crafting sound in space - acoustic treatment workshops
written by monse alvarado alvarez
in the second week of may, in preparation for the shunter opening, the workshop, crafting sound in space took place. hosted by both shunter and pos, anyone with a love for sound was invited to learn about sound systems, acoustic treatment and elements. the preparations for shunter weekender 002, curated by soft break and state offf, are now in full swing. we take a moment to reflect on the workshop collaboration to prepare newcomers for a very special sound experience.
crafting sound in space was led in close guidance by xaos, whose background spans classical training, djing, production, sound design and years of festival and venue work. throughout the week of sharing knowledge, participants explored the technical, playful sides of sound through a connective practice.
crafting sound in space has now taken shape twice. in this article we share more insights into the contents of these workshops, from the theory to the hands-on work, and the final tuning of the sound systems. alongside, you'll find some resources for those curious to learn more, and perhaps join the next iteration of crafting sound in space.
treating a room acoustically
the first crafting sound in space took place at pos at the beginning of march. this week of knowledge sharing and hands-on workshops was a way to bring together anyone interested in creating community, learning about sound, and gaining ownership of the pos space. treating a room acoustically through a collaborative process gives space to multiple ideas and a shared direction. a project built by the community, for the community.
the same is true for the second crafting sound in space, this time at shunter, the new rotterdam cultural space. just like at pos, and as a newly built venue, collaborating with and giving ownership to the creatives remains a top priority. our paths crossed with them organically, through conversations with mutual connections who share similar priorities and values around culture, sound, and access. in the future there will be more sound related workshops and spaces for artist to create, practice, collaborate and exhibit.
as pos and shunter are very different physical spaces, the acoustic treatment process differs greatly, making each workshop experience unique. beyond the space itself, the personal input of every participant adds to this shared learning experience, for organisers and sound enthusiasts alike. the result is a space shaped by, and reflecting, the needs and desires of each community.
the workshop, led by xaos, operates in a fully interactive way. this means xaos is not seen as the sole knowledge-carrier; everyone involved is encouraged to contribute at any time, and the direction and planning of the workshop are decided collectively during its early stages. sound system communities tend to be highly creative, often reaching the same solution through different paths. experimentation lies at the heart of the process.
the week kicks off on monday evening with an introduction and check-in for all attendees, before moving into the theoretical framework needed to bring the project to life. we dive into the physics behind sound in space, such as acoustics, materials, and bass theory, and take part in listening exercises that explore the feeling of impulses beyond the traditional sense of hearing. the session closes with speaker testing and the drafting of an action plan, involving decisions about what to do with the walls and how many absorption panels are needed to achieve constant directivity.
‘it was really cute to see how everyone perceives sound differently and what it means to them personally, which made for a complete experience. we didn't just learn technical skills (including tool use and a bit of woodworking), but also explored sound on a more metaphysical and spiritual level. it was a very nice way to connect with new people while learning at the same time.’ andrea, workshop participant
from tuesday through thursday, the creation begins to take shape. small groups form around activities ranging from handling woodwool, to building panel frames, to raising the structure for the wall absorptions.
friday closes with another knowledge-sharing session where everyone reflected on the construction work, the choices made and the process of building. for the shunter edition of the workshop, more people joined as word spread. many arrived partway through, since attending every session was not mandatory. this led to a closing session where participants could reflect and teach one another, revisiting earlier material with fresh perspectives and new insights, as everyone tested the work completed over the week.
“It felt more like a game of trying to solve problems as you go. scientifically, there are certain metrics that need to be met, certain goals to be reached, but those things can also be analysed naturally using eyes, ears, and the senses. we slacked off some days, but that's also what builds the room's character. reaching results that satisfied those metrics was achievable for us. we could, and can, for our own projects in the future, focus more on what the room means than on what the results achieved. for communal spaces, the process of building should be 100% communal — something I learned from shunter in general :)" -ali, workshop participant
tuning the last sounds
after the workshop, many people stayed eager to get involved and help carry forward the newly begun journey of shunter, and all the work still needed to make it a reality. right on time before the opening weekend, possibilities of sound and pattern systems installed and hung the speakers, which weigh 60 kg each, into their custom clamps. these mounting points designed by nemo allow a rotation capacity of 360 degrees, and the round platter can be tilted in several directions, in increments of 5 degrees, allowing great flexibility in determining the ideal position of the speakers, on both the horizontal and vertical planes.
one of the main challenges for the shunter sound system was creating a coherent experience across both the garage and the hall room, achieving constant directivity (the even distribution of sound across a space) and bringing a unified experience to everyone on the dance floor.
the rooms were treated by minimising sound bleed, adapting the directivity of the horns and measuring their coverage angle. work that was strengthened by the acoustic treatment carried out by the workshop participants.
in the hall, pattern soundsystem added 30” subwoofers and kicks for a more intense experience, following the same sound philosophy and concept, and creating a seamless flow between the rooms. the reasoning behind adding a separate kick is that sub-bass and kick drum can occupy the same frequency range, making the crossover between the two hard to control without one. with just mids and a sub, the sub has to carry more of the lower frequencies than it would with an additional kick in place. so, with a dedicated kick source, the kick bass becomes more pronounced and defined.
"the constant directivity horns already come with a specified beamwidth (the angles of the space that will be directly covered with sound while respecting constant directivity). so the first step is calculating how to position the speakers. this takes into account reflections off the walls and ceiling, as well as full dancefloor coverage. from there, measurements serve as feedback to further fine-tune the positioning, and also as input for tuning practices, determining, for example, the correct crossovers." -ruben, pos of sound
tuning is the final ingredient in this formula. it begins by ear, through close listening. measuring mics are then used to understand how the speakers work together and how they interact with the acoustics of the room.
this has been a massive project, shaped by many people and perspectives. and it's only the beginning. even more minds are needed. if you're interested in taking part in crafting sound in space, follow the nudge. no matter how much technical knowledge you have, you can always start somewhere. subscribe to our newsletter, as that's where we'll announce the next workshop.
shunter opening weekend
resources:
REW room acoustics measurement and analysis
leveling the roon with possibilities of sound - the philosophy behind this project