Studio/Rehearsal Space Layout

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e_rock

New member
Like a lot of us I imagine, I am trying to set up my space at home. I recently moved into a new house and now have a room in the basement all to myself. It's 17'6" L x 13'8" W x 8'6" H. The walls are typical drywall; the floor is carpeted. There's a single door and two windows(69"H x 42"W). The have 2" wooden blinds. I have no commercial aspirations and will only be recording myself and my friends. I know it's not going to be a perfect room, but I want it make it as good as I can without breaking the bank. This space will also double as a rehearsal space once I find some other musicians in the area. For the most part, the room is empty at the moment. I have a desk with my laptop, interface and studio monitors. I have a tall cabinet where I store all my gear. And I have a drum kit. I placed these where I thought it made the most sense. I am primarily a guitar player so I have a few amps and guitars, but really, they're just shoved up against the wall opposite the windows for now, just to keep them out of the way. I figured placing the desk and drums should take precedent. My first thought was to stick the drums in the corner for space saving reasons, but I am guessing, in the middle is likely a better acoustic position. I was planning on building some sound absorption panels with OC703. However, I'm not sure how many I need, where to place them and how to deal with those windows. I'd love any and all advice. Thanks!

studioLayout.jpg
 
Traps (with minimum 4" thick OC703 or equal) in all corners. 2" thick minimum traps at point of first reflection and as a ceiling cloud - both above the mixing position and drums (most likely). Since you've got one corner that has a door, this makes it trickier, but you could possibly use a movable gobo trap for that corner.
 
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I would swap it around and put the drums in the corner where the gear cabinet is. Then you can set up the desk and monitors and properly trap the 2 corners behind the monitors. Also however trap the corner behind where the drums will end up. This takes the door out of the picture to some extent.

Alan.
 
Appreciate the feedback so far. I'll build some 4" 703 traps for the corners. I'm guessing I want them floor to ceiling? so 2 - 2'x4' panels in each corner. For the door, I figure I can build a portable gobo of sorts that I can stick in the corner during tracking/mixing. Would a single 2'x4' panel suspended over the mixing position be sufficent?

Alan, does this seem in line with what you were thinking about moving the drums?
studioLayoutv2.jpg

My other concern is the windows. I have read much about putting a panel at the source of first reflections, but I can't see a way around it. I was going to fill the area between the windows with panels and on top of the windows, but I guess there's not a whole let else I can do. Perhaps some heavy curtains?
 
^^^^What Alexander says !! Free standing panels - you can even put them on wheels or a little stand. Stack up away when not in use, put in the door corner and at first reflection point (in front of window) when needed.
A single 2x4 cloud panel is probably not big enough. I've got two as my 'cloud', and see other people using 2 as well. Same thing over your drums - it'll tame the cymbal and snare reflections off the ceiling.
 
mjbphotos said:
^^^^What Alexander says !! Free standing panels - you can even put them on wheels or a little stand. Stack up away when not in use, put in the door corner and at first reflection point (in front of window) when needed.
A single 2x4 cloud panel is probably not big enough. I've got two as my 'cloud', and see other people using 2 as well. Same thing over your drums - it'll tame the cymbal and snare reflections off the ceiling.
Click to expand...

What is the best way to orient the cloud? I am guessing I want them above the monitors as well as the mixing position? Something like this?

studioLayoutv3.jpg
 
e_rock said:
What is the best way to orient the cloud? I am guessing I want them above the monitors as well as the mixing position? Something like this?

View attachment 89440
Click to expand...

You'll want the cloud above mixing position to be at your early reflection points up there. These will be directly above the midpoints between you and each of the monitors. That's where the cloud should go.
Try to make the cloud thick too since you don't have any bass trapping in that dimension.
 
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