Audio jargon

[brubart]

Can anyone explain these abbreviations?
LD (Lighting Director?)
SM (Sound Mixer?)


Thanks,
Bruce Bartlett

 

[rochem]

It really depends a lot on the context - what venue, what kind of show, what part of the country. But in general:

LD - usually means Lighting Designer, although it could be Lighting Director depending on the situation.

SM - almost always means Stage Manager. I can't imagine why someone would abbreviate Sound Mixer to be SM, because there would be mass confusion from doing that.

 

[DaveySimps]

I agree it has much to do with context. However, when found on this site or in theatre in general, SM should refer to the Stage Manager, and LD should refer to Lighting Designer.

~Dave

 

[brubart]

Thanks for the explanations. Is there an abbreviation for the sound mixer person? Is there an abbreviation SD for Sound Designer?

Bruce Bartlett
Bartlett Microphones in Elkhart, Indiana - home page

 

[rochem]

I dont know if there's an actual acronym for the person who actually mixes the show. I've heard that position called Sound Engineer, Sound Mixer, Sound Operator, and other similar titles. I think if you were to abbreviate Sound Designer as SD, most people (in a theatre setting) would know what you mean, but it's not as easily recognized as LD or SM.

 

[Eboy87]

Thanks for the explanations. Is there an abbreviation for the sound mixer person? Is there an abbreviation SD for Sound Designer

Yes. The person who mixes the show is generally referred to as the A1. Keeping in kind, his assistant is the A2. I've heard the wireless wranglers referred to as RF before, but I've never really had a dedicated RF person on any of my shows, that job always falls to the A2 here (if we even have one). I've never come across an abbreviatation for sound designer, I guess SD would work, you just have to make sure people don't think you're talking about the set designer. (That was funnier in my head).

 

[epimetheus]

In my personal experience the person in charge of sound is generally referred to as "the sound guy" or ***hole. I respond to both.

 

[AlexD]

In my personal experience the person in charge of sound is generally referred to as "the sound guy" or ***hole. I respond to both.

How kind of them! I know the Sound operator as SO (the guy who is on the mixer in a show) and LO as lighting operator. And some one who dose both has Han! as in Han Solo! hehe

 

[Dionysus]

The person who mixes the show is sometimes also called the "front of house audio" person. I've also heard "House Engineer", and countless others. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a 100% standard there.

 

[Lotos]

It's important to remember that this varies from house to house, region to region, and country to country...

F.O.H. Audio is fairly common here in Ontario.

P.S. Dionysus... Hey Steve, how's it going? Drop me a P.M. sometime.

 

[museav]

I think that the "FOH" terminology for mixing may come from the music world where you often have both a FOH mixer and a monitor mixer (and sometimes possibly a recording mixer). "House Engineer" or "Audio Engineer" as a title is perfectly acceptable in some geographic locations and not in others depending on the relevant laws regarding the use of the title "Engineer". I've seen all sorts of titles used but agree with Eboy that A1 and A2 would probably be understood by most and avoids issues or confusion that other titles may cause.

"SD" can get confusing between Sound Designer and Scenic Designer.

 

[SoFLy]

In my personal experience the person in charge of sound is generally referred to as "the sound guy" or ***hole. I respond to both.

agreed... the sound guy is a common one, or, on occasion, $#&hole

 

[museav]

agreed... the sound guy is a common one, or, on occasion, $#&hole

Missed the first one but just a reminder that the CB posting policies do not allow cursing and specifically prohibit substituting characters to get around words that might otherwise be censored. This policy is intended to avoid anyone's access to CB being blocked or terminated because of content filters catching such language.

 

[mstaylor]

In the concert world it is generally House Engineer and Monitor Engineer, LD is Lighting Director. I have never heard the A1,A2 in theatre or the concert world.

 

[BillESC]

Another term I've heard for the mixer is "Cans" referring to the use of a headset.

 

[AlexD]

Another term I've heard for the mixer is "Cans" referring to the use of a headset.

Wouldn’t that just get extremely confusing due to the fact that the lighting operator, DSM, and many back stage people have headsets? And the fact that the headset system can be called the can system? Or am I getting confused with my n and m’s? probably

 

[museav]

Wouldn’t that just get extremely confusing due to the fact that the lighting operator, DSM, and many back stage people have headsets? And the fact that the headset system can be called the can system? Or am I getting confused with my n and m’s? probably

I think that Bill's reference might actually be to headphones used for audio monitoring rather than to a headset as is commonly used for comms, com, intercom or whatever you call the production communications system.

 

[hsaunier]

My experience is FOH for house sound and "monitors" for on stage monitor mix.

 

[jkowtko]

I believe A1/2/3 are the standard terms used in professional theater -- that's the only term I've heard used whenever I was in their presence. I'm guessing you won't hear it much in community theater. You might hear it in regional theater.

Community theater terms I hear/use regularly: Sound Op (Op), FOH mixer (FOH -- theater or band), Sound Designer (SD sometimes), Sound Engineer (SE sometimes) ... and of couse "Sound Man" or "Sound Guy" which aren't actual terms, just how people refer to me in casual conversation not knowing specifically what I do.