Media What I Do
How do artists make decisions about what audiences see and hear on stage? What I Do explores the behind the scenes decisions through eyes of the artists who make them.
What I Do
Nick Hernandez, Sound Designer
What I Do
Sound Design with Nick Hernandez
How do artists make decisions about what audiences see and hear on stage? What I Do explores the behind the scenes decisions through eyes of the artists who make them.
Nick Hernandez describes his process for creating the sound design and composing original music for Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences’ production of Long Way Down based on the book by Jason Reynolds and adapted for the stage by Martine Kei Green-Rogers.
Nick Hernndez
Nick Hernndez
Nick on Design
Nick Hernandez, who designed the sound for Long Way Down, says sound is the “glue” that brings together the physical world that a play's characters live in and the emotions they feel.
In theater, a sound designer creates the audio of the play, which includes everything you hear on stage: from amplifying or modifying the actors’ voices with microphones to adding sound effects, background noise, and music.
In Long Way Down, the sound design involved everything from evoking the feeling of being inside an elevator and creating the realistic sound of a gunshot a few blocks away, to composing new music that evoked the tensions and emotions of the characters in the story.
Listen for…
- Strategies for creating the feeling of being in the small space of an elevator.
- Sounds that are intended to represent emotions.
- The ways other theatrical elements like acting, projections, or lighting design influenced Nick’s sound design for Long Way Down.
Think about…
- Nick calls sound design “the silent player” and “the extra actor.” How does he describe the way sound interacts with the actors to tell a story? Why do you think he refers to sound design as another actor in a play?
- Close your eyes and listen to the sounds in the space around you. Do you hear cars driving by? Music playing? The hum of lights? What do these sounds tell you about the space you’re in? How might you describe this space to someone using only sound?
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds
Learn more about Long Way Down in this Kennedy Center interview with the book’s author, Jason Reynolds
Nick's Tracks & Mixes
“Elevator Hesitation”
Tim, the director, wanted high energy at the top of the show, which helps convey Will’s anxiety or hesitation to push the elevator button.
Listen: “Elevator Hesitation”
“The Name is Will”
A simplistic track that offers texture while Will delivers his opening monologue.
Listen: “The Name is Will”
“Buck’s Theme”
90’s Hip Hop-influenced track which represents the edge/grittiness of his personal journey.
Listen: “Buck Theme”
“A Girl Stepped In”
Sweet, light keys & synths meant to cut through the tense elevator environment as “a girl steps in.”
Listen: “A Girl Stepped In”
“I Kissed You”
Youthfulness/playful chimes & chord progressions meant to create innocence & love.
Listen: “I Kissed You”
“Fifth Floor Smoke”
A composition that felt like it was slowly filling up the space (elevator); ethereal & moody.
Listen: “Fifth Floor Smoke”
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer
Listen to ten classic rhythm tracks from this legendary drum machine.
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer
The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer
Listen to ten classic rhythm tracks from this legendary drum machine.
Video Production Credits:
Logo Design - Jeremy W. Hunter
Green Screen Studio - Gearshift Studio
Filming - 522 Productions
Creative Direction - Patrick W. Lord
Animation and Modeling - Kate Ducey
Editing and Animation - Lacey Erb
Sound Design - Matthew M. Nielson
Kennedy Center Multimedia - Regis Vogt, Georgia Bergin, Trevor Davis
Original Music courtesy of Curious Music Company.
Download the Long Way Down production Playbill.
Support for What I Do is provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.
Generous support is also provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
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Learning Content Producers
Dr. Liz Schildkret
Kenny Neal -
Learning Content Editor
Tiffany A. Bryant
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Updated
December 16, 2020
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Kennedy Center Education
Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; Annenberg Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Bank of America; Bender Foundation, Inc.; Carter and Melissa Cafritz Trust; Carnegie Corporation of New York; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Estée Lauder; Flocabulary; Harman Family Foundation; The Hearst Foundations; the Herb Alpert Foundation; the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The King-White Family Foundation and Dr. J. Douglas White; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation;
Music Theatre International; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; the National Endowment for the Arts; Newman’s Own Foundation; Nordstrom; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Prince Charitable Trusts; Soundtrap; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; and Volkswagen Group of America. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts.
The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.