Concert halls have special conditions in terms of design and sound quality. Among these special conditions, the most important thing is sound quality optimization. The acoustic comfort of the performers and the audience is created by optimizing the acoustic performance of a concert hall, and sound can be heard more effectively. To achieve this, the acoustics of a concert hall must be well-designed and planned. The most effective building material optimizing acoustic performance is wood. This week’s blog post will examine why wood should be preferred in concert halls for optimum sound quality.
General Wood Properties
With a very general approach, wood material resources are: inexhaustible, its production and processing are not difficult, although it is light has high strength, can offer an endless variety of colors, textures, and patterns, can be protected with simple precautions, can be maintained and repaired, has human and environmental sensitivity, and especially in structural use, it is an extremely safe(*) engineering material.
(*) This advantage has become much more crucial considering the last very devastating earthquake we experienced.
Material Structure
First of all, essential to understand the acoustic properties of wood. Wood is a porous and anisotropic material. It absorbs and reflects sound in different ways depending on its grain directions and densities. This feature makes wood to acoustically effective material. For example, microstructures in wood absorb low-frequency sounds that can control a room’s resonance and prevent the formation of standing waves that can degrade the overall sound quality. The low-frequency sounds can be absorbed and help prevent unwanted resonance by using acoustic panels which are made of pine or maple. Thus, a clearer and more natural sound quality can be achieved in the room.
In addition, as it is known, sound (acoustic) consists of waves formed by the vibration of elastic objects. At this point, the acoustic properties of the wood material are crucial in terms of its condition against sound waves and evaluation in various places of use. In the wood, the sounds propagate, and drowning occurs. Following wood’s thin and cellular structure, these two properties occur differently from other solid, liquid, and gaseous objects. Wood is superior to other materials with spreading and suffocating sound waves. Thus, wood is primarily used in the production of musical instruments, acoustically in concert and theater halls, as wall, ceiling, and floor coverings.
Acoustic Feature
The distance traveled by sound in one second is called the speed of sound. Sound travels faster in flexible solid objects than in gases and liquids ones. The speed of sound waves depends on the tree species, wood structure, amount of moisture, temperature, specific gravity, and frequency of the waves. The most significant feature of wood material is that the sound propagation speed is high despite its light structural weight.
The sound energy loss caused by the emission (radiation) of sound waves in wood is greater than in metals. The reason sound propagation speed is high in the wood and the resistance to the propagation of sound waves is very low and the specific gravity is low. With this acoustically beneficial feature, wood becomes unrivaled in the production of musical instruments. The wood used in making musical instruments is drilled (Razonans wood material) and the material mostly used in string musical instruments is (Spruce and Maple).
Using wood in structures is significant with its features of regulating sound waves, absorbing sound, and preventing bad sound echoes that occur with sound reflection on the walls. Wood can absorb low-frequency sounds and reflect high-grade sounds. This feature preserves the clarity and definition of an artist’s voice. The wooden surfaces used in the walls, ceilings, and floors reflect the sound naturally and ensure that the sound is transmitted evenly to the farthest points in the interior. In this way, the high frequencies that enable the sound to be understood are reflected by the listener, and the acoustic performance of the space is increased. For this reason, it is essential to use wood in places where sound is the primary focus, such as theatres, concerts, cinemas, and lecture halls. Because wood regulates and absorbs sound waves on walls, ceilings, and floors.
In terms of sound insulation, which is another essential concept of acoustics in indoor spaces: It can be said that solid wood material transmits noise caused by mechanical effects such as hitting, beating, and walking due to its low elasticity. In such cases, noise can be reduced only by placing glass wool and similar porous materials between the wooden partitions. At this point, applying engineering parquet with its limited spaces and layers instead of solid wood gives extremely positive results. However, laying the parquets in a herringbone or diagonal manner can also make an additional contribution to reducing the noise.
Natural Appearance
Another important benefit of using wood for sound quality optimization is its natural appearance. Due to its natural structure, wood presents very different appearances depending on the wood type, cutting, and surface treatment technique. For these reasons, it is superior to alternative materials and is unrivaled in these areas of use. Unlike many other materials such as metal or plastic, wood complements the elegance and sophistication of a concert hall, giving it a warm, organic look. Thus, an aesthetic appearance can be achieved in the interior by improving the volume of acoustics.
Versatility
Another important benefit is the wood’s versatility considered when using wood for sound quality optimization. Wood can be used as a covering material on panels, floors, blocks, walls, and ceilings. This versatility allows designers and acousticians to make different configurations and arrangements to find the optimum balance between sound absorption and reflection. For example, DENDRO products were preferred in venues with different functions such as concerts, workshops, and libraries of AKM, which is one of our reference projects. Warm tones come to the fore in the project, where wood is used extensively.
Sustainability
Wood is a sustainable and environmentally friendly material, as well as being used for the optimization of sound quality in concert halls. It is a renewable resource and an excellent alternative to other materials that can harm the environment. Additionally, many wood acoustic product manufacturers use sustainable sourcing practices to ensure their products are made from responsibly harvested and managed forests. This practice reflects the awareness of nature and the environment and is a topic that should be considered when choosing materials.
Wood has a unique combination of acoustic properties, natural appearance, versatility, and sustainability. Using wood in concert halls is an important design criterion in projects where sound comfort is essential. Wood improves sound quality and creates acoustic comfort in concert halls and performance hall stages. Whether you’re designing a new concert hall or renovating an existing one, wood will be the perfect material for improved sound quality.
As DENDRO, we continue our design, architecture, and technology-oriented content. You can visit www.dendro.com.tr/en/ to access our other articles, examine DENDRO’s wide range of flooring products, and learn about our products inspired by nature, which give your homes an identity.
References
Prof.Dr. Adnan BERKEL, Ağaç Malzeme Teknolojisi, I. cilt. İÜOF. yayın no: 147. 1970
