Project: Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
Acoustical Design: Walters-Storyk Design Group
Products shown: Flutterfree-T, Modffusors, Modviewsors, Modex Plate, BAD Panel
For designers working in the content creation space of the entertainment industry, creating quality recording, broadcasting, or editing studios means integrating three basic design concepts: visual, functional and acoustical. Acoustical design and treatment of creative technical spaces is done with two ideals in mind—preventing unwanted sound from entering and escaping the space and shaping the sound within the room in both accurate and desirable ways that make for the optimal recording experience. Creating an impeccable sound experience in a recording studio isn’t easy—there is a science in getting each element just right.
Starting With Rooms
The size, shape, and construction of your recording studio are among the key factors to bear in mind as the acoustical design process begins, following the more global considerations such as location, logistics and accessibility. The approach to the construction of the walls and ceilings will address the issue of unwanted sound entering and leaving the space. The first element of the acoustical design will then be understanding what the size and shape of the various spaces will be. To this day, designers may work with the Greek golden mean of proportions, that is 1:1.6:2.6 (which is the height, by width, by length). This means that if you begin with a room that has a 10-foot high ceiling, the other dimensions of the room would then be around 16 feet by 26 feet. A better approach utilizing more current methodology – room dimensions can be optimized using software programs.
Curtailing Reflection
Any hard surfaces, like drywall or concrete that are typical in constructed spaces, reflect and disperse sound energies. In live recording or performance settings, a certain amount of this effect is often desirable. However, recording engineers require more control over the nuances of the sounds they work with. When it comes to pristine, quality recording conditions, it is important that we create recording studios with reflection management in mind.
Absorption and Diffusion
Reflection is controlled through both absorption and diffusion. We tackle this by creating surfaces that are able to both break sound waves up and diffuse them in a proven and properly documented way, such as our Skyline, QRD and Flutterfree, diffusive shapes that have become standard tools in the industry. Designers have long been searching for ways to address absorption and diffusion needs with ever increasing types and styles of materials—pushing companies like RPG to continually innovate and bring new products to market from fabric finishes (BAD, Broadsorbor and Modsorbor Panels) to plastics (Clearsorber), woods (Perfecto, Dado, Expo and Waveform), and even concrete (Diffusor Blox). For the highest quality recording studio experience, there is no substitute for a custom approach, targeted at the specific needs of the space and business, through a process that taps into the current research and state of the art product development available through RPG Acoustical Systems.
Sounding Great With RPG Acoustical Systems, LLC.
For whatever your acoustical design needs, RPG Acoustical Systems, LLC. is here to provide you with products that are customized to your needs, high-quality designs that are backed by science and extensive research, and excellent customer service to help ensure you get what you need. If you have questions, take a moment to check out our contact page or reach out to us via phone at (973) 916-1166.
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