Sound Design
Ideas That Resonate
Carnegie Mellon’s sound design program invites students to imagine the future of sound in entertainment, and prepares them for careers as sound designers, system engineers, mixers, dialog and effects editors, music supervisors, coders, and audio technicians. With two dedicated sound design faculty and our strong alumni community that works extensively in the field, students are well-positioned to enter the industry upon graduation.
Sound Design Curriculum
The sound design curriculum focuses equally on conceptual design, composition, and system design. Students have access to facilities outfitted with a wide range of analog and digital equipment, from tape recorders to networked audio systems. The school’s ambitious production season gives students a wide range of opportunities to put their design and technical skills into practice.
Click the link and navigate through each program’s curriculum using the gray menu on the right hand side of the screen.
Student Work
Hands-On Projects
Students working on a DJ setup in the sound lab, where students engage in hands-on work on projects and production designs related to sound.
This dynamic workspace can be arranged as situations require, including serving as a small classroom. It can be outfitted with hardware and software as a project requires as well as having a range of audio testing equipment, reference materials and musical instruments. The lab facilitates exploration and execution of sound design concepts.
Instrument Construction
Sound design students working on instrument building in the sound lab, where students engage in hands-on work on projects and production designs related to sound.
This dynamic workspace can be arranged as situations require, including serving as a small classroom. It can be outfitted with hardware and software as a project requires as well as having a range of audio testing equipment, reference materials and musical instruments. The lab facilitates exploration and execution of sound design concepts.
Instrument Repair
A sound design student and faculty member repair a keyboard in the sound lab. In the sound lab, students engage in hands-on work on projects and production designs related to sound. This dynamic workspace can be arranged as situations require, including serving as a small classroom. It can be outfitted with hardware and software as a project requires as well as having a range of audio testing equipment, reference materials and musical instruments. The lab facilitates exploration and execution of sound design concepts.
Line and Form Projects
Each fall semester, the Purnell Center for the Arts is adorned with “Line and Form” projects. First year Design and Production students in the Basic Design class, taught by Susan Tsu, spend a few weeks on this project, collaborating with their group members, sourcing materials, and working diligently and passionately to install their projects. These installations are meant to shape the way people experience the space by using the design element line, to create form.
Production Design Opportunities
Emily Brunner (BFA, 2023) was sound designer and mixer for the School of Drama’s production of “I Think I’m Starting to Want to Be a Mother” – a pop-punk take on Euripides’ Electra, directed by B. Kleymeyer (MFA, 2023).
Hands-On Projects
Students working on a DJ setup in the sound lab, where students engage in hands-on work on projects and production designs related to sound.
This dynamic workspace can be arranged as situations require, including serving as a small classroom. It can be outfitted with hardware and software as a project requires as well as having a range of audio testing equipment, reference materials and musical instruments. The lab facilitates exploration and execution of sound design concepts.
Instrument Construction
Sound design students working on instrument building in the sound lab, where students engage in hands-on work on projects and production designs related to sound.
This dynamic workspace can be arranged as situations require, including serving as a small classroom. It can be outfitted with hardware and software as a project requires as well as having a range of audio testing equipment, reference materials and musical instruments. The lab facilitates exploration and execution of sound design concepts.
Instrument Repair
A sound design student and faculty member repair a keyboard in the sound lab. In the sound lab, students engage in hands-on work on projects and production designs related to sound. This dynamic workspace can be arranged as situations require, including serving as a small classroom. It can be outfitted with hardware and software as a project requires as well as having a range of audio testing equipment, reference materials and musical instruments. The lab facilitates exploration and execution of sound design concepts.
Line and Form Projects
Each fall semester, the Purnell Center for the Arts is adorned with “Line and Form” projects. First year Design and Production students in the Basic Design class, taught by Susan Tsu, spend a few weeks on this project, collaborating with their group members, sourcing materials, and working diligently and passionately to install their projects. These installations are meant to shape the way people experience the space by using the design element line, to create form.
Production Design Opportunities
Emily Brunner (BFA, 2023) was sound designer and mixer for the School of Drama’s production of “I Think I’m Starting to Want to Be a Mother” – a pop-punk take on Euripides’ Electra, directed by B. Kleymeyer (MFA, 2023).
alumni stories
Featured Faculty
Carnegie Mellon gave me the foundations of being a creative thinker and a problem-solver.
Liz Coleman, Class of 2004 | Broadway audio engineer and technician
Are you ready to take the next step toward your dreams? Learn more about our application, audition, and interview process.