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Sound in a Sports Hall


Ben Jamin
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Next weekend's venue might be fun! Just wondered if anyone knew any tricks to make it sound good/alright/not completely awful as I'm rubbish at acoustics and all that! It's a full on sports hall - big high ceiling and sports hall floor etc. We haven't got any subs for the FOH, just running two QSC K10 speakers, so the bass will just be coming from my Barefaced Compact. There's also an acoustic drum kit!

Is there anything I can do to make us sound less reverby/boomy?

Cheers! :)

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Hmmm, watch lows - all instruments, and get anyone with reverb/delay/modulation, unless it`s an essential part of the sound to switch it off. Drums, maybe tune them up a bit higher than usual, and on the pa for vox again, drop reverb and get the depth by using mids not lows. Get all amps off of the floor.

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One trick I read and have successfully applied is reducing the number sound sources that are being reflected or reduce the chance of them being reflected. Sounds crazy but by putting both PA speakers together on one side of the stage works wonders. The other would be use a bigger PA and not use individual amps on the back line and use monitors. As I guess you are stuck with what is listed the main thing is keep the volume under control, don't push the hall beyond that point of intelligibility. Another - you could avoid facing the opposite wall, set up in the corner so the sound is going round the angles. Good luck

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You are screwed unless its entirely packed with meat acoustic absorbtion (ie an audience)

Even then the R60 on that space will be huge, vary massively with different frequencies and there is likely to be unpleasant resonance with any bass from something in the room (sports equiptment, ducting, the ceiling) depending on the construction.

Keep as quiet as possible and accept the fact that the audience are going to experience your band down a well..

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[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1391018228' post='2352357']
One trick I read and have successfully applied is reducing the number sound sources that are being reflected or reduce the chance of them being reflected. Sounds crazy but by putting both PA speakers together on one side of the stage works wonders. The other would be use a bigger PA and not use individual amps on the back line and use monitors. As I guess you are stuck with what is listed the main thing is keep the volume under control, don't push the hall beyond that point of intelligibility. Another - you could avoid facing the opposite wall, set up in the corner so the sound is going round the angles. Good luck
[/quote]

I'd be tempted to print the above post off and show it to the band, as a means of seeking everyone's understanding and agreement to keep the volume down

Oh, also have a 31 band graphic with feedback detectors to hand

Best of British

Edited by essexbasscat
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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1391017663' post='2352346']
Hmmm, watch lows - all instruments, and get anyone with reverb/delay/modulation, unless it`s an essential part of the sound to switch it off. Drums, maybe tune them up a bit higher than usual, and on the pa for vox again, drop reverb and get the depth by using mids not lows. Get all amps off of the floor.
[/quote]

It's going to be one of those rare instances where vocalists ask for LESS reverb haha :) Looks like I'll be high-passing everything! Getting amps off the floor is a good shout - could borrow a couple of X-frame keyboard stands; maybe some DIY gramma pads?

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1391018228' post='2352357']
One trick I read and have successfully applied is reducing the number sound sources that are being reflected or reduce the chance of them being reflected. Sounds crazy but by putting both PA speakers together on one side of the stage works wonders. The other would be use a bigger PA and not use individual amps on the back line and use monitors. As I guess you are stuck with what is listed the main thing is keep the volume under control, don't push the hall beyond that point of intelligibility. Another - you could avoid facing the opposite wall, set up in the corner so the sound is going round the angles. Good luck
[/quote]

Those are some neat ideas, thanks! We should have the afternoon to set-up so we can try out some different speaker arrangements.

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1391023609' post='2352428']
Good luck with that.. that...that...that....that....that.....
[/quote]

:lol:

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[quote name='CHW' timestamp='1391025974' post='2352466']
Best sound I've heard in a sports hall was the levellers, basically the walls were completely draped in fabric. Is this even remotely possible for you?
[/quote]

I wish! It works though really well though - played a festival in a big cow shed - the team outfitted the whole place in a thick heavy DIY starcloth, looked pretty cool too. Takes some effort to put up though and some pretty big steps on wheels!

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1391026319' post='2352472']
You are screwed unless its entirely packed with meat acoustic absorbtion (ie an audience)

Even then the R60 on that space will be huge, vary massively with different frequencies and there is likely to be unpleasant resonance with any bass from something in the room (sports equiptment, ducting, the ceiling) depending on the construction.

Keep as quiet as possible and accept the fact that the audience are going to experience your band down a well..
[/quote]

Cheers, here's hoping it'll be well attended! We're not expecting a good sound but hopefully we can make it reasonable :)

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1391026362' post='2352474']
I'd be tempted to print the above post off and show it to the band, as a means of seeking everyone's understanding and agreement to keep the volume down

Oh, also have a 31 band graphic with feedback detectors to hand

Best of British
[/quote]

Thinking of just sending them all the URL to this thread haha. Hopefully we'll be taking a digital desk so we can high-pass and take out offending frequencies pretty efficiently :)

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I once played a gig in a school gym, it was basically impossible! Everything we played came back at us - pretty much unattenuated - about a quarter of a second later, so it was a struggle to even play in time. Enjoy! :D

SRSLY try to get some dampening on the walls. Preferably lots on all the walls but if that's not possible at least try to do the wall your speakers are facing.

Edited by thisnameistaken
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I played in a huge gym hall at Colne Great British R&B Festival. The sound was atrocious, both on stage and in the audience. All I can suggest is to play quietly and make the audience come to you, instead of trying to project yourselves to the four corners of a huge room.

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Cant help re sound, but last time we played in a school sports hall, I tried to get the Sax player to allow us to lift him up a few feet on a rope during one step beyond, he didn't play ball, perhaps you'll have more luck.

Edited by lojo
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Seen one or two bands in sports halls and they always seemed out of place and the sound was sh*te at both. Only played one, or at least it was a big hall in the general design of a sports hall. Works thing, daytime and low key. We played it small and kept down one end with the sound low so drew the crowd down to a gathering an ddidn't affect other things going on elsewhere in the room (charity stalls etc) so not a normal gig at all. The main thing i recall about the sound was that I was trying out my wireless system and had to ditch it as my combo was picking up the University's in-house radio station :D

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