Paul Scarbrough

New Amsterdam Theater

a)Paul Scarbrough was principal‐in‐charge and David Greenberg was the project manager for Jaffe Holden Scarbrough Acoustics.

Organ acoustics and the concert hall

Providing an optimal acoustical environment for a pipe organ requires close collaboration between organ builder and acoustical consultant throughout the design process. Each brings unique and complementary perspectives to this subject. The organ builder offers not only a knowledge of the instrument but often a wealth of practical acoustical experience from a multitude of specific organ installations. The acoustical consultant offers extensive knowledge of acoustical principles as well as an understanding of how these must be interpreted and applied in architectural design. The authors discuss the nature of their design collaboration on recent projects and in the process examine a broad range of issues including: preferred reverberation and frequency response characteristics for organ, the essential balance between reverberation and clarity, ideal placement of the organ within the concert room, differences between spaces dedicated to organ and those that also accommodate instrumental and choral ensembles, ...

Multi-purpose halls… Wave of a new future or dead-end?

Multi-purpose halls, that is, performance spaces that can adapt their acoustical and technical features to serve many different performance types are a uniquely North American invention. Europe, where the modern-day symphony orchestra, opera company, ballet company, and drama troupe all originated, favors halls that are purpose-built to serve each art form. In the United States and Canada, even in cities that could afford to field multiple ensembles or companies, building dedicated facilities for each art form was often a bridge too far. This gave rise to the multi-purpose hall and with it the old saw that multi-purpose meant no-purpose. The success of new venues in Charleston, San Antonio, Leon, Mexico, and elsewhere demonstrates that multi-purpose halls are cost-effective solutions and that they need not be the compromises they once were. The authors will explore the development of multi-purpose halls starting with Louis Sullivan’s Auditorium Theater in Chicago, arguably the forerunner of the contempora...

The use and abuse of early energy in concert space design

Fifty-five years ago Leo Beranek introduced the notion of a short initial time delay gap as being essential for acoustic “intimacy.” However, in the authors’ consulting experience, it has become apparent that many problems in concert and recital halls, onstage and in the audience, can be laid at the feet of too much early energy muddying clarity. A layman’s description of the effect might be: “There’s not enough ‘air’ around the sound.” In support of this notion, recent research suggests that excessive early energy is actually the enemy of intimacy, masking the direct sound, modulating the phase of tonal components, inhibiting source localization. This paper presents the results of several listening experiments in halls of various sizes where adding absorption, venting or redirecting energy in specific critical locations dramatically enhanced the perception of both clarity and reverberation for musicians onstage and in the audience. Such methods often challenge traditional musician (and designer?) preconc...

Improving listening conditions in partially covered opera pits or “The strings are working so hard…why can’t I hear them?"

Since the introduction of the gargantuan orchestra to the world of opera by Wagner, opera house designers have been faced with the question of whether to place the orchestra in an open pit, a covered pit, or a partially covered pit. The open pit has long been favored by musicians but has it operational and economical drawbacks, including often large distances from conductor to singer, challenging pit/stage balance conditions, and reduced audience seating close to the stage. A fully covered pit works well for the special works that the Bayreuth master intended for this condition, but is inappropriate for the rest of the core operatic repertoire. The partially covered pit where some upstage musicians play under the stage is conceptually advantageous for a number of reasons, but can present challenges in uneven listening conditions within the orchestra (excessive loudness, ensemble difficulties) and in the house. In some instances, musician complaints have resulted in regulatory action. This paper explores t...

An electro-acoustic conundrum—Improving the listening experience at the Park Avenue Armory

Larger than a hanger for a commercial airliner, the Park Avenue Armory occupies an entire city block in midtown Manhattan. Its massive internal volume generates reverberation time in excess of three seconds. However, it functions as a true multi-purpose venue with programming that includes dramatic performances produced by the Manchester International Festival, and musical performances sponsored by Lincoln Center. We will discuss the unique nature of the venue as well as the tools and techniques employed in staging different productions.

Twenty years of electronic architecture in the Hilbert Circle Theatre

In 1984, the Circle Theatre underwent a major renovation, transforming the original 3000 + seat venue into a 1780 seat hall with reclaimed internal volume dedicated to a new lobby and an orchestra rehearsal space. In 1996, a LARES acoustic enhancement system replaced the original electronic architecture system, and has been used in every performance since that time. We will discuss details of the renovation, the incorporation of the electronic architecture with other acoustical treatments, system performance over time, and plans for the future.

New Victory Theater

a)Paul Scarbrough was the principal‐in‐charge for Jaffe Holden Scarbrough Acoustics. Anthony Nittoli was senior project manager for Pro‐Mix.

Electronic architecture: Historical perspectives, current thinking, and future implications for architectural acoustic design

Few subjects in acoustics generate more controversy than electronic architecture, that is, the use of electronic tools to alter the acoustics of a performance space, church, rehearsal hall, or other facility. And yet, few advances in acoustics offer the promise of electronic architecture. This paper will trace the development of electronic architecture from the first tentative and highly creative experiments in the 1930s to the mature technologies that have evolved in recent years. What precipitated the development of electronic architecture? Who were the pioneers? How did the technology develop? And where do we stand today? Paralleling these technological advances has been an on‐going philosophical debate. Is there ever a place for electronics in the concert hall or opera house? When and where should these systems be used? What obligations do acoustical design professionals have to performers? To the concert‐going public? To the art of acoustical design? Finally, what does the continuing evolution of the...

Electronic architecture: Issues of use and acceptance in the musical community

Electronic architecture has become a mature technology in recent years, particularly through the wide application of digital signal processing to the problem of creating uniform, stable acoustical enhancement. Despite vast improvements in the impact and stability of such systems, a considerable segment of the musical community continues to express reservations about the use of this technology in the concert hall or opera house. It is clear that some musicians and music critics fail to understand how such systems function as well as the capabilities and limitations of the technology. This paper will outline the degree to which current state‐of‐the‐art systems do indeed succeed in producing measurable acoustical improvements and discuss the varying degrees of acceptance such systems are receiving in different parts of the world.