[CAUT] Flooring for concert hall

[Don Mannino]

Jim,
 
The material and construction can really affect the sound of the piano.
It is common in some halls with painted floors to use soft pine or
similar, and this takes away from the power of the piano, but tends to
make the bass sound big.  A maple or oak floor will help the power and
projection of the pianos.
 
Depending on things like distance between joists and thickness of the
wood used, the hardwoods would be best, I think.  But I don't have any
solid specifications to provide, sorry.  My sense is that it should not
sound inert and dead when you thump on it with your heels - which can
come from using particle board subflooring or similar.  That can be like
a concrete floor - kind of sucking up the tone.
 
If the sound is good now, stay with that.  If not, then choose according
to how you want to improve it, I would think.  I bet you anything,
though, that there are acoustical consultants who would know exactly
what to recommend.  That would be the wisest choice.
 
Don Mannino

  _____  

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Jim Busby
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 1:19 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] Flooring for concert hall



All,

 

Our large concert hall (1200 seats) is going to get a new floor. They
asked today if we knew of the acoustical considerations of the flooring.
Choices seem to be Maple flooring or some type of material used on the
MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Any help here? (Seems like the
architects/engineers would be all over this, but since we're a private
institution sometimes things get done just to get them done...) 

 

Also, the subflooring insulation is in question. What material to use,
etc.

 

I heard that one major hall (One of the 3 Carnegie?) had a new material
that was not conducive to good sound and had to be redone.  

 

Can any of you direct me to resources on this? I wouldn't know where to
begin, and I bet some of you have been there. Where do we go?

 

Thanks!!

Jim Busby BYU

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut_ptg.org/attachments/20090212/4ce0ecd3/attachment.html>