舞台創造演習Ⅳ[秋学期]オンデマンド-前半-

Summary

This first half of a stage-sound workshop introduces the principles of operating sound playback software—primarily QLab—and demonstrates how to prepare a computer and build cues for a performance.

1. Plan playback around the event

• A basic music player typically has one playback stream. Stage work may require sounds to overlap, start at different times, fade independently, or come from different speakers.
• The instructor distinguishes between two situations:
  • Fixed timing: If the overlap and timing are predetermined, combining sounds during editing can simplify operation and reduce the chance of mistakes.
  • Variable timing: If cues depend on performers, dialogue, or the changing pace of an event, keep sounds on separate playback axes so they can be started and adjusted independently.
• Separate playback axes are also useful when sounds need different levels or must be routed to different speakers.
• The best approach depends on the production. The goal is to choose a method that suits the timing, routing, and control requirements while avoiding unnecessary operational complexity.
• Sound design involves more than pressing Play: it requires planning playback, mixer channels, interfaces, and speaker placement together.

2. Prepare the computer for reliable playback

Before a performance or rehearsal:

• Quit other applications. On a Mac, closing a window may leave the app running; quit the application itself.
• Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth unless they are needed for a specific production task. Wireless activity can cause unwanted interruptions or connections.
• Store audio files locally rather than streaming them from a browser or cloud service, which may introduce delays, dropouts, or inconsistent playback.
• Disable notifications, alarms, timers, scheduled tasks, and automatic updates that could make sounds or interrupt computer performance.
• Keep the computer connected to power. Disable sleep and screen-saver behavior, including disk sleep, to avoid delayed or interrupted playback.
• Keep the computer’s output volume consistent with the level established in rehearsal. Set the source level in advance and make performance adjustments at the mixer.
• Leave adequate storage and memory available for playback software and its files. The instructor emphasizes removing unnecessary data so files can load reliably.

3. QLab overview and basic operation

• QLab organizes actions as cues in a workspace. Cues can include audio playback, stops, fades, groups, and other functions.
• Audio files can be dragged into a workspace and arranged in a playlist. Cues can be reordered by dragging them.
• Pressing the Play button or Spacebar runs the selected cue. A sound continues until it finishes or is stopped; triggering it again can cause overlapping playback.
• QLab is useful for starting multiple sound sources at different times and controlling them independently. With suitable audio-interface and mixer routing, cues can be sent to different outputs.
• The instructor notes that some capabilities—particularly expanded output routing and other advanced functions—depend on the version or license. The free version is presented as sufficient for basic playback, but limited for more complex multi-output work.
• Templates can save setup time. A reusable template might include common cues or test sounds; the instructor recommends setting a safe starting state, such as ensuring levels are not unexpectedly audible.

4. Stops, fades, groups, and cue control

• Stopping sound: Add a Stop cue and target the sound or cue it should stop. Alternatively, select a playing cue and stop it with the applicable command or shortcut. The Escape key functions as a panic stop for all cues; its duration can be configured to stop immediately or fade out briefly.
• Fade-in: Start the sound at silence, then use a Fade cue to bring it to the desired level over a chosen duration.
• Fade-out: Use a Fade cue to lower a currently playing sound. The sound may continue after the fade unless a stop is also specified.
• Fade curves: QLab provides preset curves, including linear and smoother curves, and allows custom curves. For tightly timed theatrical moments, the instructor notes that a live operator may need to shape fades manually; for simpler event transitions, preset fades can be convenient.
• Groups: Grouping cues allows several actions to begin together or be triggered as a set. Groups can combine playback and fades, or layer sources without editing them into one audio file.
• Start position and duration: Cue settings can change where playback begins or ends. This can help skip silence, start partway through a track, or shorten a repeated sound.
• Hotkeys: Assigning keyboard keys to cues can make non-sequential or alternative actions—such as different quiz responses—easier to trigger without navigating a playlist.
• Lists and carts: Multiple lists can support alternate versions, such as different casts. A cart can assign sounds to keys for direct triggering.

5. Practical considerations when building a workspace

• Think through which sounds must continue, which should enter next, and how existing sounds should change. QLab offers flexibility, but that flexibility requires a clear plan.
• Avoid adding unnecessary complexity. Detailed settings can make later corrections harder, so use advanced features only when they serve the production.
• When testing, check the audio interface and output configuration. The instructor suggests a buffer size around 512 as a reasonable starting point; increasing it to 1024 may help if audio drops out, but can increase the delay between pressing Play and hearing sound.
• Repeated practice is important: students are encouraged to open the supplied workspace and experiment while following the demonstration.

6. Assignment

Students are asked to submit a QLab project folder and a cue sheet containing:

• Several sound sources that overlap.
• A cue-in or cue-start element.
• A fade-out.
• A Stop cue.
• Several sound sources combined into a coherent sequence; a storyline is recommended, but the audio content is otherwise open.

The total playback time for the cues should be under ten minutes. The project is to be tried in class on November 2, with the project folder submitted later that day. Cue sheets submitted before class will be copied for distribution.

Speakers and sources featured

• Instructor: The sole identifiable speaker, explaining stage-sound concepts, computer preparation, QLab operation, and the assignment.
• Demonstration audio: Music, sound effects, and a Japanese narration/dialogue sample used to demonstrate cueing, overlap, and fades. The performers or voices in these samples are not identified by name.