Recording Inside

Abstract

You might be surprised to hear that I am a champion Bible reader. That's right, when I was growing up, I routinely won the Junior Eisteddfod Bible reading competition in my hometown of Ipswich. As a result of my status as the town's best junior Bible reader, I was invited to read at our local church on Sundays. It was here that I learned my first lessons in acoustics. Churches that predate amplification are purpose-built acoustic spaces. You say something at the front of the church and it rolls down to the back. Then, unfortunately, it comes back. The only way to be understood in this environment is to leave long pauses between your sentences. Priests don't just pause during their sermons so you can reflect on your eternal damnation; there's also acoustics at play. Many people are able to recognize the sound of a voice in a stone church, whether or not they are a champion Bible reader. In fact, most people will be able to hear a lot of information about any space in which they hear a sound. This chapter is primarily about acoustics, so we'll be thinking about the qualities of a room that determine how sounds develop in that space. You'll be able to use this information to find good acoustic spaces in which to record your podcast.