Abstract
Several music classrooms were renovated because music instructors complained of excessive noise levels during classes. Instructors also could not hear students well and commented on harsh reflected sounds. The rooms were trapezoidal shaped with relatively low, angled gypsum board ceilings with few sound absorbing materials installed. Acoustical measurements of reverberation times, overall sound levels, and reflected sounds were used to identify the causes of the perceived problems. Renovation schemes included floating planes of sound‐diffusing panels or prefabricated‐diffusing panels suspended in a ceiling grid to allow students to hear each other; raising the ceiling height to reduce excessive sound levels; and strategically placing sound‐absorbent materials to reduce reverberation and acoustic defects. Post‐construction acoustical measurements, as well as discussions with music instructors, revealed that while both reverberation times and loudness levels decreased, the early sound energy reflected across the room increased and resulted in improved musical communication among students and instructors.
Published Version
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