DESIGN GUIDE: MUSIC AND DRAMA CENTERS
DG 1110.3.120
CHAPTER 3: MUSIC ROOM QUALITIES
JANUARY 1981
F I G U R E 3-4.3
ABBERATIONS
tor. Its importance increases when soloists or
system is preferable; at least people don't risk
dancers are involved.
disappointment that way.
3. Ability to See the Audience
8. Overall Influence of Hearing Factors, Music
The best performance is one in which performers
Hearing (perceptual) and acoustic (physical) phe-
and audience respond to each other. Again, rel-
nomena determine many of the desired char-
ative illumination and arrangement are impor-
acteristics of the Room enclosure and boundary
tant. Moreover, musicians are sensitive to the
surfaces, proportions, volume, materials, and
Room's ambience, its color values, and (statistics
connection to the external world.
show) its "woodiness".
B. VISION FACTORS
4. Functional Technical Support
Broadcast, recording, sound reinforcement and
For Music, the influences of vision criteria are
lighting technicians need to see performance
similar to those for Drama, but less crucial to
activity, preferably as the audience does.
success. Direct functional relationships dominate.
5. Audience Ability to See Musicians
1. Performers' Ability to Read Music
The finest sound reproduction system cannot
Musicians are constantly looking away from the
duplicate the experience of a live concert's extra
score and back again. For rapid accurate reading
dimensions of anticipation and participation.
illumination levels, angles, evenness and rela-
tive contrast must be carefully controlled. Ade-
6. Ability to Read and Navigate
quate space is needed to arrange awkward in-
Total absorption in performance is not charac-
struments and shared music stands.
terisic of music audiences. In the absence of spo-
ken narrative, reading the program notes adds
2. Ability to See Each Other
to enjoyment and comprehension. Of course, lis-
Arrangement also permits needed eye contact
teners have to find their seats, the coatroom,
among musicians and easy view of the conduc-
restrooms, etc.
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