Building My Studio...Where to Start?

James21

New member
I currently have equipment, i will update my signature soon with my specs, but if i don't seem too ill post them on this.

I'm trying to figure out what to upgrade first and what to do as far as spending money goes.

My Equipment. Feel free to rate what i have and let me know what you think of it.

Interface : M-Audio Fasttrack USB
Mics : At2020 Sm57 & 58
Computer : Built a Mac Pro core i7 3.4ghz 8 Gbs RAM 23" Monitor and NVida Geforce 9500 Gt
Keyboard : M-Audio 49Keyrig
DAW : Pro Tools 9

I want to start building up my studio so that i have close to professional. I'm not saying i want to be like ocean way but i want to have good quality equipment that i can mix in the box and get a great sound out of.

This is some of my stuff here that i've done.
soundcloud.com/jamesbuckelew

Thanks all.
 
The standard response to this question is.....

What do you think is lacking? What are you not getting out of your rig that you want to? Beyond that... Monitors and Room Treatments. Those will change everything for the better.
 
I feel like i'm lacking Beefy-Ness. I don't have that full sound that better studios have. And i don't have a tight sound to my recordings. I know that the tight sound comes some from Mixing and some from the Equipment.

I would like to also upgrade to a better interface for more inputs. I've been looking at the focusrite Pro 40.
But if it would be better for now since i won't need that many inputs ill only need one or two, should i look at a new preamp? I was looking at the grace m101 (very clean no extra warmth) or the RNP (Same) or like the Focusrite ISA one or the UA Solo.

I also need to get studio monitors. I've been mixing out of some Yamaha NS-20t's (pretty old but have a great sound although my tweeter in my left speaker blew and i can't get a replacement) Now i'm mixing on Some small JBL's.

Humm i just need to figure out what to save for first, that will help me and is crucial.
 
Well i was thinking about that, i don't have a designated "Studio" because i'm still in college and i'm moving rooms and what not. The room i will be in is an apartment style with carpet and drywall with paint. and a single window. rooms are 9' X 11'
I was looking at getting acoustic panels to spread around that i can take with me when i move next year. or a voxguard (foam thing that sits on the stand and isolates the microphone.)

Ugh it's frustrating because i want to be able to build a control room and a live room - But i can't. So i have to make do with what i have right now.
 
Well i was thinking about that, i don't have a designated "Studio" because i'm still in college and i'm moving rooms and what not. The room i will be in is an apartment style with carpet and drywall with paint. and a single window. rooms are 9' X 11'
I was looking at getting acoustic panels to spread around that i can take with me when i move next year. or a voxguard (foam thing that sits on the stand and isolates the microphone.)

Ugh it's frustrating because i want to be able to build a control room and a live room - But i can't. So i have to make do with what i have right now.
Wood and OC703 with some burlap and your set. Make your own. It's cheaper. Or, if you want, buy them already made. GIK, ReadyTraps, and ATS Acoustics are all places that have this stuff. Don't skimp is misjudge how much acoustic treatment will improve your product. These panels are portable, too.
 
Yeah i was doing a ton of research on them trying to find out if they would really be worth it. Everyone Raves about GIK. and so i started looking up DIY panels so i might do that.

What about building a couple panels and making a portable isolation standee thing. Like a three sided semi iso booth?

Then on to once i get those, what about preamps or monitors or new mics cables ect. What should i focus on first, In your opinion. or anyone's for that matter.
 
Yeah i was doing a ton of research on them trying to find out if they would really be worth it. Everyone Raves about GIK. and so i started looking up DIY panels so i might do that.

What about building a couple panels and making a portable isolation standee thing. Like a three sided semi iso booth?

Then on to once i get those, what about preamps or monitors or new mics cables ect. What should i focus on first, In your opinion. or anyone's for that matter.
Man, you're really getting the cart before the horse. Before you can talk about pres, mics, comps, EQ's, and all that other cool outboard shit, you need to focus on the sounds you're getting right now, what you can do to improve those, and work on your acoustic treatment. I'm not talking about just "isolation standee things". I'm talking about treating for mixing.

Looks to me like, even with the mics you have, you have the means to get good sounds. Yeah, when recording vocals, you'll want to treat the area around where you're recording. Better yet, treat the room you record everything in and all will fall into place from there. Plus, your mixes will be easier to...mix.
 
Yeah i see what you mean. I do that sometimes.

Ok so as far as treating a room, i was just reading some posts about acoustics in rooms. I know it'd be best to actually have someone come in and build the walls correctly and angle them right, and set up the desk and speakers in their correct spots to go along with the rooms dimensions, BUT i wont be able to go that in depth when i get to school. So if i were to treat the room with side panels and front and rear panels with bass traps, what else and i looking at to treat the room?

My dad is laying down new wood flooring into the house soon, would it be good to grab a few pieces and create a "Stage" for the artist to sit, i'd be doing a lot of acoustic guitar piano and singing mixes when i get back. my floor will be carpet.

I'm just throwing out ideas. Just trying to learn.
 
treatment, treatment, and more treatment.

Your current gear is decent enough to get satisfactory recordings, but you have to be able to hear what you're recording and mixing. If you're going to be moving rooms while you're in school then you'll want to make everything portable. There are plenty of threads that explain how to make panels and bass traps.
 
Ok so as far as treating a room, i was just reading some posts about acoustics in rooms. I know it'd be best to actually have someone come in and build the walls correctly and angle them right, and set up the desk and speakers in their correct spots to go along with the rooms dimensions, BUT i wont be able to go that in depth when i get to school. So if i were to treat the room with side panels and front and rear panels with bass traps, what else and i looking at to treat the room?
You're making it more complicated than it has to be. You don't need anyone to come in and tell you what to do. You don't NEED splayed walls (angled walls). They would be nice, yes, but not necessary for your purposes. Get some 4" panels made up with OC703 in them. That is, wood frame with OC703 and covered in burlap. Straddle the corners of the room with those bad boys. Next, you'll need to treat your first reflection points. That is, where the speaker sound hits the wall directly to your left and right. Just one 2" panel on each side will cover you there. Make sure there's something on the back wall, too. A 4" panel on the back wall would be good. If you're feeling good after that, hang a couple of 2" sheets of OC703 wrapped in burlap directly above your mix position. You can do this with fishing line (don't make the wood frame, use spray adhesive for the cloth) or you can hang them with chain.

That will get you there somewhat. These are the essential spots. If you have additional OC703, frame those up and put them all along your left and right walls every 2 feet or so.
My dad is laying down new wood flooring into the house soon, would it be good to grab a few pieces and create a "Stage" for the artist to sit, i'd be doing a lot of acoustic guitar piano and singing mixes when i get back. my floor will be carpet.
I wouldn't bother unless you're recording drums. Even then, those wood pieces are just going to flop around, anyway. Unless you fix them together and glue them onto a piece of plywood. Then you might get a cool quasi-drum pad. But I wouldn't mess with it. Carpet isn't ideal. Traditionally speaking, you need a hard floor and a soft ceiling. That is, a ceiling that has lots of insulation in it.
 
Thank so much guys for the help. I'm gonna go find some OC703 and make 5 or so panels with a case, and see where that gets me. When i take it up there ill have to find out how to put them up. But hopefully that will help big time.

@dastrick My equipment is ok. Nothing special. I wouldn't mind a cleaner tone for my preamp, and some better converters than what my interface has but you're right i've gotten some ok tones with it. The times that i have actually gotten better tones was when i got to use the studios on campus for mix projects and they were nice. They had HS80m's and i love those. out of any other monitor i've used Genelec, Behringer, KRK, Mackies - those yamahas are just so clean and rich to me.

anyways i'm rambling. Thanks again. if either of yall have free time care to check out my songs that i've done?

soundcloud.com/jamesbuckelew

Thanks let me know if you listen.I have another thread in MP3 clinic if you'd rather post there (newest portfolio)
 
Is the wood frame just a frame or does it serve another purpose??

My dad and i are going to build some, and the pegboard we are going to use as backing is cut in 24" x 48" (same size as the fiberglass)

We want to just mount the fiberglass onto the peg board and wrap burlap around.
also i would like to make stands so that i can move them around and not mess up the walls of my one year apartment thoughts? would material effect sound at all?

Also does the type of desk/ where my speakers are also effect the sound in such a way that i should look at doing something about that. I know it effects the sound but in such a way that i need to do something about about
 
I believe you will be best off leaving the front and back of the 703 exposed. Frames are for supporting and mounting of the insulation and cloth covering. You want to decouple your monitors from the desk so that vibrations from low end don't resonate. Speaker stands work better than desk placement of monitors.
 
Spray adhesive I suppose. I built frames with drywall corner bead and wrapped them with cloth adhered with spray adhesive. Very lightweight and portable.
 
humm i see. two quick questions.

1.my room is a 9 x11 with a closet mirror doors on one end. I'm going to have to put my desk on one side or the other. Which would be better and how should i cover it up?

2. When you say portable did you build stands for them?
 
humm i see. two quick questions.

1.my room is a 9 x11 with a closet mirror doors on one end. I'm going to have to put my desk on one side or the other. Which would be better and how should i cover it up?

2. When you say portable did you build stands for them?

You want to put your desk/monitors in the center of one of the short ends. Out from the wall 2' is ideal but you may need to compromise due to the short length of room. If must be close to wall, front ported monitors are pretty much necessary. Rear ported will cause severe bass issues. You would be best in front of the mirrored closet if possible so that reflections from rear are less. The wall behind your monitors are of least consequence. Make sure to trap these corners/first reflection point at the very least. In your small room you will want to trap all 4 and first reflection points. But if budget is a concern for now start there.

I hang them from wall or ceiling depending on the setup. Or just stand them against walls around amps in another room. There are some pix on my website. I hang two of them for vocal tracking.
 
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Thoughts?
 
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