Acoustical treatment is not only important in a live environment; it's also necessary for recording. Once the domain of recording studios and high-end broadcast facilities isolation booths are gaining popularity in houses of worship. Iso-booths are designed to provide an acoustically controllable environment, or attenuate any undesired exterior noise, or a combination of the two.
Design Engineer Josh Fletcher of WhisperRoom, Inc. from Morristown, Tenn., says, “Isolation booths have a variety of uses including vocal and voiceover recording, broadcasting, instrument and vocal practice, translation, instruction, noise containment, and more.”
Portable, modular isolation booths are enabling existing churches to add that functionality without the headache of construction for a permanent iso-booth.
Jennifer Matthey, V.P. of marketing from VocalBooth.com of Bend, OR said, “Unlike a hard-built booth it becomes an investment that can be moved across the room or across the world.” Installation and assembly is generally easy enough for a volunteer team to accomplish.
While not always soundproof, iso-booths provide a level of sound reduction and the interior acoustical environment can be tailored to fit the individual needs (either a “live” or “dead” sounding booth) of the church or even the needs of the situation. Most models can be expanded or enhanced as needs change.
While the idea is to isolate acoustically, small spaces can sometimes bring on feelings of anxiety in some people. Says Matthey, “When people can see out that generally relieves any claustrophobic feelings.” As such, most models come standard with windows as well as ventilation systems. Ports for cable access and basic lighting are also included in the basic booth systems.
Drum Isolation Booths: Controlling Acoustic Drums
The phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally” can also apply in acoustical treatment. Occasionally for the sake of the entire live mix, the isolation of the loudest instruments (usually the drums, but sometimes also the bass and electric guitars) can often help. That's where a drum isolation booth comes into play. A drum booth can be a system of clear acrylic and sound-absorbing panels attached together encircling the drumset and is designed to help control the overall acoustical output of the drums.
Many churches devise home-made systems with just acrylic panels, however, as Brian Smith, president of ClearSonic, of Hudson, OH says, “It must be kept in mind that plastic shields have hard surfaces that do not absorb sound. They are designed to reflect sound in a different direction. In most cases this means that adding absorption baffles to soak up some of this excess sound offers the best chance of success in controlling the sound.”
The benefit is the drum sound is isolated and more controllable. The downside is the drummer is also more isolated and monitoring becomes more critical. Smith advises, “In-ear monitors have dramatically increased in quality and dropped in cost in recent years, and many worship groups have found they help musicians hear each other much better in all circumstances.”
Working with a consultant or system designer can help determine the best configuration as well as establish a monitoring solution so your drummer does not feel isolated.
