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How Acoustic Sound Panels For Churches Work

By Ina Hunt


The same structural characteristics that produce a lovely echo when music is performed can make ordinary speech nearly unintelligible. Music is an important part of most church services, but the congregation should also be able to clearly hear and understand spoken words without straining. Acoustic sound panels for churches clarify and focus tonal vibrations, making them easier for human ears to process.

Although some European Gothic cathedrals are famous for their signature echoes, there is a distinct line separating reverberation from garbled, irritating noise. Echoes occur because individual waves repeatedly bounce back and forth between ceilings and walls. While some building plans include acoustic accuracy, many houses of worship today exist in structures originally intended for other uses.

Even without the benefit of modern computer analysis, there have been several methods historically used to correct the problem. Some included the addition of ash to clay pots located at strategic points withing a room. They were moved about, and burnt material was added or removed to dampen specific reverberations. Support pillars that dominated some buildings were specifically altered, and stone blocks specially sized to inhibit echo.

In modern buildings, solutions vary from adding thick carpeting in specific spaces, or using software to create individual and changeable reverberation shapes based on other acoustically famous interiors. Both methods work up to a point, but cannot completely overcome structural obstacles that are part of the original building plans. Many structures benefit most from flat baffles in front of walls or on ceilings.

Rather than cutting out certain frequencies, these baffles absorb unwanted reflections, often within a particular room. They all incorporate a common design approach, using a frame that houses a filling of absorbent material, covered by a variety of decorative possibilities. The interior is most often filled with fiberglass or foam, and there are less environmentally toxic fillers also available.

Their size depends the extent of the echo and distortion. Some are as small as four square feet, while others may be nearly wall-sized, and most solutions require combinations. No matter their dimensions, they allow vibrations to pass through the exterior material rather than bouncing off, and any waves that return are re-absorbed. This principle is the same one used by music studios to emphasize accuracy, and can be easily adapted to churches.

Far from appearing to be an industrial or high-tech intrusion, these structures easily blend with most modern church decors. They can mirror the patterns and colors of existing stained glass, or can tie a room together by adopting patterns or colors on existing walls and ceilings. While a plain baffle is not particularly attractive, in many cases they end up looking like a part of the intended interior design.

While it is possible to place these baffles in a hall with acoustic precision using sophisticated microphones and computers, the best method of making a final determination is simply by listening critically. What seems within acceptable range to a machine may not to a human ear. When installed properly, they do not inhibit high frequencies or decrease volume, but instead increase the clarity of both speech and music.




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