DG-1110-3-119
Design Guide: Band Training Facilities
March 1983
Space Criteria
Glazing recommended in or adjacent to room doors, so
Chalkboard, with chalk tray; 4' x 8' recommended.
q
q
people outside can see in without disturbing activities in
Heavy curtains and tracks to permit acoustical variabil-
q
session.
ity (see 4-2.F.2).
Flourescent lighting must have remote ballast.
q
Silent-type wall clock required.
q
Fire alarm system should have flashing light and alarm
q
F. Technical Recommendations
in all music rooms.
(see also Chapter 5).
If doors to outside are provided, they shall be equipped
q
with panic hardware.
1. Sound Isolation.
One set of double doors are required for movement of
q
Carefully locate (and limit) weak points in the acoustic
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grand piano. See 5-2D for recommended configuration.
separation such as doors and windows.
q Use fully gasketed or proprietary acoustical doors (suggest
4-3 Group Practice Rooms
STC 40), or provide sound locks.
q Double glaze any interior windows (as those to the Con-
A. Use
trol Room); space the two panes several inches apart.
q Single story, slab-on-grade construction is the most eco- (see also Paragraph 2-3).
nomical way to provide sound isolation.
q One Large Group Practice Room must be large enough
to accommodate rehearsal and practice sessions of a
q Heavy masonry wall construction is greatly preferable
20-25 person Stage Band, or smaller groups or
to stud wall construction. Double wall, with cavity, rec-
sections.
ommended between music spaces, if adjacent.
q Small Group Practice Rooms should accommodate
q Avoid the use of natural ventilation, since it precludes
groups of 8-12 people each.
sound isolation and the humidity control necessary to store
instruments properly.
q Access for large instruments must be provided to all of
the Group Practice Rooms. The rooms should be able
q Acoustically lined sheet metal ducts for supply and return
to accommodate a grand piano and possibly large per-
air, sized for adequately low velocity to achieve NC-25.
cussion instruments.
q Perfectly seal all joints and penetrations to make the room
virtually airtight. Even small leaks admit sound.
B. Size and Critical Dimensions
q Avoid rigid paths for sound transmission, such as electri- q
Large Group Practice Rooms - 700 NSF.
cal conduit. Use non-metallic conduit at music room
walls. No outlets back-to-back. Where resiliently sepa- q Small Group Practice Rooms - 300-350 NSF each.
rated double constructions are used, do not bridge them q Average ceiling height of 18' is recommended; 15' is abso-
with rigid ties. Even minor ties, unless resilient, impair
lute minimum.
isolation.
q Length, width and height should not be equal to each
2. Room Acoustics.
--
other, nor should they be multiples of each other. Inte-
gral room dimensions - i.e. length:
Inadequate volume is a pervasive problem in rehearsal
width: height ratios of 1:1:1, 3:2:1, etc. - are conducive
rooms; see 4-2.B, Size and Critical Dimensions.
to a clustering of standing waves. Such rooms tend
Apply extensive amounts of sound absorbing material
to "sing" disturbingly in response to specific sounds that
that is effective over a wide frequency range, includ-
match the pitch of the standing waves. This problem
ing the low frequencies (at and below 125 hz), Absorp-
is confined to smaller rooms, and is not a consideration
tive material should not be limited to the ceiling but
in the Main Rehearsal Room.
should be applied to the walls as well. Movable curtains q
Large Group Practice Room proportions, in plan, should
afford acoustical variability. (See Paragraph 3-5 and
be elongated rather than roughly square, for rehearsal
Chapter 5 for details).
of Jazz Bands in straight-line rows. (see Figures 4-2
Make the ceiling partially reflective. Typically, use sus-
A & B, and Figures 4-3 A & B)
pended acoustic tile, but over approximately one-half of
C. Spatial Character and Organization.
the ceiling area, centered in the room, make a 50-50
checkerboard (minimum 4' x 4' modules) of hard and
absorptive materials. For example, insert gypsum board q Large room volume is required to control loudness of
sound, for good room acoustics and to protect person-
in the ceiling grid. Note that this will limit the hard areas
nel from hearing damage (see Paragraph 3-5).
to approximately one-quarter of the ceiling area.
q Splayed walls are beneficial for sound diffusion, espe-
Other.
cially in the Large Group Practice Room. Parallel walls
q Avoid carpet in the rehearsal room it has little acoustic
can be used, with appropriate surface treatments (see
Chapter 5).
effect and may be a maintenance problem (hard-
surfaced floors are generally preferred).
q Windows for natural light are desirable, although glaz-
q Lockable doors required, with good-quality hardware, for
ing should be used with care to avoid glare and to be
security of expensive instruments.
acoustically sound.
4-4
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