Applications
Audio and Music Production
Recording audio involves two main steps: creating the sounds themselves, and then capturing and transporting those sounds into our editing and production medium such as a tape machine or computer hard drive. Acoustic treatment deals with the first part: getting "good" sounds. The musicians or talent are responsible for their part, but to make sure we are capturing sounds as they come from the source, without external noise or coloration, we must take care that the space in which we are recording is not contributing any unwanted interference. Shown: Home studio recording-mixing space with 242 Stealth Panels, and corner treatment using Bassmaster (5') diagonal panel below custom corner "superchunk." Center: custom moc-Mondrian decorative absorber. Sneldog Studio, San Francisco, CA.
Custom Installations
This is where acoustic treatment can play a vital role. Snelling Acoustics wall panels and bass traps will reduce the effects of reflected sound waves that would compete with the primary sound sources or otherwise make their way into the microphones. When recording multiple instruments in the same room, a Snelling Acoustics BESPOKE GOBO will help isolate one instrument from another, while simultaneously adding a colorful and tasteful accent to the recording environment. (The visual ambience of a recording space is not to be underestimated, and when artists feel more comfortable, more welcome, the performance is more relaxed, leading to better tracks and saved time.) Shown: custom design/build bass trap back wall and corner units for Mr. Bill's Tunes studio, San Francisco, CA.
Mixing and Mastering
In the control room, where critical listening is most important, untreated rooms will allow naturally occurring nodes and standing waves (think hot spots and dead spots) to interfere with the sound or the "mix" coming directly from the speakers. This typically encourages the engineer to tweak the mix to compensate for the imbalance in perceived vs. actual content, resulting in an inferior final product. For instance, the perception might be there is too much or too little bass in the mix, so the engineer compensates by boosting or cutting those frequencies or instruments. When the song or track is then listened to in a different setting, the imbalance will be revealed as too "boomy" or too "thin," requiring a return to the studio to try to rebalance the mix. A set of Snelling Acoustics Stealth Panels at the early reflection points, along with a set of Bass Master bass control panels—or a custom "Bass Control" installation—will help ensure that what comes from the monitor speakers faithfully reaches the engineer's ears. This will go a long way toward achieving a mix that will sound good in any situation. Shown: custom cloud array for MarkFullerMastering, Sebastopol, CA.
Practice and Rehearsal Rooms
Enhance your band's blend in sessions, buffer sounds between rooms, and protect your hearing with Snelling Acoustics Stealth wall panels. Shown: a set of custom 24"x72" Stealth Absorbers for MidPeninsula Music Academy, Redwood City, CA. These are covered with Guilford of Maine FR701 Fire-retardant acoustic fabric, Cobalt color.
Home Music Room
A set of Snelling Acoustics Stealth panels makes playing and teaching so much more enjoyable, and helps protect our hearing during those long hours of practice or rehearsal. Shown: home teaching studio at Pass Piano, San Francisco, Ca.
Home Entertainment Areas
Maximize your enjoyment in your home theater area with Snelling Acoustics wall panels, clouds, and corner bass traps. Acoustic treatment will improve the clarity of spoken dialog, and can enhance the stereo and spatial effects of those blockbuster movie soundtracks. Shown is a Snelling Acoustics bespoke moc-Mondrian wall panel diptych—a unique and fully functional acoustic absorber—framed by 24"x48" Bass Master panels mounted behind the primary listening spot. Also shown: custom side "Canyon Wall" gobos, designed for this home movie watching loft, Seattle, WA.
Conference and Conversation
Successful meetings require clear communication. But parallel, bare flat walls—the kind found in many commercial office spaces—typically produce distracting echoes and reverberations that muddy speech. (Not to mention they are just boring!)
Snelling Acoustics wall panels will help inspire better meetings by improving the clarity of presentations while adding a splash of color and texture to the environment. Shown is a conference room at BRAVE headquarters in San Francisco treated with a set of 24"x24" Absorbers in a variety of client's choice colors.
Design Options
Custom multi-color array at BRAVE, SF. Guilford of Maine FR701 fabrics come in a wide variety of colors, are extremely durable, and are easy to keep clean.
Conversation Areas
Tame the echoes in your home, cafe, or office with Snelling Acoustics absorbers. The popular 24"x48" Stealth panels are available in a wide variety of colors and are incredibly durable and easy to keep clean. Other options include the whimsical Coffee Bean Bag absorber—perfect for a breakfast nook or kitchen snack area. Consider a custom designed piece such as the one-off "Fruits and Berries" square absorber or the moc-Mondrian diptych shown here. Playfully decorative, all are fully functional acoustic absorbers reducing reflected sounds and adding warmth to your conversation areas.