This document defines and distinguishes different types of sound that can be used in media, including diegetic sounds that exist within the fictional world and non-diegetic sounds that are only heard by the audience. It also discusses synchronous and asynchronous sounds, sound motifs, sound bridges, dialogue techniques like voiceovers and direct address, perspectives on sound distance and soundtrack music like scores, incidental music, themes and ambient sounds.

1. Sound

2. Diegetic
• Sound that exists within the fictional world of
the text (the diegesis).
Non-diegetic
• Sound that the audience can hear, but doesn’t
exist within the fictional world of text.

3. Sound mixing
• When the different parts of sound, music,
video etc, change volume levels.
• Artificially created or enhanced sounds.
Sound effects

4. Synchronous
• The sound that happens at the same time as
the action that creates it.
• The sound occurs at a different time to the
action that created it.
Asynchronous

5. Sound motif
• A sound effect or combination of sound
effects that are associated with a particular
character, setting, situation or idea through
the text.
• A piece of music or sound that bridges an edit
from one scene to another (used a lot in
American sitcoms).
Sound bridge

6. Dialogue
• Scripted and unscripted voices.
• A non-diegetic voice anchoring down the
meanings produced by the on screen images.
• The viewer is directly addressed. The voice
over or character looks at the audience or
th4e audience as ‘you’.
Voiceover
Direct address

7. Sound perspective
• Refers to the apparent distance of a sound.
E.g. the sound of horses hooves in the
distance will be quieter than when close.
• Recorded music accompanying and
synchronized to the images of a moving image
text.
Soundtrack: Score

8. Incidental music
• Often “background” music, and adds atmosphere
to the action. E.g. A single note.
• All sound features may share certain
characteristics – e.g. A particular rhythm.
• The background sounds which are present in a
scene or location. Comon ambient sounds include
wind, water, birds, crowds, office noises and
traffic.
Themes and stings
Ambient