The collateral relationship between sound effects and music in selected media

This thesis investigates media soundtrack elements generally referred to as sound effects and music. A clear delineation rarely exists in actual practice. Sound montage techniques blend into the domain of timbral scoring so frequently that isolation of these production tasks is in many cases counterproductive. The ways in which collaboration between the sound designer and the composer can enhance the effectiveness of a soundtrack are examined.;A set of considerations for the creation of a successful soundtrack is formulated including issues of functionality and interactivity. These considerations are applied across boundaries of current and future media, including film, computer games, theme park attractions, and virtual reality. Analysis of media segments produces examples of success and failure, where the soundtrack either achieves a symbiotic meld of elements, or contains areas of element interference and competition.