Reader
In the recent episode of Zeitgeist Radio, folk musician and audio engineer Brennish Thomson talks about rooms and acoustics in some interesting ways. In order to understand the specific niche of folk audio, we first have to review what we know about acoustics.
There are a few key concepts that musicians and engineers pay attention to in a room (performance hall, studio, or wherever the heck your gig is):
- Reverberation: The persistence of sound in a space after the original sound is produced.
- Echo: A reflected sound that arrives at the listener with a delay, causing repetition of the original sound.
- Absorption: Materials that absorb sound, reducing reflections and reverberation. Common materials include foam panels, carpets, and curtains.
- Diffusion: Scattering of sound waves in different directions to create a more uniform sound field. Diffusers are often used in studios and auditoriums.
What I thought was so interesting in Brennish's perspective (and that of the company he works for, Your Heaven Audio), is thinking of instruments in the same way you think about a room. In the violin, what and where is the reverberation, the diffusion, etc?
Folk instruments are designed to project their sound. For most of human history we have not had electronic amplification; the instruments themselves needed to both generate and project the sound (compare this to an electric guitar, which without amplification is basically inaudible).
Violins project massively for their size. Banjos and accordions are the butt of many jokes because they can overpower other instruments.
However, as a folk performer there are still instances where you may need to amplify. An outdoor gig, maybe; or a duo in a large hall; or a hall with lots of absorption where folks in the back couldn't hear.
This niche is who Brennish and Your Heaven Audio serve.
