1. Acoustics of Concert Halls and Rooms SOME BASICS OF ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS
Auditorium Acoustics
Science of Sound, Chapter 23
Principles of Vibration and Sound, Chapter 11
Kimmel Center

2. SOUND FIELD
p vs r
log p vs log r
Free field
Reflections

3. Sound decay Sound decay in a 400 m3 classroom
Sound pressure level as a function of time for that room

4. GROWTH AND DECAY OF REVERBERANT SOUND
RT = K (volume / area)
RT = V/A (V in m3; A in m2 )
If room dimensions are given in feet, the formula may be written:
RT= V/A (V in ft.3 ; A in ft.2 )

5. Decay of reverberant sound
and (b) are decay curves of sound pressure and sound
level in a room with uniform energy distribution
(c) shows different initial and final reverberation times
(d) shows peaks due to prominent standing waves or room
resonances

6. CALCULATING REVERBERATION TIME

7. CALCULATING REVERBERATION TIME

8. Desirable reverberation times for various sizes and functions
Variation of reverberation time with frequency in good halls

9. McDermott Concert Hall (Dallas)

10. Orchestra Hall (Chicago)

11. Meyerhof Symphony Hall (Baltimore)

12. Walt Disney Concert Hall

13. Disney

15. Kimmel
Center
Auditorium

16. BACKGROUND NOISE CRITERIA

17. Important criteria for concert halls:
Spatial impression
Intimacy
Early decay time
Clarity
“Warmth”
Important criteria for concert halls:

18. Concert halls throughout the World