Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930-1949)

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176 JOE W. COFFMAN [j. s. M. P. E. authorities to mean insulation against external sounds; while "acoustic treatment" refers to control of internal reverberation, etc., by the use of sound absorbing or other materials having the desired acoustic characteristics . The complete sound proofing of sound stages is undoubtedly wise, although the result probably might have been attained less expensively than was the case with many new stages. The set must, of course, be acoustically independent of all noises not purposely originated thereon. Failure to make this provision is expensive. At present it is doubtful whether the ultimate sound stage construction will include permanent acoustic deadening of the interior. In the first place, no sound-absorbing material used for this purpose absorbs all frequencies equally. Unfortunately, most "deadening" materials do what the term signifies, that is, they absorb most of the high frequencies which give life and brilliance to sound, and reflect much of the low frequency component which creates "boominess." The natural responses of the recording and reproducing equipment also tend to suppress the higher frequencies, so that this effect is doubly undesirable. A "dead" stage tends to create false security on the part of the personnel of the sound department, making it feel that no particular attention to the acoustic characteristics of the set is necessary. On a dead stage, with absorbing materials used for set construction, the recording inevitably lacks life and brilliance unless the microphones are placed very close to the sources of sound, so as to pick up nearly all their sound energy from the direct wave. This technic, while it may result in technically good recording, will cause all voices to seem to come from the same plane and thus destroy the effect of spatial depth, so necessary for dramatic effect. It would seem best to develop a system whereby each set is treated as a separate acoustic unit, and is completely isolated in a space only large enough for the necessary work to go on. Normally, sets should be constructed from materials which would be used in the actual scene being represented. Some resonance is natural in any actual scene, and should be present in that scene as recorded. It is true that this technic makes the placing of the microphone more difficult, because the microphone picks up the sound as would a single ear, and therefore may demonstrate undesirable selectivity as regards the reflected sound. However, a suitable position may usually be found by listening at various possible locations with one ear closed, and this expedient will usually save much time.