After successful completion of the course, students are able to successful solve practical problems in room acoustics (measuring room acoustic conditions, calculate absorption and reflective surfaces, choice of absorber types) using analytical and experimental methods. Further, basic challenges of sound reinforcement can be analysed and solved.

Room acoustics deals with the effects and phenomena of sound propagation in rooms. Different room acoustics can affect our communication, performance, health and pleasure significantly. Especially in schools, offices, conference centres, bars / restaurants and event rooms, the right room acoustics are essential for the function of the room. Last but not least concert halls live of good room acoustics. It therefore requires methods and tools for analysing and solving room acoustic problems. This allows problems to be analysed and quantified and practical solutions can be calculated.

The course begins with a brief introduction to the effects of room acoustics on the basis of practical examples. This is followed by an introduction to statistical room acoustics and, above all, to the description of reverberation and reverberation time. Furthermore, fundamental wave-theoretical phenomena such as so-called room modes are discussed. This is followed by an introduction to geometric room acoustics and sound reflection or reflection and the image-source method. Furthermore, the typical measurement methods of room acoustics such as the measurement of an impulse response and the planning process are presented. Finally, an introduction to sound system design is given. All chapters are accompanied with practical problems.

The course will be interactive and communicative. The knowledge will be communicated by multimedia-based presentation using practical examples. Thereby, a high priority is placed on the physical understanding. At the end of every course the students will be given exercises, which should be solved until the next course. 

Work out questions / exercises and perform an oral exam