Live room: drywall or block?

[idiophone]

I'm building a live room (roughly 18'x24', with splayed walls and a giant slanted ceiling). All the plans are done, except for cover (if any) on the interior walls. The walls will be built of concrete block.

I'm going for maximum reflectivity for drum sounds. Some have said that drywall is more reflective than block, owing to the very small bumps and stuff on the block. Some swear by block, though.

Money isn't a big factor because hanging drywall is relatively cheap, and I'll be the one providing the labor anyway (well, me and people who know how to tell me what to do).

Also, I'm not going for versatility, as I've got a super-dead iso booth that's big enough to put drums in if I want to do the "50 ways to leave your lover" thing. I'll also have bunch of gobos and things in the live room. I'm asking about wall surface, nothing more.

What should I do?

[Wes Lachot]

Id,

Have you ever heard a room with splayed walls that was 100% reflective? (I'm refering to drywall, as block can actually be quite absorptive, depending on the type of block.) If you had ever heard such a room, I doubt you would seriously consider it for drums or anything else. But then again, maybe you are looking for long, explosive reverb tails on everything you record.

The best way I can describe the way this type of room would sound is to compare it to that 80's snare sound they used to (over)use on ballads, back when everyone was abusing digital reverbs. How could you ever record a high hat in that type of room?

Anyhow, to answer your question without prejudice, the drywall is the way to go if you want maximum reflectivity.

--Wes

[idiophone]

Thanks, man. Of course I don't want 100% reflectivity - but it's easier to deaden it down than liven it up. I'll have large cabinets on one wall that will have a live side and a dead side, so that'll add variety.

By the way, I used to live in Chapel Hill, and there's nothing prettier in the spring or fall than Franklin St. *sigh*