Sound Sculpture Inc. (SSI), leading sound artists in themed entertainment, is celebrating its 30th anniversary and reaffirming its conviction that sound, when treated as a foundational design element rather than a finishing layer, shapes guests' perception of the entire experience.
A pulley array being built in the Sound Sculpture Inc. shop
Image courtesy of Sound Sculpture Inc.
Spanning three decades and daily audiences of tens of thousands, SSI's work has consistently pursued what sound empowers, not simply what it sounds like.
When Ben Herrington founded the company in 1996, he recognised that as many studios were discarding large collections of physical sound props in favour of offices and edit bays, the methods, devices, and techniques of classic sound artists were at risk of being lost.
His brother, Roy Herrington, joined him in 2003, deepening the studio's commitment to the physical, performance-based approach that defines SSI's work, drawing on early sonic traditions largely shaped by their father, Walt Disney Imagineering media designer Joe Herrington.
See also: Creating immersive worlds with Sound Sculpture Inc.
Classic meets contemporary
Ben Herrington established the company with the belief that classic techniques, combined with modern technology and workflows, could unlock something neither approach could achieve alone.
From the outset, SSI has forged its own path, pursuing classic techniques and drawing inspiration from early to mid-century sound artists such as Jimmy Macdonald, Ora Nichols, Ray Kemper, and Tom Hanley.
The Berlin-based band Einstürzende Neubauten later encouraged this approach, using power tools and scrap metal as instruments to deliver a precise artistic vision. Its work demonstarted how handcrafted, inventive sound can have lasting artistic relevance.
By combining these classic and contemporary references, SSI gained the clarity to move forward with a commitment to physical sound design, at a moment when the industry was largely moving the other direction.
"The guests who experience the projects we help create may not detect the Neubauten influence, but without it, SSI would have become a very different kind of company," says Ben Herrington.
"Our soundscapes that so many people have become familiar with would unquestionably sound quite different."
A Sound Sculpture Inc. handcrafted sound device
Image courtesy of Sound Sculpture Inc.
Additionally, growing up around their father's work gave the brothers a foundational understanding of sound as a medium for world-building; that sonic environments, textures, and soundscapes could evoke entire worlds in the listener's mind.
As such, themed location-based entertainment serves as the primary testing ground for SSI's approach. Here, physical imaginary worlds are shaped through collaborative effort, providing a demanding and revealing test bed for what sound can do to human perception.
The insights gleaned extend beyond themed entertainment, with potential for workplaces, community, education, and wellbeing settings. Sound shapes perception everywhere, whether people notice it or not.
"As a sound artist, I find few spaces as artistically inspiring as sonic world-building for themed location-based entertainment. Sound, as a medium, can help shape, ground, and articulate these imaginary worlds.
"Effective sound design can transcend decoration and embellishment to convince guests that what they are hearing is the real and authentic sound of that space. With that objective comes incredible potential: sound’s ability to shape the guest’s perception of reality itself."
Legacy of sound
In 2013, SSI opened a custom-designed studio in Valencia, California, that embodies the company's approach. The space functions simultaneously as a workshop, recording studio, sonic laboratory, and archive, with displays of handcrafted devices that serve as both inventory and associative design inspiration.
"When designing the SSI facility, our goal was to build a place that inspired a physical creative process that would be as streamlined and as intuitive as possible. Shelves of sound devices and props and organized bins of junk are designed to spark new ideas," says Roy Herrington.
"Our workflow moves easily between shop, lab, stage, and studio."
Notably, the two design studios are named after Kemper and Hanley, and photos of classic sound artists line the hallways, reflecting how their legacy shapes SSI’s work.
Before founding SSI, Ben Herrington spent two years freelancing in sound design with Walt Disney Imagineering. He spent his early career in spaces where people like John Hench, Marty Sklar, and Buddy Baker were still active.
The Kemper Room at SSI's custom-built studio in California
Image courtesy of Sound Sculpture Inc.
These individuals, carrying continuity from the work's founding era, exemplified mentorship and what it means to pass craft on.
Today, this ethos can be seen in the company's ongoing commitment to encouraging younger practitioners and sharing craft traditions.
Ben Herrington says: "As years pass, a question becomes more persistent: “How do I pass this on well?”
"The question encourages me to advocate for the powerful role sound can play in shaping perception, emotion, and behavior — but it also highlights the need to honor the legacy of the artists who have come before, and to help pass that legacy forward, inviting the next generation of sound artists to discover what else it empowers."
As SSI marks 30 years of practice, it continues to focus on collaboration, cross-disciplinary alignment, and shared creative intent.
While it looks forward to an active project roster spanning the next several years across three continents, SSI remains committed to sharing its philosophies with the broader industry to advocate for sound’s potential in these spaces.
Recently, Ben Herrington shared insights into fostering conditions that allow sound to shape guest perception.
