Noise Problems?

The Recipe from JDBSound:

• 30% of the total surface area of the room needs to be absorptive.
• The average amount of diffusion from vertical half rounds is 15 to 18% of the total wall space.  The length of the tubes needs to be 2/3rds of the wall height.  The ideal tube sizes needed are 20cm, 30cm or 40cm half rounds. 
• Tube spacing centers should never be more than 60cm apart.
• All the walls need diffusion, no exceptions.

After struggling to hear and be heard at particularly noisey camp meeting with the teens stomping on the ceiling above us, I decided to do something about it.  Joseph from jdbsound.com shares an acoustic solution for churches, based on the Bible descriptions of Solomon's Temple - Curves are placed around the walls like palm tree trunks, and groups of 3 or more identical curves, evenly spaced, have the greatest effect.  I have used this principle  many times since and without a doubt it works so the leader can hear and be heard, and even with significant hearing loss I will be able to continue teaching.

See the photos below for ideas on integrating curves into the room decor.  I have 3 types of curves.

• 10-15cm diameter cardboard tubes are available from most carpet shops, they make great palm tree trunks, or can be placed behind banners.  Tie them up to the ceiling with fishing line or mount several together on a stand.  Wrap in honey-comb paper for a realistic texture.  Leaves can be made from plastic tablecovers, strings of small quicklink balloons, real palm leaves, or normal balloons.
• 40cm diameter cardboard tubes are used to protect vinyl flooring rolls during transport.  Some carpet and flooring shops get them from time to time.  Cut into half circles, they make great tree trunks or could be used as pillars for a Bible-time building.  I also used one to make an offering box for a Sanctuary/temple scene.  Use fishing line to tie up incase they get pushed over or free stand a whole one if you have space.
• 3mm bracing plywood with ropes to pull the ply into a curve.  Each side of the ply can be painted differently, yellow for the Sanctuary or temple, unpainted or clear varnished for tree trunks, I have also painted the tower of Babel on one.  The ropes can be released, and if the ply is left to rest for a few minutes it can then be reversed and retied.  Leave the ropes looser or pull them tight for different curves.  These curves are quite sturdy and although I usually tie them up just in case, I have never had one fall.  They can also be used to hold up banners where there is no ceiling wire or curtain rod available.

Note 1: I buy Qualatex brand balloons now as they can last well over a year at a time - they may even last longer in cooler climates.  I know balloons are not really  environmentally friendly and so I am also exploring other options, such as pom-poms, however for ease of putting up, taking down, storage, and cost, balloons are the best option that I have found so far, and I make them last as long as possible, and recycle from special programs to my classroom, to minimise the environmental impact.

Note 2: It may not always be practable or possible to decorate every wall with curves, but anything that that breaks up the flatness of the walls helps.  Avoid having parrallel blank walls, for example, the back wall of my classroom is taken up with doors and windows, since I cannot put many things there, I make sure the front wall is well done.

Curves as trees

Curves in other scenes

Curves as offering boxes