Scott R. Riedel & Associates, Ltd. - Consultation, Design and Technical Services for Acoustics, Architecture, Organs and Sound Systems

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SMART SOLUTIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL SPACES
A high-quality listening environment is vital to any educational facility. And our expertise in this area garners high honors. We specialize in creating spaces that promote clear instruction, dialogue, discussion, and interactive activities in any educational venue—from small classrooms to large lecture halls, expansive auditoriums to intimate performance spaces.

Employing innovative measure for new design and adaptation of existing structures, our experts enhance acoustics, speech, sound and audio/visual tools, while controlling background noise. We can help you create controlled sound environments that promote clarity of messages, focus, concentration, and interaction.

Acoustical Consultation Services Include:

Acoustical Design for Educational Spaces

Class Rooms
Lecture Halls
Auditoriums
Music Rehearsal Spaces
Offices

Speech and Musical Clarity/Intelligibility
Sound Isolation & Privacy
Noise Control Design – Exterior to Interior
Noise Control Design – Between Adjoining Spaces
Noise Control Design for Technical Systems
Testing and Analysis of Unwanted Noise
Sound System Design
Video System Design
Sound and Video System Evaluation
System Optimization and Upgrade Design
System Education and Training Services
System Tuning and DSP Programming
Acoustical Testing, Analysis and Evaluation of Existing Spaces

Reverberation
Noise Levels
Speech Intelligibility
Sound Distribution
Sound Transmission

Carroll College
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Music Rehearsal Room Re-Design

The music practice room is used by a variety of solo and ensemble musicians, including vocalists, and brass, woodwind, string and percussion players. Acoustical goals include assisting student musicians in hearing themselves and other ensemble musicians with clarity. Adequate but not excessive loud levels are needed in the room, along with good blending of sound. Further, sound transmission to and from the rehearsal space must be diminished. Formerly, the room had suffered from some physical damage as well as lack of good musical reinforcement; sound also transmitted into and from the space

The design solution included the installation of durable sound absorbing materials in proper proportion, as well as the construction of appropriate sound reflective and diffusing surfaces at walls. The ceiling height was increased, and finished with alternating sound reflective/diffusing and absorbing materials.

Music Education Studio and Office Facility
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Acoustic Consultation

This medium sized existing multi-use building houses a Popular Style music education studio (for students learning guitar, bass, percussion and keyboard skills) at the lower level, with business offices at the upper floors. Project goals included attenuating sound generated in the lower level music school from being audible in the upper office spaces, as well as preventing the transmission of sound between the many individual private studios within the music school’s suite.

Custom designed acoustic and sound attenuating treatments include:

Installation full perimeter door seals and automatic door sealing thresholds at all individual private studios
Installation of resiliently hung gypsum board ceiling systems within individual private studios
Installation of mineral wool insulation within ceiling cavities
Installation of mineral wool insulation within studio wall cavities
Installation of fire-resistant low frequency sound absorbing foam wedges at individual private studio walls
Creation of double-stud wall partitions
Re-routing of HVAC ducts to eliminate sound transference between levels

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High School Music Rehearsal Suite
New Berlin, Wisconsin
Noise Testing and Architectural Acoustics Consultation

In the new high school building, the band, choir and individual private practice rooms adjoin at common walls. Unwanted high levels of sound transmitted between the various rooms make music learning and rehearsal difficult.

Testing was performed to determine the exact amounts/intensities of transmitted sound and to determine the routes of sound transmission. Recommendations to reduce unwanted sound transmission included the installation of sound absorbing materials, sound barriers and the rerouting and sealing of HVAC ducts.

Skoglund Auditorium, St. Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota
Sound System Design

The Skoglund Auditorium is the largest indoor space on the campus of St. Olaf College. In addition to sporting events, the room houses large concerts, lectures and the Annual St. Olaf Choir Christmas Music Festival. The festival is performed live as well as recorded for audio and video.

A new sound recording system, utilizing some existing components, was designed. The consultation included all system specifications, block diagrams, power and conduit site preparation data, as well as supervision and acceptance testing of the installed system.

education articles

Online:

The Classroom Acoustical Environment is Critical to Student Learning and Academic Performance.
By Eric P Wolfram