Floors and ceilings, ceilings and floors...

lordwesley · 10th February 2008, 02:13 PM

Hello
was just wondering.... It seems like a general thing to have hard floors and treated ceilings. If the ceiling is hard and the floor is carpeted, as in most rooms that aren't studios I'm assuming this is then the wrong way round. Why is it then (i'm assuming that sound waves are not affected by gravity) that is must be this way round? Is it purely a case that amps and instruments are closer to the floor? But in a small room often the singer's mic would be closer to the ceiling. What is i'm missing? I'm just a little confused. If anyone can give me an answer it'd be much appreciated and stop my little mind from thinking about it too aften, its got better things to be doing. Well, sometimes.

jinksdingo · 10th February 2008, 02:59 PM

Yeah floors give a better timber to the sound- Ha Ha.
Seriously a great subject acoustics. I think that the joke has a little truth in it. Usually nice real wooden floors in a large room with high ceilings. The far off planes of reflection have little effect on the mic'd direct sound.
And you are right saying the closeness of the floor adds a character to the source where ceilings are generally farther away and their reflections aren't so complimentary and even damaging.
As for the vocals on a low ceiling. what would you prefer the reflections from a nice wooden floor or the refections from plasterboard?
In my room I got a nice old wooden floor and the ceiling is luckily pitched but I have clad most of it with insluated floating corrigated iron which acts as a diffuser. There are also acoustic tiles in place above the drum kit to be sure. but the drums sit on a shallow floating drum raiser that is heavily carpeted.
The wooden floors are best for mic'g acoustic instruments and amps.

Ethan Winer · 10th February 2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordwesley

If the ceiling is hard and the floor is carpeted, as in most rooms that aren't studios I'm assuming this is then the wrong way round.

You are correct. See the sidebar Hard Floor, Soft Ceiling in my Acoustics FAQ.

--Ethan

lordwesley · 10th February 2008, 04:44 PM

Thanks very much. Seems obvious when put like that. Thanks.

bass man · 10th February 2008, 05:29 PM

The way i understand soft ceiling hard floor idea is that you cant put on the floor 4" of acoustic foam but only 5-10 mm carpet and on the ceiling you can.
So using thicker acoustic foam on the ceiling will absorb more broadband/bass freq. Using just a carpet on the floor with i hard ceiling absorb only high freq ...

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10th February 2008, 02:13 PM	#1
lordwesley Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Plymouth UK Posts: 1,194	Floors and ceilings, ceilings and floors... Hello was just wondering.... It seems like a general thing to have hard floors and treated ceilings. If the ceiling is hard and the floor is carpeted, as in most rooms that aren't studios I'm assuming this is then the wrong way round. Why is it then (i'm assuming that sound waves are not affected by gravity) that is must be this way round? Is it purely a case that amps and instruments are closer to the floor? But in a small room often the singer's mic would be closer to the ceiling. What is i'm missing? I'm just a little confused. If anyone can give me an answer it'd be much appreciated and stop my little mind from thinking about it too aften, its got better things to be doing. Well, sometimes.

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10th February 2008, 02:59 PM	#2
jinksdingo Gear maniac Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 156	Yeah floors give a better timber to the sound- Ha Ha. Seriously a great subject acoustics. I think that the joke has a little truth in it. Usually nice real wooden floors in a large room with high ceilings. The far off planes of reflection have little effect on the mic'd direct sound. And you are right saying the closeness of the floor adds a character to the source where ceilings are generally farther away and their reflections aren't so complimentary and even damaging. As for the vocals on a low ceiling. what would you prefer the reflections from a nice wooden floor or the refections from plasterboard? In my room I got a nice old wooden floor and the ceiling is luckily pitched but I have clad most of it with insluated floating corrigated iron which acts as a diffuser. There are also acoustic tiles in place above the drum kit to be sure. but the drums sit on a shallow floating drum raiser that is heavily carpeted. The wooden floors are best for mic'g acoustic instruments and amps.

10th February 2008, 04:44 PM	#4
lordwesley Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Plymouth UK Posts: 1,194	Thanks very much. Seems obvious when put like that. Thanks.

10th February 2008, 05:29 PM	#5
bass man Gear maniac Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 216	The way i understand soft ceiling hard floor idea is that you cant put on the floor 4" of acoustic foam but only 5-10 mm carpet and on the ceiling you can. So using thicker acoustic foam on the ceiling will absorb more broadband/bass freq. Using just a carpet on the floor with i hard ceiling absorb only high freq ...