Recording Spaces

Recording Spaces

by Philip Newell
Released January 1998
Publisher(s): Focal Press
ISBN: 9781136116452

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Book description

Recording Spaces deals with the acoustics of rooms intended for musical performance of many styles. It discusses these spaces in terms of isolation, internal acoustics, possible techniques of use, and the way that these spaces will interact with the musicians, their instruments, and the microphones. It deals with the concepts of sound isolation, examines some of the principal processes at work, and provides drawings and descriptions of actual rooms and techniques.

The book describes how the isolation requirements have their effect on the internal acoustics of the rooms, and how the room treatments must be conceived with such interactions taken into consideration.

Starting from the initial concepts, to the measurements of the finished items, Recording Spaces discusses many different types of room, from vocal `booths' to orchestral rooms. There are many stories of how actual `classical' musical performances, from rock to orchestral, have been inspired, or strongly influenced, by the acoustics of their recording spaces.

Philip Newell lives in Spain and travels extensively - he is currently designing a concert hall in the Ukraine. Philip began his career working with classic groups such as The Who, whilst at the same time recording brass bands, Welsh male voice choirs, Scottish pipes, church and fairground organs, musicals, and classical recitals. After setting up Virgin Records' first studio he designed their Manor Mobile studio, produced the first recording with a 24-track mobile vehicle, and went on to design their Townhouse Studios in London. Philip has close links with the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at Southampton University and has written articles for the major audio magazines. He is the author of Studio Monitoring Design, also published by Focal Press.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Halftitle
  3. Dedication
  4. Title
  5. Copyright
  6. Contents
  7. About the author
  8. Acknowledgements
  9. Introduction
  10. Chapter 1 Isolation shells
    1. 1.1 Basic requirements
    2. 1.2 A typical isolation structure
    3. 1.3 Modes and resonances
  11. Chapter 2 Neutral rooms
    1. 2.1 Large neutral rooms
    2. 2.2 Practical realisation of a neutral room
    3. 2.3 A practical design approach
    4. 2.4 Further design aims
    5. References
  12. Chapter 3 Variable rooms
    1. 3.1 Time for change – musician power
    2. 3.2 Introducing practical variability
  13. Chapter 4 Live rooms – their revolutionary strengths and weaknesses
    1. 4.1 A brief history of idiosyncrasy
    2. 4.2 Drawbacks of the containment shell
    3. 4.3 Raw materials
    4. 4.4 Practical considerations
    5. 4.5 The general concept
    6. 4.6 The learning curve
  14. Chapter 5 Stone rooms
    1. 5.1 Evolution
    2. 5.2 Construction options
    3. 5.3 Live versus electronic reverberation
    4. 5.4 The 20% rule
    5. 5.5 Reverberant rooms and bright rooms – reflexion and diffusion
    6. 5.6 Low frequency considerations
    7. 5.7 Summary
    8. Note
  15. Chapter 6 Orchestral rooms
    1. 6.1 Choice of venues and musician’ needs
    2. 6.2 RT considerations
    3. 6.3 Fixed studio environments
    4. 6.4 Psychoacoustic considerations and spacial awareness
    5. 6.5 Use of screens
    6. 6.6 Summary
  16. Chapter 7 Vocal rooms
    1. 7.1 Aims
    2. 7.2 Practical constructions
    3. 7.3 Application to a practical room
    4. 7.4 Combined effects of losses
    5. 7.5 Trims
    6. 7.6 Conclusion
  17. Chapter 8 Room combinations and operational considerations
    1. 8.1 Options and influences
    2. 8.2 Layout of rooms
    3. 8.3 Isolation considerations: doors and windows
    4. 8.4 The Geddes approach
    5. 8.5 Recording techniques for limited acoustics
    6. 8.6 A compact studio
    7. 8.7 Summary
    8. References
  18. Chapter 9 The studio environment
    1. 9.1 Colour, light and human sensitivities
    2. 9.2 Ventilation and air conditioning
    3. 9.3 Equalisation and foldback
  19. Chapter 10 Limitations to design predictions
    1. 10.1 Room responses
    2. 10.2 Scale models
    3. 10.3 Computer models
    4. 10.4 Sound pulse modelling
    5. 10.5 Light ray modelling
    6. 10.6 Ripple tank modelling
    7. 10.7 Summary
    8. References
  20. Glossary of terms
  21. Index

Product information

  • Title: Recording Spaces
  • Author(s): Philip Newell
  • Release date: January 1998
  • Publisher(s): Focal Press
  • ISBN: 9781136116452