Portable vocal booth

madfresh

New member
What's up, people.

I'm looking for a portable vocal booth which provides isolation as well as absorption because my bedroom has a very high ceiling and my apartment building has very thin walls.

Anyone who is into these sorts of things and can help me out?

Peace and thanks!
 
Got a walk-in closet? Excellent use for it (keep the clothes hanging in it for absorbtion.)

Or consider using the bathroom. Provides its own reverb... lotsa commercial records were recorded in studio bathrooms...
 
Yeah, I do:) Actually, I tried using it as a vocal booth before but the sound came out too "u-boaty". The thing is that it's really small, I just fit in it. Do you still think that it could work?

"otsa commercial records were recorded in studio bathrooms..."

Haha, really? Cool:)

Hmmm...the bathroom could work but I'm still thinking about the noise I will make when doing vocals...But maybe the bathroom is more secluded towards neighbours...
 
Yeah, I do:) Actually, I tried using it as a vocal booth before but the sound came out too "u-boaty". The thing is that it's really small, I just fit in it. Do you still think that it could work?

"otsa commercial records were recorded in studio bathrooms..."

Haha, really? Cool:)

Hmmm...the bathroom could work but I'm still thinking about the noise I will make when doing vocals...But maybe the bathroom is more secluded towards neighbours...

Load it with treatment (the closet), and it will be dead. Clothes often do a good job of this, but if you can lone the walls with acoustic foam and get some bass absorbtion in there, you will get a very clean signal. Also, concentrate your absobtion on the back of the mic itself, if you can put 4 inches of 703 or so around that area it will cut a lot of the reflections.

Also, keep in mind that the best recorded track will be the one that sounds best in a mix. A track recorded in a vocal booth will usually not have the depth that something recorded in a great room, it will be missing that natural reverb sound. The key is if the track has the great raw stuff to fit into the mix and you can double it, add effects etc to fatten it up in there.

Daav
 
daav

Alright, ok. Thanks a lot:) It could definitely be an alternative...

omtayslick

Thanks. Hmm...yeah, the price...The thing is though, that I'm looking for an actual booth, kind of like this...

http://www.vocalbooth.com/?gclid=CLGx6IzilY8CFQJCMAodcgldVw

A while ago, a found something similar but it was portable...It was pricey but it wasn't way to expensive. Has anyone come across something like this?
 
Well, I was kind of kidding anyway. I wouldn't pay that for it. You could build a decent one for that kind of cash.
 
omtayslick

The thing is that I'm seriously handicapped when it comes to building things. I've always sucked at woodwork and I'm extremely un-handy:)
 
omtayslick

The thing is that I'm seriously handicapped when it comes to building things. I've always sucked at woodwork and I'm extremely un-handy:)

I understand. I suffer from the same affliction. I have no patience at all with handyman stuff.

Regarding the vocal booth in your last link, the main thing that bugs me about it is the acrylic panels. I'm afraid you may get some goofy reflections from them.

What's your budget for this?
 
how heavy (max) do you want it to be?
I was gonna ask that. Why don't you get a joiner in to build you a booth. Just build it like a room decoupled room within a room. You might only need one leaf as well, because the other will be provided with the existing walls.

This is my quick plan. I'm unsure the level of isolation which will be achieved, especially for you, but in theory(to me anyway) this should provide one leaf, and your existing wall, the other. Although your existing wall will probably be a stud wall. I'd recommend keeping this at the furthest point of the room from your neighbours. I suspect that this will be similar to the booth you posted, except that it probably is a two leaf(MAM) system.

I left out a window for cost, and you will probably require some sort of ventilation, but on a budget, i doubt this is possible. Just make sure you open the door for a few minutes after every recording. And make sure someone knows you're in there ;)

EDIT: Just read that the booth you linked to(gold series) can be upgraded to a double wall. So the standard model will probably be not much more than my suggestion(except ventilation and a window). Also, you will need some way of getting the signal out without sound escaping, and power for lighting and amps(if you use it for them).

Want ventilation and a cable port, try and copy these(vents, cable port). I'm sure someone here will try to help you out with explanations of how to do this(I would but it's almost 1am, and I'm tired).

EDit: Infact, screw sleep. I'm gonna help you out with the vents(I'll change the pic below).
 

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omtayslick

Hmm...I see...

I would like to keep the costs around 1000 euro if possible. But I don't know, I'm not very good at this kind of stuff...

yoyo

Whoa, I don't know:) Why?

pandamonk

Yeah, I believe building my own thing could be done with a joiner or a skilled friend:)

What you write seems decent. What do you reckon all the material needed would cost approximately?

Thanks a lot for your time and help. I really appreciate it:)
 
omtayslick

Hmm...I see...

I would like to keep the costs around 1000 euro if possible. But I don't know, I'm not very good at this kind of stuff...

yoyo

Whoa, I don't know:) Why?

pandamonk

Yeah, I believe building my own thing could be done with a joiner or a skilled friend:)

What you write seems decent. What do you reckon all the material needed would cost approximately?

Thanks a lot for your time and help. I really appreciate it:)


well dude, it makes a HUGE difference on weight. you say this thing has to be portable.... so it's not like we can make it 250 pounds by doing a double studded wall with air space inbetween, cuz that would be kinda heavy.....

it kinda depends (greatly) on how PORTABLE you want this thing to be. how are you gonna transport this thing or aren't you? if you're not gonna move it, it's not a "portable" booth anymore.....

yoyo;)
 
yoyo

Hehe, true:)

I'm gonna move in about a year and would like to bring it with me if possible...

The best would of course be if it was possible to take it apart and then assemble it at the new spot but the booths I've seen that work like this have been really expensive so I don't know about this option...
 
omtayslick

Hmm...I see...

I would like to keep the costs around 1000 euro if possible. But I don't know, I'm not very good at this kind of stuff...

yoyo

Whoa, I don't know:) Why?

pandamonk

Yeah, I believe building my own thing could be done with a joiner or a skilled friend:)

What you write seems decent. What do you reckon all the material needed would cost approximately?

Thanks a lot for your time and help. I really appreciate it:)
Well I'm from the UK, so i'll guess at what it'll cost in £s. £50 for MDF, £75 for timber, £60 for rigid fiberglass, fans, flooring, material for covering fiberglass, door, etc maybe £100+. Maybe 400-500euros plus time. Could be more if you want better quality.

Also, my suggestion could easily be unscrewed and moved, although you gotta make sure you seal it all back up again with silicone, or caulk.
 
pandamonk

Ok. That sounds really decent. The problem is, though, that if I were to decide on building this thing myself, I need some serious assistance. Okay, maybe I should be more optimistic:)

Do you think people here at this forum are willing to help?
 
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