Sound insulating box - used by musicians while practising!

We are two engineering students at the design & innovation education programme at the Technical University of Denmark. This spring we are working on our bachelor project, with the project title “Flexible Music Shielding”. The aim of the project is to design and develop a product - a type of sound insulating box that can be folded together, or in any other way be flexible – that can be used by musicians while practising at home, and keep them away from disturbing their surroundings e.g. their neighbours. We are both musicians our selves, and the issues related to practising at home, is therefore well known to us. We would highly appreciate to hear opinions about which wishes such a box should fulfil? What would be the preferred solution? And which secondary functions should the design of such a box embody? What would be a reasonable price level for a product that would make it possible for musicians to practice with a clear conscience? We would also like to hear some advises from some who is experienced in building there own sound insulating box, also if this has been for use in other applications. Thank you in advance for any support you can offer! Marinus Nejrup and Peter Nielsen Engineering students - Technical University of Denmark

Peter9-elsen wrote:

We are two engineering students at the design & innovation education programme at the Technical University of Denmark. This spring we are working on our bachelor project, with the project title “Flexible Music Shielding”. The aim of the project is to design and develop a product - a type of sound insulating box that can be folded together, or in any other way be flexible – that can be used by musicians while practising at home, and keep them away from disturbing their surroundings e.g. their neighbours. We are both musicians our selves, and the issues related to practising at home, is therefore well known to us. We would highly appreciate to hear opinions about which wishes such a box should fulfil? What would be the preferred solution? And which secondary functions should the design of such a box embody? What would be a reasonable price level for a product that would make it possible for musicians to practice with a clear conscience? We would also like to hear some advises from some who is experienced in building there own sound insulating box, also if this has been for use in other applications. Thank you in advance for any support you can offer! Marinus Nejrup and Peter Nielsen Engineering students - Technical University of Denmark

Its a pretty big challenge to design something like that for electronic equipment that have cords and power supplies and loud amperage. Also, acoustic drums are seriously difficult to bring down to acceptable levels, thats why many go the electronic route. But even there is flanking noise, impact sound that annoys neighbors sharing residences. I would think that a "box" would have to be totally contained...walls, ceiling, and floor, totallly decoupled someway from the structure, and have provisions for space, ventilation, lighting, and power supply. Making it a portable deal would really decrease the mass/air/mass benefits as it would have to be a light structure to move it, or collapse it. You'd have to figure out exactly what instruments could be adequately isolated and design the system for a selection, say acoustic guitar, horns, piano, keys, etc... I'm not trying to poo poo your idea...engineering does often come up with solutions, but these are all things to think about. I doubt many of your questions have answers so clear until you start taking sound meter tests of various types of instruments and then testing your mock ups. You need a specific goal, because one box will not solve all problems, and it may be that you will revise your goals along the way as most inventors/engineers realize. Good luck though!

hi, compared to many I am a novice in this area, but the other guys on here may jump in with some more def answers.. but the only material I can see being light enough to move or put in a bedroom etc would be glass.... even thats pretty heavy... 2 factors you might stumble on.. 1. "mass" stops sound - that means size and weight (that you dont want) 2. sound proof means air tight (you may need to consider ventilation) If you make such a product you could quickly become VERY rich cause I dont know of anything else out there thats compact or move able...?

Yeah... :roll: ...Unfortunately, every design that would effectively stop sound is also very heavy and very not portable or temporary.

or do you mean something like this? http://www.amptone.com/randallisolation.htm a :arrow: