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Sound Theory

This document provides an overview of sound theory as it relates to architectural design. It discusses key concepts like sound absorption, reflection, transmission, and reverberation. Specific design considerations that affect acoustics are mentioned like seating orientation, ceiling shape, and materials. The document also outlines the different reverberation times required for speech versus music performance spaces. Overall, it emphasizes that understanding sound theory is essential for architects to design acoustically sensitive spaces like auditoriums and theaters.

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Ivy Joy Belza
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543 views4 pages

Sound Theory

This document provides an overview of sound theory as it relates to architectural design. It discusses key concepts like sound absorption, reflection, transmission, and reverberation. Specific design considerations that affect acoustics are mentioned like seating orientation, ceiling shape, and materials. The document also outlines the different reverberation times required for speech versus music performance spaces. Overall, it emphasizes that understanding sound theory is essential for architects to design acoustically sensitive spaces like auditoriums and theaters.

Uploaded by

Ivy Joy Belza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SOUND THEORY

If there's Architecture Theory, Tropical Design Theory, there is a SOUND THEORY.


This theory is a compilation of the unchanging properties of sound. We cannot rewrite it, we cannot
change it, that's the truth about Sound. We should know it because we are going to deal with Sound when we
design acoustic-sensitive spaces.
So we know the direction of sound once it is propagated, where it will go when blocked by a panel or a
ceiling. How to avoid dead spots in an auditorium, the height of the stage affects the sound reflection, the
capacity affects the absorption because people are the biggest absorption factor in an auditorium.
The angle of the seats in relation to the stage, the dimension of the orchestra pit, the height of the
microphone, the line of sight of audience, the height of the ceiling over the stage, the shape of the ceiling, the
texture of the walls, the flooring materials - these are all in the realm of Architecture.
And there is a little bit of computation involved.
You will compute the Reverberation time required or acceptable for different functions of the
auditorium or theater:

 SPEECH
 MUSIC
 BOTH.

You will also learn the most ideal shapes of structures in relation to acoustics. Should auditoriums or
theaters be rectangle, square, circle, oblong?
On the 6-8th week, you will learn:

 Sound Absorption
 Reflection
 Transmission
 Different Materials and their Applications.

In conjunction with this, is the Reverberation Time, Application to Design of Theaters, Cinemas, Multi-
Purpose Halls.
Here also will coincide the Room Acoustics that includes:

 Sight Lines
 Contour of Speech
 Ray Diagrams
 South Paths
 Echoes
 Control
 Design considerations
 materials used
 Technology in Building Acoustics in conjunction with Building Laws

will end Acoustics topic.

Usually, there is a Plate for Acoustics. And then set aside and later in Lighting, will be used again to
apply the Lighting properties
Acoustics defined, acoustics in history, vitruvius and Acoustics (10 Books on Architecture) and Sound
Theory.

SOUND CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR ROOM ACOUSTICS


Sound Absorption, its mechanics, and materials. Another sound countrol is DIFFRACTION and still another is
REVERBERATION.

Absorption can be used positively as a sound control when we control unwanted sounds or noise. Absorption
then is a positive control.
But in another situation, this is not a positive measure and is to be controlled in a performing theater,
auditorium or multi-purpose halls. Noise that is absorbed is good. But music or speech that are absorbed
result to dead spots and this is not desired.
Absorption and its properties are important to be studied in the design of acoustically-sensitive spaces.
Acoustic absorption is critical in areas such as soundproofing, sound recording and reproduction, loudspeaker
design, acoustic transmission lines, architectural acoustics and noise barrier walls.
An architect's knowledge of absorption and its properties is a good way to start in designing sound-
sensitive spaces. But his knowledge on the kinds of materials to use is as critical as the knowledge of sound
itself.
If you hated your BT1, you will be handicapped in choosing materials for your auditorium walls, ceiling,
flooring, and accessories.
An 'untreated' room of normal construction - not applied with acoustic considerations - so when your
favorite K-pop sings in a concert hall, when his/her voice strikes the walls or ceiling, a small portion is
absorbed but most are reflected. You end up catching the tail of the lyrics or hear a garbled sound.

The exact proportion of absorption and reflection depends on the nature of construction.
It's your job to ensure the quality of sound in a concert hall.

It's easier for pop performances to get a solid sound when there is only one singer, or even a K-pop boy
band with at least 7 members, it's still easier to get a solid sound with acoustic considerations. But what about
a 77-piece orchestra like the Philippine Philharmonic?
77-piece orchestra: how many cellos, violins, oboes are there?
Each of the 77 piece should be heard clearly for audience satisfaction.
And if there are 1,500 people in the concert hall, the surface areas of these people also contribute in the
absorption of sound: the upholstery of seats, the clothes of the audience, the carpets.

There are fibrous, panel and volume resonators as materials for absorption and the use depends on
the function of the room whether it's for speech or music or both.
The kind of absorptive materials you specify for the walls, and ceilings or floors will also affect the
accessories that you put on a room. Even a simple hanging of paintings on the walls may ruin the purpose of
an absorbent material in place.
Acoustical materials include:
1 PREFAB UNITS which are factory-made, very precise and efficient, but it has its disadvantage like limited
Architectural treatment since it is modular.
2. ACOUSTICAL PLASTER AND SPRAYED TYPE - more flexible especially for smaller spaces.
3. ACOUSTICAL BLANKETS are also used but are sensitive to building vibrations.
4. PANEL ABSORBERS for ceilings but only for low frequency sounds,
5. DRAPERIES but are not very effective, only used in corridors or doorways.

DIFFRACTION This is how sound waves bend or change direction when it encounters an obstacle.
But this is usually controlled since we design the spaces intentionally for quality of sound. Thus,
Diffraction is used intentionally if we have a specific purpose of diffracting sound.

REVERBERATION This is the persistence of sound after the cause of sound has stopped.
You can easily relate to reverberation in the bathroom. Notice that you like to sing in the bathroom?
It has a relatively long reverberation time and it sounds echoey. The church has the same property but it
sounds differently than in the bathroom.
The difference is the size of the bathroom and the church. And the sounds produced die out
differently. That's why it's important to know, thus, we calculate the reverberation time required for speech,
music and both to provide quality sound all the time.
Criteria for Speech Rooms:

 intelligibility is important.
 Very high absorption is bad,
 too low reverberation is undesirable.
These two conditions in extreme limit the size of the room. This causes discomfort to the
speaker since the absence of reflection prevents him from gauging his proper voice, resulting to
shouting.

Criteria for Music Performance:

 large volume spaces require direct-path sound reinforcement by reflection.


 Relatively long reverberation time is needed to enhance the music but not to include clear echoes.
 Clarity or definition in music is also required.

This is quite a fast-tracked pace. The next topics should be application to Auditorium Design, sightlines,
ray diagramming, echoes and control, calculations, materials and design considerations.
Along with Technology involved in acoustics as well as Building Laws.

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