Micklure
Member
So I just took over a job for which I interned for several years (take that, unemployment). I'm the TD for the primary performing arts hall for a small university. Instead of a typical theater with curtains and the like, it's a proper concert hall (see pic attached.) No curtains on stage, lots of beautiful reverb, and high ceilings. It's breath-taking when we have orchestras. But when we have rock bands, big bands, and jazz combos, it's an unholy clamor. The towers you see on stage can be arranged to reflect sound as desired. Again, very useful with orchestral groups, but not so helpful with drums and monitors. The clouds you see are roughly 30 feet from the stage floor and the ceiling another 30 or so. Despite the size of the space, we only seat around 350.
Fortunately, student ensembles make up the bulk of our performances. However, we have enough bands come in that it would be worth addressing the issue. The problem, of course, is that we don't want to permanently dampen the hall. Ideally, I could have a setup that would ease things as needed and be taken down afterward. Thankfully, we have carpet flooring in the aisles and heavy curtains on the walls surround the seating, which helps a bunch. So the issue is limited, largely, to the stage. Can't do much about the high ceilings, but I have some thoughts for the stage. I'd like to share my plan with you and get some feedback.
For the groups that need dampening:
-Cover the stage with large, black, commercial-grade, carpet mats OR interlocking trade-show carpet tiles.
-Push the sound towers back as far as possible.
-Backdrop the group with black, 8 foot pipe/drape
-Cover the face of each tower with additional pipe/drape (which would make some cool uplighting opportunities too!)
Thoughts?
Picture:
http://s16.postimg.org/z2kfpc12d/IMG_1063.jpg
Fortunately, student ensembles make up the bulk of our performances. However, we have enough bands come in that it would be worth addressing the issue. The problem, of course, is that we don't want to permanently dampen the hall. Ideally, I could have a setup that would ease things as needed and be taken down afterward. Thankfully, we have carpet flooring in the aisles and heavy curtains on the walls surround the seating, which helps a bunch. So the issue is limited, largely, to the stage. Can't do much about the high ceilings, but I have some thoughts for the stage. I'd like to share my plan with you and get some feedback.
For the groups that need dampening:
-Cover the stage with large, black, commercial-grade, carpet mats OR interlocking trade-show carpet tiles.
-Push the sound towers back as far as possible.
-Backdrop the group with black, 8 foot pipe/drape
-Cover the face of each tower with additional pipe/drape (which would make some cool uplighting opportunities too!)
Thoughts?
Picture:
http://s16.postimg.org/z2kfpc12d/IMG_1063.jpg
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