LAUSR

Abstract Gugak encompasses the traditional music of Korea to contemporary music developed based on traditional music. Gugak orchestra music performed in a concert hall is a new type of music in the 20th century that combines traditional musical instruments of Korea and the form of a Western symphony orchestra. The optimal reverberation time for gugak is controversial. In the present study, the optimal reverberation time specifically for gugak instrumental solos, traditional gugak court ensemble, and orchestra music is investigated in an auralised concert hall measuring 18,838 m3 in volume. The preferred reverberation time (mean of 500 Hz and 1 kHz) is discovered to be 1.7 s among 1.1, 1.7, 2.1, and 2.6 s for both gugak and classical musician groups, regardless of the music sources. The optimum reverberation times derived are 1.78 s for gugak musicians and 1.95 s for classical musicians from the preferred reverberation times, consistent with the optimum reverberation times as a function of room volume in traditional concert hall studies. Subtle differences in the optimum reverberation times are observed between the two musician groups; however, the results support that the optimum reverberation times for gugak are affected by the room volume rather than the musical characteristics.