post, © Sadie Dingfelder, courtesy: Washington Post, accessed 24 March 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2018/05/31/7-hamilton-set-secrets/.
The Theatre
‘Hamilton’ incorporates the design of the Richard Rodger’s Theatre to ensure each section has uniform clarity. The venue utilises strategically placed speakers, flat surfaces and an overhead dome (Lederman, 2016).
The dome provides acoustical reinforcement to areas which may be diminished due to absorptive materials that make up the seating (Colleran, 2012). And the flat surfaces of the walls of the theatre ensures that the sound travels to the back of the theatre for maximum transmission.
Figure 2: Irwin Seating Company (2023) 'Image of the Richard Rodger's Theatre - Front [Photograph], Irwin Seating Company, © Irwin Seating Company, courtesy: Irwin Seating Company, accessed 26 March 2023. https://www.irwinseating.com/case-studies/richard-rodgers-theatre
Figure 3: Irwin Seating Company (2023) 'Image of the Richard Rodger's Theatre - Side [Photograph], Irwin Seating Company, © Irwin Seating Company, courtesy: Irwin Seating Company, accessed 26 March 2023. https://www.irwinseating.com/case-studies/richard-rodgers-theatre