How to cut down on noise with found objects?

[CPotter82]

I have a little corner of my basement set up as a studio, but there's too much noise from all the appliances. I have no money left though, any ideas on household objects that would be good for sealing off my corner? I've tried hanging sleeping bags from the ceiling and it works ok, but not quite well enough. Any suggestions?

[kristian]

move the appliances upstairs!!! =)

[CPotter82]

I was talking about the hot water heater, heat/air conditioning, etc. which are stationary

[Brad]

Heavy blankets if you got some. Hang them in the same manner as the sleeping bags. If you can spare the space, try to leave 6 in. to a foot of air space between the bags and the blankets. It should help a bit.

[ola]

Make sure that your blankets/sleeping bags seal as tight as possible to each other. I think you can gain a lot by for example sewing/taping the blankets together and to the floor/ceiling/walls rather than just hanging them next to each other. Also, have you checked if your appliances are _really_ stationary or just stationary? I.e. can you mount them on rubber gaskets, hockey pucks, thick carpet etc. to float them a bit from the floor?

Or you could just take the quick and dirty solution and shut everything off when you're recording. That's what I should have done in your place if it was possible. Just make sure that the wifey isn't taking a shower when you cut the water heater or you'll have far worse things to worry about than a little background noise.

A final solution is to tune all your appliances and keep them as drones to your music. The Scots got world-famous by doing that.:-)

Cheers

/Ola - Piper etc.


[This message has been edited by ola (edited 02-24-2000).]

[Even]

Wrap the water heater. It will muffle the sound and help insulate and conserve energy

[faithmonster]

oops...computer farted.

[This message has been edited by faithmonster (edited 03-10-2000).]

[faithmonster]

CPotter,

Try getting the cheap "eggcrate" mattress
pads and put them up on the ceiling and walls. Just make sure they're not used.
Great cheap sound deadening material and it even looks a lot like the expensive stuff too. Bounces back to shape if you get something against it-works for me. Also- if A/C,furnace are in a closet, use insulation
inside the closet too- cuts down on a lot of blower noise.

Greets and good luck
el Faithmonstro

[bobbo]

I found some big cardboard pieces at work and duct taped them together. I found that that works a bit.