All posts by Robert Estrin

Can you Soundproof a Room?

I get this question all the time and I figured it was finally time to make a video about it. The short answer is no, you can’t soundproof a room. Is it theoretically possible? Yes, if cost and space is no object, then you can soundproof a room. But let’s talk about more conventional ways to reduce the sound of a room to make it a little more tolerable for your neighbors or housemates.

I once asked a studio engineer in a very nice studio how he would go about soundproofing a room. He said one option would be to build a room entirely out of cinder blocks and fill them with sand. While this may not be practical for too many situations, there is something to be learned from this.

Mass is one of the great barriers to overcoming sound since sound is waves of energy and increasing the mass requires substantial energy to have much of an effect upon something so heavy. Even the loudest sounds produced by musical instruments would have a hard time getting through. Even with all that mass, it still might not be completely soundproof.

Anywhere there is air, sound will escape. With that in mind, the way to help soundproof a room is to eliminate any space air can escape through. The way recording studios do this it to build a room within a room. That is, not only are all the walls duplicated with space between, the floor and the ceiling are “floating” meaning that they come in contact with adjacent structures only at minimal points. The dead air between the structures will inhibit the transfer of sound. The recording room will be contained in it’s own room, then there will be a space before the walls of the existing room. Every room in the studio must utilize this building technique. The ventilation system must be isolated from room to room as well utilizing baffles since any sound deadening is only as effective as the weakest point of isolation.

Notice the empty space between the walls and the ceiling. If you had something between those walls – like a stud in a traditional house or office – it would create mass for the sound to travel through since it isn’t so dense. As you can see in the diagram above, the best way to reduce sound is to have nothing between the two sets of walls. However, the floor will still have sound travel through unless it is floating as described above.

One helpful building method is utilizing resilient channel when putting drywall up. Resilient channels are metal strips that are screwed in perpendicular to the studs in walls which creates a slight gap between the dry wall and the studs. This cuts down on the amount of sound transferred between walls because it prevents the sound of the vibrating drywall from transferring through the stud to the drywall on the other side.

The best solution to soundproofing is to find an existing space that lends itself to soundproofing. For example, if you have a house with an additional building outside.

Some people might wonder why you can’t just put foam egg cartons on the side of a room. Don’t these soundproof?

They actually don’t. These are placed on walls to stop the reflections of sound that occur when sounds hits a wall. Instead of having them reflect back into the room, these foam pieces will absorb some of the sound and reduce it, but they will not soundproof a room. It will make the room quieter therefore it will reduce the amount of sound that transfers from room to room somewhat, but it’s not a solution for soundproofing

The more soft material you fill a room with, the less sound will reflect and travel and the more will be absorbed. Filling a room with large, thick carpets and heavy, cushy furniture will reduce sound in the room. Low frequency are very large sound waves. So, they require large absorptive panels to help deaden those frequencies. These are referred to as, “bass traps”. It might not be satisfying playing in an acoustically dead, room but it will reduce the sound. But it will not soundproof the room.

I hope this has been helpful to you, if you have any more questions about this topic or any other please contact me directly, Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

5 Tips for Improving Stage Presence – Part 5 Take Your Time

Welcome to our new series for developing your stage presence in 5 easy steps. Even if you are shy or uncomfortable in front of large audiences you can improve your stage presence with a little bit of practice and a few easy tips.

This series was inspired by an experience I had in high school. One year there was a performance of outstanding young musicians in our school. Everyone was taken with a singer named Judy – her performance was spectacular! A couple of days later I was excited to hear the recording but was left a little underwhelmed – it wasn’t as good as I remembered it.

I began to understand that it was not the actual singing that captivated the audience but the way she presented herself. It was exciting and breathtaking as she engaged herself incredibly well with the audience and commanded attention.

So today we start with the first tip in the countdown, number 5: Take Your Time.

When you are in a performance it’s true that all the eyes are on you. In many cases performers will feel a sense of urgency – that they should rush to their instrument and begin playing as soon as possible. This is not in your best interest.

Your time perspective is different from the audience’s. They are there to enjoy themselves and they want to be comfortable. If you walk out onto the stage and give yourself a few moments to relax and prepare yourself, the audience will do the same. They will end their conversations, get comfortable in their seats, and after a few moments they will be ready for the show.

While you don’t want to make the audience wait too long, after a few moments of silence there is a drama and anticipating that builds within the audience. If you harness this effectively they will be completely captivated by the time you play your first note.

Be on the lookout for the rest of this series in the coming weeks. Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

How to Improve Your Stage Presence – Part 4 Make Eye Contact

Welcome back to our five part series on improving your stage presence. Last time we talked about Taking Your Time for the benefit of both your audience and yourself.

Today’s topic is about making eye contact. This can be provide a huge benefit for connecting with your audience. When it comes to live performance it’s absolutely crucial that you make eye contact with your audience at some point. Just imagine what these videos I produce would be like if I never made eye contact with the camera. These videos are designed to be like a live performance or classroom setting. I make eye contact with my audience to engage the viewer.

When you’re standing in front of a large group of people it would be impossible to make eye contact with everyone but you will want to look at as many audience members as you can – try not to focus on only one person. Have you ever had the experience of being at a performance and having the sensation that the performer is looking directly at you? It gives you a sensation of awe and intimacy that wouldn’t be created otherwise. One of the best ways to connect with your audience is simply to look at them!

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com

5 Tips for Improving Stage Presence – Part 3 Don’t Show Your Mistakes

Welcome back to our ongoing series of how to improve your stage presence. We’ve covered: #5 Take Your Time and #4 Make Eye Contact so far. This week we will be discussing why you should never show your mistakes.

This is such a common problem. While you’re practicing you probably reprimand yourself in some way for making a mistake and display it maybe both verbally and physically. This is something you never want to do during a performance.

The truth is the vast majority of the audience will never know you made a mistake. They are most likely not intimately familiar with your music and they will not know if a wrong note is played or you messed up on a certain passage. The moment you make any sort of acknowledgment of a mistake, they will automatically know what has transpired.

If an audience is clued in to a mistake they will not think less of you, instead it becomes an uncomfortable experience. There is nothing worse than going to a concert and seeing that a performer is unhappy with their performance. The audience is there to enjoy themselves and by letting them know you aren’t happy with something it will ruin their pleasure of the event.

The best thing to do is to go out there and do your best. You can’t let yourself get down over a mistake, you have to press on and think positively. Your performance will be that much better if you simply enjoy yourself and not worry about what you did wrong. Even if you make a mistake that was noticeable, playing with a good amount of energy and enthusiasm through the rest of the performance will cover it up. By the end of the performance nobody will remember the mistake.

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

5 Tips for Improving Stage Presence – Part 2 Take Time Between Bows

Welcome back to our ongoing series of Improving Your Stage Presence. So far we’ve covered: Taking Your Time, Making Eye Contact, and Not Showing Your Mistakes. Today we are going to talk about something you don’t even do until after your performance – taking time between bows.

Now this is definitely related to the first subject (Taking Your Time) but it’s equally important. I have seen countless performances where the performer will simply pop up and down very quickly bowing – almost like a machine. It’s an awkward gesture when it is performed this way and makes the performer look robotic.

Really to understand why bowing is so important we must discuss why we bow in the first place. Sometimes when you teach youngsters how to bow they feel really uncomfortable – almost like it’s showing off. In reality, bowing is the exact opposite of showing off. Bowing is a way of thanking the audience for the applause. A bow is a humbling gesture to the audience that allows you to demonstrate your appreciation for them. It should never be considered an egotistical type of gesture.

It’s equally important to look at your audience between bows. Look into the eyes of the crowd, let them see you, and let you thank them for the applause and their attention. If you take your time it can be a great way to connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression. Remember, this is the last thing the audience will see when you are onstage – it’s after the performance – you should always leave them with a good impression of yourself.

Whatever you do, don’t continue to bow up and down repeatedly. It looks awkward and machine-like and it looks much better to simply take your time and make that personal connection with the audience between bows.

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

5 Tips for Improving Stage Presence – 1 Talk to the Audience

This is not typically done in classical performances, but it’s certainly something you should think about incorporating. Talking with your audience creates a strong personal connection that can be invaluable in cementing lasting memories of the performance.

When I was growing up, my father Morton Estrin played large venues all over the world, from Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall to Europe and elsewhere. One of his trademarks was that he would talk to the audience. Taking a brief moment during the performance to break the ice and introduce himself as a performer and a person would allow the audience to form a personal connection and enrich their experience.

If you are performing in a more relaxed setting – like a restaurant or a club – it’s imperative that you make contact with your audience and talk with them every now and then. You shouldn’t talk too much but you should briefly speak to them every now and then to make a genuine connection. It can be thrilling for the audience!

It’s even more unexpected in larger concert halls. Even if you feel nervous and unsure about making contact this way, try announcing your encore pieces clearly so everyone can hear. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to concerts where the artist never talks at all and the audience becomes confused and frustrated trying to figure out what encore pieces are being played.

I hope this series has been helpful for you. Be on the lookout for more topics and videos just like this one. Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729