Working with Sound

Acoustics & Ambient Noise

We all know what it is like to watch a video or listen to a podcast that has been recorded in a highly reverberant space or has a loud hum in the background. It's hard on the ears and can be off-putting to the listener. Before recording it is important to consider the acoustics of the space and any ambient noise.

Acoustics

Acoustics, meaning the way sound is transmitted or behaves within a space, is affected by a space’s size, shape, and the materials from which it is constructed. High ceilings, flat and parallel surfaces, and hard materials make a space more reverberant while things like uneven surfaces and soft materials reduce reverberation. Having soft furniture and rugs or carpet can reduce reflection considerably, as do acoustic panels designed specifically for the purposes of absorbing sound.

Listen to the different spaces below to get a sense of how these aspects of a space affects the acoustics:





Reflection is not a bad thing. A little bit of it is pleasant and not having any can feel unnatural. A lot of reflection or an echo, however, can make it hard to discern sounds, in particular, speech.

Ambient Noise

Besides getting a sense of the acoustical nature of the Bapst Library, Fine Print Reading Room, office, and Podcasting Room, you also can hear the ambient noise in the spaces. Like reflection, ambient noise is not a bad thing, and, like reflection, not having any feels unnatural. The key is to not have it be distracting or overpowering.

When recording it is best to "capture" at least ten seconds of otherwise silent ambient noise, or room tone, as it is called when recording. This will be helpful during editing if you have empty spaces, which if not filled with room tone will jar the listener as there suddenly will be complete silence. In this Bapst Library example, you can hear the difference that filling in and not filling in the room tone makes.
 

This page has paths:

This page references: