ROBIN COLYER
Sound Design & Composition
Photo: Jamie Ledwith
Photo: Josh Tomalin
Sound Design, Composition & Musical Direction​ ​
​
I am an experienced sound designer, composer, and musician passionate about collaborative storytelling. My work involves creating immersive soundscapes, transitions and sound effects. I thrive on outside-the-box thinking and an attention to detail to craft unique sounds, whether through found instruments, natural sounds, writing pastiche 'in-the-style-of' songs or using existing recorded music to craft montages, underscores and transitions.
I’m experienced at manipulating the perceived direction of sound in theatre spaces or over headphones to create a spatially rich sensory experience. I have the facility to record musicians, singers and actors on-site or in my home studio.
As a composer, I am drawn to natural sounds, extended instrument techniques such as bowed percussion and plucked piano, rhythmic complexity and minimalist techniques, such as the use of drones and ostinatos. I enjoy exploring the intersection between music, sound, and noise.
As a musical director, I specialise in plays involving actor-musicianship, including projects at the Watermill Theatre, where my career began. I'm well versed in a wide range of musical genres, including classical, swing, gypsy jazz, klezmer, tango, salsa, mambo, samba, rock 'n' roll, soul and funk.
Above all, I bring over 15 years of experience as a theatre maker, taking a dramaturgical interest in each project, and priding myself on my ability to respond and collaborate effectively to serve the story being told.
​​
​
Double Bass & Bass Guitar
I’ve been playing the bass for more than 30 years, and my overall musicianship is rooted in this identity. To me, playing the bass isn’t about being flashy or taking centre stage, it’s about being the glue that holds the sound together, anchoring both harmony and rhythm. I learned the double bass with jazz bassist and composer Tony Osborne, and as a graduate I was fortunate to work with Tony Award winning musical director Sarah Travis on multiple projects. It was Sarah’s attention to detail with regard to feel, groove and stylistic precision that cemented my love of bass playing within the ensemble.
Drums & Percussion
​
As with the bass, my passion on the drums is the feel. I’d rather play in the pocket than show off my fills and, as such, I particularly love playing soul and funk and their derivative genres. It’s all about the groove for me. My priorities are stylistic accuracy, good listening and sensitive musicianship. To me, part of being a musician is being a lifelong student, and I'm currently digging deeper into Afro-Cuban percussion with a Cuban-style Big Band Ran Kan Kan. I also love Brazilian percussion and ensemble drumming and can often be seen in the bateria of Sol Samba.