Subject: [Harp-L] "silent harmonica" and sound transmission

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Agree, Aongus. My earlier mention of fabric over batting was  based on 
personal experience in my own home.  Years ago when it was a bit  of a 
do-it-yourself design idea, I attached thick batting, furring  strips and fabric to 
'upholster' my family room wall (for purely esthetic  reasons) which happened 
to back onto the master bedroom. Didn't touch the  ceiling or any 
windows/sliding glass doors in either room. My sound system was  set up in that 
family room as well with speakers pointed towards the  upholstered wall. 
Previously the room had only cheap paneling nailed  onto the joists (a builder 
'special'). My simple change (I stapled the  facing fabric in place over the 
batting and attached painted furring strips  every couple of feet to cover the 
staples) made a huge difference in  cutting down almost all sound 
transmission through the wall - an unexpected  bonus. I was still then able to drill 
into the furring strips to hang  artwork since I'd lined most of them up with 
the 2x4's. 
 
Worked for me :)
 
As to playing a harmonica in a Hotel room - I've done that so often at SPAH 
 or other conventions, but also for vacation, and cannot imagine having  
someone bang on the adjoining wall especially if it's during the day - or 
prior  to 10 or 11p.m. During daylight hours you'd be as entitled to play your  
harmonica in your room as you would a radio or TV, I would think?
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 11
Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:48:12 -0000
From: "Aongus  MacCana" <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] "silent harmonica" and  sound transmission
To: "Harp-L List" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>

The  people who say you need mass to avoid sound transmission are  
technically
correct, but from personal experience I can vouch for the fact  that
reducing reverberation can help to reduce nuisance.

Some years  ago I was involved in an industrial project which had a motor
generator set  in a plant room, which aroused considerable complaints from
neighbours due to  the fact that the noise from it was perceptible at night
when the ambient  noise level was low and they were trying to go asleep.

Lining the walls  of the plant room with fibreglass blanket reduced the
reverberation in the  enclosure and also reduced the nuisance outside to the
extent that the  complaints ceased.

When I bought a Chromonica in Germany a few years ago,  I unadvisedly tried
it out in my hotel bedroom. I got an immediate heavy  pounding on the
bedroom wall. Germans take the question of nuisance  seriously.

Beannachtai

Aongus Mac  Cana