Re: [Organizers] How can we improve acoustics in a gym?

You're in for a fair bit of experimentation. You might do better than you imagine with acoustic-only dances, depending on the size and noise of your dance population. That's all they had in 1880. (Most of what could be done then was have a bigger band for a bigger sound, or bring in the brass and woodwinds--you can see why Classical orchestras are large, and why military bands have brass and reeds.) On the amplification end of things, If you are able to have a number of speakers, each rather significantly less loud than having only one set at the top of the hall, you may be able to have people hear more of the sound directly with less "bounce" and reverberation. With only one loud set of speakers at the top of the hall, lots of the amplified sound will bounce around the hall, and it's hard to hear clearly at the bottom of the hall. You'll want to consult with an experienced sound person about delaying the sound appropriately for the speakers farther away from the stage. Tipping the speakers down about 10 or so degrees will also put more sound into the dancer's ears, and less onto the walls and ceilings of the hall. Basic idea: many speakers, each at (much) lower volume, aimed toward the floor, rather than the walls. Minimum amplification necessary would be the guiding principle as well. There is made acoustic curtain, a heavy textile to absorb sound. It may be rather expensive to buy, but you can rent it and try it out, and see if it is worth the substantial cost. Stage and sound production companies in your area may know who has this. You'll find that quilts and blankets don't absorb as much of the sound as you would like, but they're somewhat better than nothing. Don't forget to hang sound-absorbent materials behind the stage too, especially if you give the musicians monitors to hear themselves with. Ordinary stage curtains also may be useful. Not cheap. Also requiring treatment for flamability. You might find that you want to raise money for sound treatments, in addition to the floors. Don't neglect the possibility of building one or more new wall surfaces to absorb sound. Do involve the Fire Department, and the Building Department of your county or municipality, who will care about flammable hanging objects in public halls, and are capable of shutting down your operations. And check on any other venue, entertainment or zoning/licensing issues before you put money into the hall. ~Mark Jones On 7/23/07, Gretchen Caldwell <gretchendance(a)yahoo.com> wrote: