Solutions for Live Venue Acoustics
Live Music attendance has been increasing steadily since the pandemic, with projections that the already $23bn industry could more than double by 2030. And while there are some economic benefits to an increase in concerts, there’s also the potential for noise pollution.
What is noise pollution?
Noise pollution is the generally unwanted negative effects of too much sound in any area. In many cities, residents will complain about things like construction noises, excess traffic, or even the random car alarm that goes off during the night. But one of the increasing complaints in many cities is excess noise from live entertainment and music venues.
Aside from the obvious annoyances, noise pollution can bring on some unexpected health issues in the people it affects, too. Hearing impairment, stress, sleep disturbance and related health issues from lack of sleep, cognitive impairment, and even cardiac related issues have been reported with prolonged exposure to noise pollution. Wildlife can be affected negatively as many animals rely on sound to survive.
Tips for soundproofing your venue:
We know it’s tough to throw a concert without making noise. Here are some tips to soundproof your venue.
Double Wall Construction
Double wall construction means installing an extra layer of sheetrock when constructing the walls of your venue. By using double layers of sheetrock, you’re creating an extra barrier for the sound to pass through before escaping. Keeping a slight gap or what’s known as an air gap will help to deaden the sound waves as they pass through, as they’re passing through two separate walls rather than one stacked wall. This process is called Decoupling. Decoupling means quite simply that the two walls aren’t connected to each other. By separating the two walls and isolating the studs, the sound wave’s vibration is absorbed and as a result, less sound escapes.
To better understand how a double wall can help, think about the principle of Mass Law. Mass Law states that the greater the mass or density of an object, the better it is at blocking sound. By adding a double wall and creating an extra barrier between the two sheets of sheetrock, you’re increasing the mass or density for sound to pass through, and helping to deaden it before it escapes the venue. You can also add soundproofing materials between layers of sheetrock, like Green Glue or Mass Loaded Vinyl, which increases the density for sound to pass through, allowing less sound leakage from your venue. This is another method of decoupling that adds more of an obstacle for noise to pass through.
Soundproof doors and windows:
Soundproof doors are generally heavier, thick doors that are designed with the Mass Law in mind. These dense doors are usually made with dense materials, like solid core wood or metal. Soundproof doors are typically sealed around the edges so that less sound escapes. These seals are called acoustic door seals. A door sweep is usually added to the bottom of the door to help create a soundproof barrier that prevents noise from leaving underneath the door.
The most common types of acoustic door seals are compression seals, magnetic seals, foam seals, and automatic door sweeps.
Compression seals are usually rubber or silicone seals installed around the door frame. When the door closes, these seals compress tightly against the door to create a soundproof seal that prevents noise from escaping. These seals are great for live venues and live music, as they allow the door to close tightly, but allow the doors to open easily.
Magnetic seals are magnetic strips around the door frame and the door itself that creates a tight magnetic seal when the door is closed. The magnetic seal creates an airtight and soundproof seal that helps to prevent sound slippage from within a venue. These seals are generally longer lasting than compression seals, as the rubber or silicone might wear eventually after use. Magnetic seals tend to last longer due to their material’s durability.
Foam seals act similarly to compression seals, but their material expands when the door is closed against the frame. These seals help to prevent airborne sound like voices or music, as well as impact sounds, like stomping feet or echoes. These can be great for live venues where music might be played, as it can help to block the lower frequency of bass notes or drums. Foam also provides thermal insulation, which can help in the winter or summer when temperatures are volatile and might need air conditioner or heating.
Soundproof windows, much like soundproof doors, are designed to minimize how much sound escapes from a room through the window. The most effective soundproof windows have more than one layer of glass. These are called double-glazed or triple-glazed, depending on how many layers you’d like. The thicker the glass, the less sound will escape through the window, due to the Mass Law. These layers also feature air gaps or gasses to create an extra barrier for sound waves to have to travel through. Acoustic window seals are applied around the window so that sound doesn’t leak out from around the window.
Sound Control Technologies:
Lots of people ask, “what are the different types of sound control technologies?” Mass-loaded vinyl is one of the most efficient ways at controlling sound for live venues. It can be applied directly to walls or ceilings, or added in conjunction to double wall structures mentioned previously. Mass-loaded vinyl is a high density material, which is great for soundproofing or minimizing noise.
Resilient Channels are metal strips that are added between existing sheetrock and their studs in the wall or ceiling. These strips help with decoupling the wall and adding an extra space for sound to have to travel through. A resilient channel simply means adding excess space to make it harder for a soundwave to travel unobstructed. By adding a resilient channel, you’re reducing the vibration that two dense pieces would produce if they were mounted on top of each other– which would act as one solid structure. A resilient channel creates enough space for sound to have to pass through two solid structures, providing a layer of sound isolation.
Acoustic Panels are generally made from high-density foam, fiberglass, or rock-wool. Larger acoustic panels, typically 4’ x 4’ are used for live venues, music halls, and bars that feature live entertainment. You might ask yourself, “how many soundproof panels do I need?” Flex Design Studio offers comprehensive analysis and designs for any need. There are also removable acoustic panels, which can be installed and removed depending on the event. The amount of soundproof panels you’ll need depends on the size of your venue and overall area.
Bass Traps are similar to acoustic panels, but are designed with lower frequency sounds in mind, like a bass drum or bass guitar. These are the “thud” sounds commonly heard at live concerts or DJ sets. Bass traps, like acoustic panels, can be removable depending on the materials used.
Something else to consider is volume control for ventilation. Often, sound from live events can escape through ventilation, air ducts, or HVAC systems. Asking your interior designer about different solutions such as sound attenuators, acoustic baffles, and acoustic ventilation grilles can help you with ventilation volume control.
Solutions for Existing Structures
Acoustical Baffles
Acoustical baffles are devices designed for sound absorption that are used to control and reduce noise levels. These are generally made from foam or fiberglass, but can also be designed from wrapped fabric. Acoustical baffles are tactfully suspended from the ceiling to reduce excess noise, lower reverberation, and to control sound levels. The great thing about acoustical baffles is that they can be customized to be stylish and match the aesthetic of your venue.
Acoustic Wall Panels
Acoustic wall panels are soundproofing panels that can either be installed and mounted directly on the wall, or designed to be removable. There are several different types of materials used for wall panels, including foam, perforated wood, fabric-wrapped, fiberglass, and mineral fiber. Each has their own benefits and characteristics, and it’s important to contact a qualified interior designer to help you choose the best materials and create the best design to suit your venue’s ambience and style. These panels are placed strategically throughout the venue to help minimize excess noise, feedback, and echoes.
Acoustic Drapery
Acoustic drapery are drapes and curtains designed with heavy weight fabrics in order to reduce noise levels. These drapes are typically made from heavy velvet, wool, or cotton in order to absorb sound. Some drapes or curtains have soundproofed backing to add another layer of protection against noise pollution. Much like panels and baffles, acoustic drapery can be customized to match your venue’s aesthetic and can present a great opportunity for branding. Custom drapes can match your brand’s color scheme and logo while providing an extra barrier to reduce sound slippage from your venue.
Acoustic Lighting
Acoustic lighting are strategically designed light fixtures that are made with sound absorption technology while also providing lighting to your venue. The different types of acoustic light fixtures are pendant lights, which are suspended from the ceiling of your venue, ceiling panels, which are installed and mounted directly into the ceiling, and wall-mounted, which are installed directly into the wall. Each type of light fixture has their own style and purpose.
Upholstered Furniture
Properly upholstered furniture can play a significant role in sound control technology. Sofas, chairs, booths, even tabletops can be upholstered in dense fabrics to help absorb soundwaves and reduce noise levels. Adding cushions or other materials like leather or foam cushioning can help absorb soundwaves. Upholstered furniture also helps to reduce some of the higher frequencies as well as lower, bass-like frequencies. Like all of the other options listed above, it’s important to place upholstered furniture strategically so you can reduce echoes and other unwanted noises.
There are several solutions for live venue sound control and minimizing noise pollution in your city. Having the right sound control technology, soundproof panels, and other designs can help noise reduction without sacrificing any of the quality from your performers. High-density sound isolation and adding a sound-blocking layer to existing structures can make a difference without interfering with sound clarity.
Contact us for more solutions for live venue acoustics and sound control technology.
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