Klarinet Archive - Posting 000463.txt from 1995/06

From: John Baetens <JSBtens@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Down In The Dumps
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 00:42:55 -0400

On Jun 20, 2:27pm, Fred Cicetti wrote:

> Here's my question. Is there anything I can do to improve
>the acoustics in the cellar? It's all poured concrete with a
>wood ceiling....

Doug Cook suggests (among other things):

>...If you can do something to make the walls less parallel,
>that can help. The resonances die out quickly if
>they're essentially bouncing in random directions.

While you are making your concrete walls less parallel,
let's see if you can leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Seriously, now, Carpet on the walls is probably the
easiest and cheapest way to go. Make sure it's shag
carpet. Purple shag carpet. Then you have to get a
lava lamp and burn some incense.

Okay, let's really be serious. (I promise this time). Doug
is correct in saying that the problem is the parallel walls.
Notice the shape of a concert hall. There are no parallel
walls nor is the ceiling parallel with the floor. This would
be rather hard to duplicate in your basement. With a wooden
ceiling and hard floor, you should either carpet the entire
floor or install acoustic ceiling tiles. You should also
completely cover one wall of each pair of parallel walls
with absorbent material. Assuming the room is rectangular,
completely cover two adjacent walls. Leaving the other
two walls bare will keep the room from sounding dead, but
the problem of the sound resonating back and forth between
the walls will be solved. Again, carpeting will work well for
this. And orange lava lights really brighten up purple shag
on the walls. Oh god, just shoot me now.

John Baetens
Resident Knucklehead
(I finally got a title!)