Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Acoustic Treating A Live Venue. Few questions!

Options
  • 20-03-2013 5:05am
    #1
    if6was9
    Registered Users Posts: 180 ✭✭


    I do sound regularly enough in a small (very small!) venue and I've been hounding them to treat the room in there as it's pretty harsh and gets outta control fast.

    It's a tiny room, fits about 50 in front of the band at a push. Pretty much a square shape with a passageway in/out coming from the wall opposite the stage.

    The main problems are the high end from the cymbals and kit bouncing off the wall behind the stage and it getting very harsh, loud and out of control very fast. I find I've to hack at the graphic to get anything close to a decent sounding vocal without feedback. I've tried a couple of different systems in there and come to the conclusion it's the room that's the problem.

    I want to carpet the floor and ceiling of the stage and drape the sides and back of the stage. The plan is to leave the curtain with plenty of excess so it bunches up and makes a thicker barrier. Then I'd be looking to build some broadband absorption and have it on the wall opposite the stage and probably around head height at the 2 side walls.

    Any other ideas for improving the room acoustics? Budget is a concern, the cheaper the better.

    I've been told for fire reasons you aren't supposed to use the draping Thomann sell and someone quoted the venue 1800€ just for draping. This seems BS to me, why would thomann sell it if it's not supposed to be used in a venue. I bought enough new curtain to drape this venue's stage before for 80€ so 1800€ seems like an insane figure.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    TroutMask
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 743 Mod ✭✭✭✭TroutMask


    Been there. It helps if you can get a specialist contracter to quote and do the job. A full analysis of the room is needed. Probabaly best to be wary of endangering life/voiding insurance by using flammables. There was stuff called Flame Check, stops flammables from burning. If the venue refuses to man up and facilitate good sound, then maybe consider working somewhere else as the place will drive you nuts if you keep working there.


  • Options
    #3
    if6was9
    Registered Users Posts: 180 ✭✭if6was9


    TroutMask wrote: »
    Been there. It helps if you can get a specialist contracter to quote and do the job. A full analysis of the room is needed. Probabaly best to be wary of endangering life/voiding insurance by using flammables. There was stuff called Flame Check, stops flammables from burning. If the venue refuses to man up and facilitate good sound, then maybe consider working somewhere else as the place will drive you nuts if you keep working there.

    I work in other places already, I'm involved with gig promotion and we run shows in this place cause it's the most suited size wise for what we do.

    The place is very small so they're not gonna spend tons on it


  • Options
    #4
    TroutMask
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 743 Mod ✭✭✭✭TroutMask


    There are plenty of small venues that have good sound.
    Hopefully the owner will see sense. Deadening will help around the stage. If there are problems due to room structure, weird modes etc, then you'll need to target each issue and treat it accordingly.


  • Options
    #5
    y2stevo
    Registered Users Posts: 17 ✭y2stevo


    Since the drums are the main problem (Always are in small-medium rooms) Another option is setting up isolation for the drummer, Some of the plexi glass drum shields in front of the drummer,
    This would reflect alot of the direct sound to the back of the stage where you could have heavy broadband absorption behind the drummer.


Advertisement