Edinburgh Napier University

  This study aims to explore the suitability of capturing designers’ and listeners’ experiences of sound design for a radio drama and audio logos using the repertory grid technique, which is a proven method of information elicitation based on Personal Construct Theory. Sound designs that incorporate sound effects, music, or dialogue can be broken down into discrete sound events that can then be rated using attributes that are meaningful to both designers and listeners. A method for evaluating sound without training casual listeners and without depending on expert listeners is presented. A number of the constructs show strong matches between the sound’s designers and listeners, indicating that these constructs have value as a common vocabulary and can be used to mediate and articulate audio features between the two.