home > Recorded Music

Recorded Music

Courses

Topics in Recorded Music: Studio Acoustics, Construction, & Design

Biography

Sam Berkow is the founding member of SIA Acoustics and SIA Software Company, Inc..  Mr. Berkow began his career in the field of acoustics as an acoustical consultant with Artec Consultants, studying the design of musical performance spaces under the tutelage of the late Russell Johnson.  Mr. Berkow’s research into design and measurement has been focused on finding practical solutions to both the acoustical, electro-acoustical and recording problems of performance and production spaces.  Mr. Berkow has worked on the acoustical designs for both indoor and outdoor venues.

In addition to his design work, Mr. Berkow is the creator of SIA-SMAART, the industry leading acoustic measurement and sound system optimization software package. This system has become the industry standard tool for providing acoustical measurement and sound system optimization capabilities.  SIA-Smaart allows system performance to be optimized to the acoustical environment.

Mr. Berkow was the acoustical designer of for the concert venues for new home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as the Pearl at the Palms (a 2600 seat concert venue), the Studios of AirShow Mastering, the Renovation of the Hollywood Bowl, the Grand Ole Opry, The New Remote Truck (called The Polar Express) for Remote Recording, The Jazz Standard, and the Dennis Riese Family Studio at the Clive Davis School at NYU.

Mr. Berkow's educational background includes a Masters degree in Engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology, where he specialized in acoustic measurement and design.  Mr. Berkow's thesis provides a study of two multi-purpose halls used primarily for symphonic music: the El Pomar Hall in Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Crouse-Hinds Concert Theatre, Syracuse, New York.  Mr. Berkow also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.

Over the past 20 years, Mr. Berkow has completed a wide variety of acoustical design projects including a number of performing arts venues, recording studios, production facilities, worship spaces and larger multi-purpose venues, including amphitheaters and stadiums. With SIA Acoustics and SIA Software Company, Mr. Berkow has provided consulting services to many leading edge technology companies and many arts organizations including: Carniegie Hall, Jazz@Lincoln Center; AT&T Bell Laboratories/Lucent Technologies; JBL Professional; EAW; Lexicon/Lares; Central Park SummerStage; Dolby; The 3 Tenors; The Grand Ole Opry, The 3 Irish Tenors; The Baltimore Orioles, Cirque de Soile, The Knitting Factory, The Jazz Standard; The Metropolitan Opera; on Broadway: Chicago, Mandy Patinkin, Tom Sawyer; Urinetown, MoBetter Blues, and The Houston Symphony; Walt Disney Imagineering & Productions; Radio City Music Hall; Solstice Company; Madison Square Garden Productions; WHJW,and many others.