Rock and Pop Venues

Popular music plays a substantial role in most people’s life. The demand and financial revenue of Rock and Pop concerts is large and still increasing with the decreased revenue on recorded music. Based on the first ever scientific investigations on recommendable acoustics for amplified music conducted by the author, this book sets forward precise guidelines for acoustical engineers to optimize the acoustics in existing or future halls for amplified music.

• Gives precise guidelines on how to design the acoustics in venues that present amplified music
• Debates essential construction details, including placement of sound system and use of possible building materials, in the architectural design of new venues or the renovation of old ones
• Portrays 75 well-known European Rock & Pop venues, their architecture and acoustic properties.
• 20 venues were rated for their acoustics by music professionals leading to an easy-to-use assessment methodology

”Acoustics are important within pop and rock venues to ensure a great experience for audiences and performers. This book fills an important gap of knowledge on the acoustics of venues. It will be of value to sound engineers as well as building owners and operators and building design professionals”.

Rob Harris, Arup Acoustics

”With this book, many future amplified music concerts will sound better, for the joy of audiences and musicians alike. This enormous work demonstrates a rare degree of passion and insight, from the hand of the key researcher in the field”.

Dr. Per V. Brüel

“Niels Werner Adelman-Larsen passionately makes the case in his book that acoustics of pop and rock performance venues are a critical factor for audience enjoyment and the requirements of musicians and sound mixing engineers presenting the show. … Rock and Pop Venues: Acoustic and Architectural Design should have a wide appeal to acousticians working in room acoustics design. … Overall, I enjoyed this book and learned about an acoustics topic not addressed in traditional room acoustics books.” (Neil Thompson Shade, Noise News International, Vol. 24 (4), December, 2016)

Niels W. Adelman-Larsen was in his early twenties educated a mechanical engineer in Denmark, and in music and sound engineering at Berklee College of Music in the USA. During the next 15 years, as a full-time jazz and rock drummer, he played about 1200 concerts some of wich with top jazz performers such as late Esbjörn Svensson and Doug Raney. Such experiences, as well as jam sessions with notabilities like Joshua Redman and Pat Metheny, has made Niels aware of, as he says “ what music actually can sound and feel like at its best”.

While still playing about 80 concerts a year he completed a master’s degree with a thesis on acoustics in Danish halls for amplified music. Since 2005 Niels has been a leading writer of scientific articles on the topic. He is well-known for his passionate oral presentations and lectures and has appeared on acoustics conferences world-wide. He invented and patented a new technology for variable and mobile acoustic treatment in favour of amplified music concerts cofinanced by investors such as the Danish Ministry of Technology and Innovation. The technology was launched in 2013.