Understanding Acoustics: A Guide For Australian Musicians

If you are a budding musician, DJ or producer, you undoubtedly will come across the word acoustics time and time again.

You don’t need to be an expert in musical theory to understand what acoustics means and how a strong understanding of the term and concept can improve your audio production and music mixing exploits.

In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the concept and ensure you understand everything you need to know to get started.

What are Acoustics?

Acoustics is the science of sound. It includes how it is produced, transmitted, and received (i.e., experienced). 

Why do acoustics matter?

For musicians, artists and DJs, understanding acoustics is crucial as it directly impacts both the quality of your live performances and in-studio recordings. Armed with the right acoustic knowledge, you will be empowered to create optimal sound environments, enhance your music significantly, and provide better and more enjoyable listening experiences for your audience.

Acoustics play a vital role in shaping the sound of your music. We mean this both figuratively and literally. It influences how instruments resonate and vocals carry (meaning the physical sound waves), and impacts how your audience perceives your performance. 

For DJs and musicians, acoustics can actually make the difference between a mediocre and an exceptional show.

Key Acoustic Considerations for Musicians and DJs

There are many fundamental considerations all musicians and DJs should take into account when it comes to acoustics.

1. What are the acoustics like at the venue you are playing at?

Different spaces have unique acoustic properties. By being aware of how your music will sound in the particular environment you are playing in, whether it is an outdoor amphitheater or indoor clubs, you can tailor your technique, equipment and approach for an optimal listening experience.

For studio work, the considerations are similar. Think about what sort of room treatment, such as acoustic panels, can be employed to optimise the acoustics of your recording space.

2. What sort of sound reinforcement do you need?

Understanding how speaker placement and calibration affect sound quality in different venues and settings can help set you and your gig up for success. Even instrument acoustics can be impactful and recognising how different instruments interact with various acoustic environments is critical.

A Guide to Understanding Acoustics

What are the main acoustic concepts? How can they help improve your performance and skills as a DJ?

Frequency and Pitch

Frequency, in a technical sense, refers to the number of vibrations per second in a sound wave. It is typically measured in Hertz (Hz). Low frequencies (20-250 Hz) produce bass sounds; mid frequencies (250-2000 Hz) cover most instruments and vocals; and high frequencies (2000-20,000 Hz) create treble sounds.

Pitch, on the other hand, is our perception of frequency. So you can think of it as two sides of the same coin.

Understanding frequency ranges helps DJs balance their mix and the EQ in their tracks effectively.

Reverberation

Reverberation, or reverb as it is sometimes referred to, is the persistence of sound after its source has stopped. It is caused by multiple reflections of sound waves (off a surface in some cases) within a space. 

The longer it takes for a sound to decay, the longer the reverb time. If you hear a term like density about reverb, this just refers to the complexity of the reverb tail. Ironically, reverb can be used strategically and intentionally to add depth and atmosphere to music, but too much or unintentional reverb can muddy a track’s sound.

Resonance

Resonance is what happens when an object vibrates at its natural frequency, often causing the sound to amplify.

This can happen with instruments which might resonate, purposefully or unintentionally, to produce their characteristic tones, with rooms, which can have resonant frequencies that either enhance or detract sound, or from unwanted resonances causing feedback during live performances.

Harmonics and Overtones

Harmonics refers to integer multiples of a fundamental frequency. The term overtones includes both harmonic and non-harmonic frequencies above the fundamental frequency.

Having a good grasp of both harmonics and overtones allows DJs and music producers to manipulate an instrument’s timbre or tone color, effectively mix or apply EQ effects, or produce particular sounds in electronic music production.

How Do You Manage Acoustics?

Now that we know what acoustics are, how can you manage it for effective music production and DJing?

1. Improve your room acoustics

Consider the environment in which you are playing. The room shape can make a difference with non-parallel walls helping to prevent standing waves and flutter echoes. The higher the ceiling, the less reverberation time you can be expected to have. Plus, the more space you have, the less likely the acoustics are going to ‘bounce’ or become distorted. (Of course, too large a space presents its own issues as sound propagation over distance is also a problem.)

2. Consider how to treat your room for acoustics

Using thick, soft materials, or specialist treatment products like acoustic panels, can control excess reverberation. Optimise your acoustics by employing surfaces that diffuse sound rather than reflect them, and try to insulate any studio or recording environment from outside, disruptive noises.

3. Use technology to improve acoustics

Play around with amplification systems to understand how each different type of system interacts with different room acoustics. If you are playing outdoors, consider the wind direction and speed when setting up your DJ booth and choosing your amps. If you are in a studio or professional, indoor recording environment, play around with digital room correction to understand its utility and limitations.

Find the right equipment for optimal acoustics at DJ City

By mastering these acoustic principles and gaining a strong understanding of all things acoustics, you can significantly improve your performances and the quality of your recordings. 

Acoustics is both a science and an art, so while understanding the theory is important, practical experience and experimentation are just as valuable. 

If you need help understanding the why, how, where or what of acoustics, reach out to the DJ City team today.