Mandlebrot in the VO studio ? Maybe a bit of a mouthful and over thinking ? No ? I got thinking about this in a recent session with Edge Studio and it range a bell with me in some previous activities I had done with using non-linear forms for a book publication in a rather different context.
The Mandelbrot Set and Its Connection to Nature
The Mandelbrot set is a fractal, a complex mathematical shape that exhibits self-similarity at different scales. Fractals are ubiquitous in nature — think of ferns, coastlines, clouds, and even the branching of trees. These patterns are often irregular and non-uniform, creating structures that are both efficient and aesthetically pleasing.
When it comes to acoustic design, the fractal idea is interesting for a few reasons.
Irregularity Reduces Reflection. Uniform, parallel surfaces create standing waves and echoes, amplifying certain frequencies and creating reverb. Non-uniform surfaces break up sound waves and scatter them, which prevents such resonances.
Self-Similarity Distributes Energy. Like fractals, well-designed acoustic tiles can vary in shape and depth, ensuring that sound waves are diffused effectively across a wide range of frequencies. In a recent book I had published ‘Compost Teas for the Organic Grower’ self-similarity was explored in rather more detail and taps deeply into fundamental forces that are deeply interwoven with the mysteries of nature.
Mandlebrot in the VO Studio. A “dry” studio minimizes reflections and reverberations, allowing for clean, precise recordings. Here’s how you can apply the fractal philosophy to your studio design.
Non-Uniform Acoustic Tile Arrangement
Avoid Grids. A uniform checkerboard pattern can create secondary reflections that amplify certain frequencies. Instead, stagger tiles in an irregular, pseudo-random pattern, much like nature’s chaotic but structured forms.
Vary Thickness and Placement. Use tiles of different thicknesses and textures. This mimics fractal depth, ensuring sound waves are scattered across multiple frequencies.
Introduce Diffusers
Fractal Diffusers. Install diffusers with irregular, fractal-inspired surfaces. These devices scatter sound energy rather than absorbing it, reducing the risk of a “dead” sound while still controlling reverb.
Natural Shapes. Consider using diffusers shaped like honeycombs, tree branches, or other organic patterns for both aesthetics and functionality.
Materials Inspired by Nature
Soft and Hard Materials Combined. Like the Mandelbrot set blends complexity with structure, combining softer absorbent panels with harder diffusive surfaces ensures balanced sound control.
Natural Wood Diffusers. These often feature irregular grains and fractal-like carvings, both functional and visually pleasing.
Practical Tips
Test the Room. Clap your hands in various spots or use a test tone to identify areas of excessive reflection. Adjust the placement of your tiles based on these results.
Strategic Placement. Focus on first reflection points (walls, ceiling, and desk area) while keeping some irregularity in design. These are critical zones for taming reverb.
Mimic Nature’s Randomness. Look at photos of natural patterns like rock formations or tree canopies for inspiration when arranging tiles.
Your Mandelbrot Inspiration
Since you’re working on a colouring book about Hindu spiritual patterns and the Mandelbrot set, you might already have a natural eye for fractal designs. Here’s how you could integrate this.
Visual Aesthetics. Arrange acoustic tiles in a Mandelbrot-inspired pattern, merging function with the creative theme of your space.
Personal Touch. Consider incorporating natural elements like greenery or prints of fractals to tie your studio’s acoustic purpose with your broader creative pursuits.
Just out of curiosity I though I would ask the Chat Ai to visualise my studio from a photo and the lines of sound emanating as light waves. What Chat produced was rather startling and confusing, so I asked chat to explain it.
This is what Chat said :
In a real-world reverb-free environment, sound waves wouldn’t visually appear as glowing, organized lines like in the image. However, the concept is a creative and artistic way to visualize how sound behaves in a well-treated space. Here’s how sound waves actually work in such environments:
- Acoustic Foam Purpose: The foam in your studio absorbs sound waves, reducing reflections and echoes. This ensures that sound doesn’t bounce around the room and instead gets absorbed, resulting in a “dry” or reverb-free recording.
- Sound Waves in Reality: Sound waves are pressure variations that travel through the air and can’t be seen. If visualized scientifically, they’d appear as expanding and contracting spherical waves or interference patterns in a 3D medium.
- In a Treated Space: The energy of the sound waves is absorbed by the foam, which diminishes their strength over time. In your studio, this results in clean recordings without reverb or unnecessary background noise.
So, while the glowing lines in the illustration are purely artistic, they metaphorically represent how sound is being “tamed” and directed by the acoustic foam. It’s a great way to imagine the efficiency of your setup!
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