Acoustic Treatment of the Banda Municipal de Badajoz rehearsal room

Description of the acoustic treatment project

Our goals

We are not talking about conditioning just a rehearsal room. We are talking about the space that hosts the famous Banda Municipal de Badajoz, the city’s local band, which is known for an extremely varied and heterogenous musical program. Our main goal was to define and achieve the right acoustics for a band of considerable size in a room with a substantial reverberation time.

The importance of acoustics in a rehearsal room

Rehearsal rooms of remarkable size must be treated with caution. Although it is true that normally a big space has a much better acoustic performance than those of smaller size, it is also true that its larger dimensions lead to modal resonances on long wavelengths, and these can cause bothersome or low-freqüency noises.

Acoustic challenges and designated solutions

The acoustic project was a request from Promusica Extremadura and implied the following challenges:

• Contain the reverb time in mid and high frequencies
• Control the resonance in low frequencies given the less than optimal dimensions of the room.
• Avoid darkening the room with the installed materials as much as possible.
• Keep track of the costs to avoid going over the budget set by the Town Council.
• Use authorised materials with good fire resistance that can be quickly and easily installed.

What acoustic solutions were implemented?

Considering the requests and challenges ahead, we decided to use a combination of acoustic absorption panels and bass traps with an acoustic absorption coefficient adjusted to the needs and uses of the room.

Technical details of the project

Evaluation and diagnosis

According to our first acoustic measures, the reverberation time RT60 was approximately 1,5 seconds. The adequate time for a rehearsal room of those characteristics and use should revolve around 0,3 and 0,4 seconds.

Design and planning of an effective acoustic conditioning

We were meant to lower the reverberation time just enough to improve the hearing in every spot in the room, keeping in mind that a band of such size includes all kinds of instruments and a wide and differentiated pressure range between each of the instrument sections. With that, we would improve the individual auditive experience, the intelligibility level and the acoustic comfort in general.

Installation of the acoustic conditioning

We decided upon a sound absorbing cover on approximately 40% of the walls with Stratocell Whisper FR 50 mm. The panels were curt at 60 x120 cm to guarantee a RT60 reverb time of approximately 0,3 seconds. We used Stratocell Whisper FR panels because they check all the boxes regarding hygiene, resistance and security. Moreover, they guarantee good absorption of mid-low frequencies without making the room sound too deaf on the higher ones.

Vertical bass traps were inserted in the corners amongst walls and also in the joints between wall and ceiling. For that purpose, we used customized corner traps and specifically made of melamine for a class 1 fire resistance treatment.

A baffle detector system was created on the roof with 50 mm Stratocell Whisper horizontally suspended, which results in excellent low frequency control.

We physically verified the measures and our predictions were completely accurate. Our approximated reverb time was 0.3 seconds, with high frequencies not too “dry” and a smooth bump at the 120 Hz mark to obtain a great improvement in the global perception of sound.

List of utilized materials for the Banda Municipal de Badajoz rehearsal room

• White Stratocell Whisper acoustic absorbing panels.
• Basotec melamine foam mega bass traps.
• Tightened steel cables grid system as a supporting platform for the acoustic baffle shaped absorbing panels on the roof.

Impact and project review: client’s testimony

During our visit for the acoustic measurements we took the chance to listen to the opinions of the musicians themselves and also famous director Vicente Soler. We verified that our job was appreciated absolutely in sync with the expectations at the beginning of the project. As a show of gratitude for our work and to put it to test with our own ears, the band performed an excellent pasodoble.

“It’s all more clear now and there’s a sharpness we didn’t feel before. The result is perfect and I encourage professional groups to take a look at this room and have an acoustic treatment done on their quarters, really, you can even perform recordings here.”

Vicente Soler
Conductor of the Banda Municipal de Badajoz

Get to know more about our acoustic treatment projects

Mas Acoustics Pro has completed projects for clients such as Atresmedia, Netflix, CBRE, Catalunya Radio, El Terrat, Óscar Mulero, Adam Hall, Shakira, Seat, Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza, Euskal Televista and hundreds of clients in Spain.