Theory v. Instinct

[Renée Dunaway]

Hello,

It's an age-old debate, but I'd like to spark it up a bit amongst this forum. There's always a sort of tug-of-war between aesthetic theory and plain old instinct and taste.

Now, I'm a mere student with only 3 years of formal cinema schooling, but found myself adhering to sound mixing quite decently. More importantly, I found a passion for it. The faculty at my school (Ithaca College) pushed me up to the ranks of the students who have specifically studied sound for years. I admire these peers for their knowledge of the science and techniques of sound post, and am a bit curious as to how I've done well by just going by what sounds right.

This is a simplified example, and by no means intended to be a personal horn-blowin' session. However, after all of your experiences, how much weight do you find yourself putting on theory, science, traditions, etc versus "playing" and experimenting on the fly?


Thanks!

[Eric Toline]

Theory, science and classroom education can help guide you to the right path but there's nothng like hands on to help you experiment and hone your skills.

There is no substitute for real hands on experience.


Eric

[jayrose]

I didn't think about theory until I'd been doing this for about a decade.

Then I started analyzing the things that worked well, and sort of built theories of sound design from that.

For the past decade or so I've also been integrating theory from other fields - phonetics, perceptual, anything that I can apply to sound. It's not only made be better (or more creative) at editing and mixing, it's also helped the side gigs of effect processor design and writing.

YMMV

[defmxr]

I came to this business from Music school..where music was felt first, and came out all on its own expression. However, one needs to learn the scales and techniques, and practice, before one can realise the full potential of talent.
Hard work applies no matter what field you are in. A natural talent can get you so far...but hard work will let it flourish. When woirking on my degree in Electronic Music Composition, and as a former teacher of electronic music, and recording before i got into post sound, I saw all types in the classroom. Many had read the books, and KNEW about sound, etc....IE--A student told me "A guitar requires +4.5db at 5.7K for string sound, and +3 at 120 hz for resonance" I would hear such things from him. I would ask...but what do you HEAR in the sound that makes you feel you need that eq?...and he was stumped.
This is why they call it Arts and Science. I dont know as much as some do about the electronics that engineers use to build the equipment we use (so I married my engineer! SHE'S AMAZING). But I play the console like a piano, or as a conductor in front of the orchestra. As always, a well rounded balance of things attribute to success..knowledge of your "instrument", technique, style, and using both sides of your brain. And..almost most important..acuiring good people skills!