REVERBERATION Q\] scale. The number of modes included within an octave band centered on 63 Hz in the specific case to be elaborated later is as follows: 4 axial, 6 tangential, and 2 oblique modes between the ~3-dB points. These are graphically suowa in Fig, 7-7 in which the taller lines represent the more potent axial modes, the intermediate height the tangential modes, and the shorter lines the oblique modes. As the switch of Fig. 7-6 is closed, the high-level random noise from the loudspeaker energizes the various modes of the room, exciting mode A, and an instant later exciting mode B. While the shift is being made in the direction of mode R, mode A hegins to decay. Refore it docays very far, however, the random-noise instantaneous frequency is, once more back on A, giving it another boost. All the modes of the room are in constant agitation, alternating between high and somewhat lower levels, as they start to decay in between kicks from the loudspeaker. At what point will this erratic dance of the modes be as the switch. is opened to begin the decay? It is strictly a random situation, but it can be said with confidence thet each time the switch is opened for five successive decays, the modal excitation pattern will be some- what different. he 12 modes in the 63-Hz octave will all be highly energized, but each to a somewhat different level the instant the switch is opened. Octave centered on 63 Hz 0 20 40 60 80 Frequeney- hertz, ‘The normal modes included (—3 4B points) in an octave centered on 63 Hz. The tallest lines axial modes, the intermediate length tangential modes, and the shortest ones oblique modes,142 CHAPTER SEVEN je Decay Variat To make this discussion more meaningful, real-life measurements in a cod. Tho room Q 5 etudio for voice recording having the dimensions 20'6" x 150" x 9'6", with a volume of 2,921 enbic feel. The measnring equipment is exactly that outlined in Fig. 7-6, and the technique is that described above. Four successive 63-Hz octave decays traced directly from the graphic-level recorder paper are shown in Fig. 7-8A. These traces are not identical, and any differences must be attributed to the random nature of the noise signal because everything else was held constant. The fluctuations in the decays result from beats between closely spaced modes. Because the ex- citation level of the modes is constantly shifting, the form and degree of the beat pattern shifts from one decay to another depending on roal toom aro dies A. 63Hz octave B 500-Hz octave Relatve octave bandlevel, dB PoE ‘Actual decays of random noise recorded in a small studio having a volume of 2,921 cu fig (A) Four successive 63-He uctave decays recorded under identical conditions. (B) Four successive 500-Hz octave decays also recorded under identical conditions. The dif- ferences noted result from the differences in random-noise excitation the instant the switch is opened to start the decay.REVERBERATION [9 where the random excitation happens to be the instant the switch is opened. Even though there is a family resemblance between the four decays, fitting a straight line to evaluate the reverberation time of each van be affected by ue beal palteru. For this reason, it is good practice wo record five decays for each octave for each microphone position of a room, With eight octaves (63 Hz-8 kHz), five decays per octave, and three microphone positions, this means 120 separate decays to fit and figure for each room, which is laborious. This approach is one way to get a good, statistically significant view of the variation with fre- quency. A hand-held reverberation time measnring device cond accam- plish this with less work, but it would not give hard-copy detail of the shape of each decay. There is much information in each decay, and acoustical flaws can often be identified from aberrant decay shapes. Four decays at 500 Hz are also shown in Fig, 7-8B for the same room and the same microphone position. The 500-Hz octave (354-707 Hz) embraces about 2,500 room modes. With such a high modo density, the 500-Hz octave decay is much smoother than the 63-Hz octave with only a dozen. Even so, the irregularities for the 500-Hz decay of Fig. 7-8B result from the same cause. Remembering that some modes die away faster than others, the decays in Fig, 7-8 for both octaves are composites of all modal decays included. Writing Speed The B&K 2305 graphic-level recorder has a widely adjustable writing speed. A sluggish pon response is useful when fast fluctuations nood to be ironed out. When detail is desired, fastor writing spoeds are required. A too slow writing speed can affect the rate of decay as it smooths out the s will be examined. In Pig. 7-9, the same 63-Hz. decay is recorded with five different pen response speeds ranging from 200 to 1,000 mm/sec. The instrament- limited decay for each is indicated by the solid straight lines. A writ- ing speed of 200 mm/sec smooths the fluctuations very well. The decay detail increases as the writing speed is increased, suggesting that a cathodo-ray oscilloscope tracing of the decay would show even more modal interference effects during the decay. The big question is: Does writing speed affect the decay slope from which we read the reverberation time values? Obviously, an extremely slow pen response would record the machine's decay characteristic