The use of electrocoustic enhancement systems in the design of orchestral rehearsal rooms

Rehearsal rooms for orchestras pose design challenges in controlling room loudness as a fundamental health and safety issue. Given the practical constraints on volume, providing sound absorption is an way of reducing the overall sound level and the masking effect of strong reverberation. However, this can make the room too “dry” which can negatively affect tone production, and make ensemble blend more difficult. Also, the decay characteristics of a room are a prerequisite for the musicality of the rehearsal. Are smaller-scale rehearsal rooms, therefore, always acoustically compromised? Electroacoustic enhancement systems offer a means to allow loudness, ensemble, and musicality factors to be addressed in a physically smaller environment. With undesirable reflections managed via absorption and diffusion, new “useful” reflections can be added digitally without requiring physical surfaces. These can be flexibly mapped to instrumental sections that require them—something very difficult to achieve otherwise. Late sound can be created at a lower gain so it does not result in excessive loudness, whilst still allowing a longer decay rate to enhance the musical blend. A case study of the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s rehearsal and performance studio is presented, including experiences from the process of tuning the room with the Orchestra.