Reflection of sound, acoustics and echo

Why are music venues better for concerts than others? Though our eyes might be captivated by the lovely ornate interior of a historic auditorium or the contemporary architecture of a concert hall, our ears are the best and truest judges.

For years, the O'Neill Engineered Systems has worked to enhance music spaces for rehearsal and performance. Two vital acoustical concepts, echo and reflection of sound and echo play vital roles in determining what our ears hear and how good a venue sounds. This week's post will discover every concept and a related product designed to positively impact it.

Reflection of sound- Emphasizing sound with shells

Just like bouncing off a mirror, sound waves reflect off hard surfaces within a performance space including the ceiling, floor and walls.

Echo- Curbing sound with Banners

Another vital acoustical concept for performance spaces is echo, which is the persistence of sound in a confined space. Sound waves radiate through the air until they strike an obstacle that reflects or strike a surface, absorb or transmit them. Regardless of the sound, echo time is measured in seconds, from the moment the sound is generated to when it decays to the point of inaudibility with sound isolation.

In any performance venue, extra echo can make it impossible for the audience and musicians to hear detail and definition regarding sound reducing panels. Most of the professional music venues these days are designed to offer echo times. Use of acoustical banners assists to absorb sound and lessen the echo time.

Sound advice

For an overview of other acoustical concepts and their relevance to performance venues, free educational guides are available from O'Neill Engineered Systems, including acoustic wood panels. These guides offer general information, and we also suggest consulting with an acoustician about your particular situation.