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DadAgain
New member
I'm new to this forum.. new to struggling with acoustic issues and generally likely to be VERY green - so go easy with me and if I'm breeching any etiquette then sorry, let me know how and I'll take corrective action.
I realise that strictly speaking this may be a little outside the experience of many of you guys and is approaching acoustics from a slightly different perspective - but that being said - someone on a Piano forum suggested that asking you guys (who might have good ideas about acoustic treatments) for assistance might really help me out - so here goes:
I just bought a new piano (yay!) - Its nothing special, no 9ft beast or anything - just an entry level baby grand. Its replacing a frankly inadaquate 10yr old Roland digital and in the showroom environment sounded great.
Getting it home however, I'm struck by how harsh the sound is. To start off with the bass was *very* soggy and hard to hear, but then I re-positioned the piano at an angle across the corner and that improved dramatically. The overall balance isnt too bad now - but the noise levels are uncomfortable.
A quick think about the room and its clear its a VERY live room. Apart from the rug beneath the piano theres nothing but hard surfaces, hardwood floor and a lot of full length glass.
Unfortunately I'm constrained by a huge WAF factor here and any improvements have to be asthetically succesful as well as acoustically valid. - I'm also trying to work on a pretty tight budget.
I considered looking for 4' x 2' acoustic panels to hang on walls (ceiling too?) from somewhere like acoustimac.com (US$50) - but the cost of shipping to Australia makes them prohibitive and the cost of sourcing a local equivalent is even sillier (AU$130+?).
I'm sure it might be possible to do a DIY construction job to help me here - and although I'm no expert in woodwork it surely cant be that hard to nail together 4 bits of timber to make a frame, stuff in some special foam and staple some cloth over it?
Before I embark on any ambitious construction - do any of you have any ideas that might help confirm that this is the right thing to do?
I'm not looking to try and make the room into a soundproof studio - I just want to be able to play it without cringing and without everyone else in the vicinity running out the house yelling "ITS TOO LOUD!!!!"
Any suggestions would be welcome.
The Room:
==============
Its an open plan living space 4m x 5.5m with low(ish) ceilings (2.4m) - and opens out into a kitchen area on one side and a study on the other (seperated by an internal bifold door).
Pretty much all 4m behind the piano is full length windows or glass doors with just vertical blinds - no soft curtains.
...as soon as I work out how - I'll add some pictures!
I realise that strictly speaking this may be a little outside the experience of many of you guys and is approaching acoustics from a slightly different perspective - but that being said - someone on a Piano forum suggested that asking you guys (who might have good ideas about acoustic treatments) for assistance might really help me out - so here goes:
I just bought a new piano (yay!) - Its nothing special, no 9ft beast or anything - just an entry level baby grand. Its replacing a frankly inadaquate 10yr old Roland digital and in the showroom environment sounded great.
Getting it home however, I'm struck by how harsh the sound is. To start off with the bass was *very* soggy and hard to hear, but then I re-positioned the piano at an angle across the corner and that improved dramatically. The overall balance isnt too bad now - but the noise levels are uncomfortable.
A quick think about the room and its clear its a VERY live room. Apart from the rug beneath the piano theres nothing but hard surfaces, hardwood floor and a lot of full length glass.
Unfortunately I'm constrained by a huge WAF factor here and any improvements have to be asthetically succesful as well as acoustically valid. - I'm also trying to work on a pretty tight budget.
I considered looking for 4' x 2' acoustic panels to hang on walls (ceiling too?) from somewhere like acoustimac.com (US$50) - but the cost of shipping to Australia makes them prohibitive and the cost of sourcing a local equivalent is even sillier (AU$130+?).
I'm sure it might be possible to do a DIY construction job to help me here - and although I'm no expert in woodwork it surely cant be that hard to nail together 4 bits of timber to make a frame, stuff in some special foam and staple some cloth over it?
Before I embark on any ambitious construction - do any of you have any ideas that might help confirm that this is the right thing to do?
I'm not looking to try and make the room into a soundproof studio - I just want to be able to play it without cringing and without everyone else in the vicinity running out the house yelling "ITS TOO LOUD!!!!"
Any suggestions would be welcome.
The Room:
==============
Its an open plan living space 4m x 5.5m with low(ish) ceilings (2.4m) - and opens out into a kitchen area on one side and a study on the other (seperated by an internal bifold door).
Pretty much all 4m behind the piano is full length windows or glass doors with just vertical blinds - no soft curtains.
...as soon as I work out how - I'll add some pictures!
