do you use an isolation booth at home?

[robjh22]

Hello all: VF80 owner here. Do you use an isolation booth at home? How did you make it? After listening to some awesome mp3's of Martin guitars at myfavoriteguitars.com, I wrote the store owner and asked about the sound. He answered that they were done at a friend's studio in an isolation booth w/2 Neumann mikes. The sound is so much better than what I get, tho I'm sure my Martin HD-35 is just as good as theirs. I fear my sound is bouncing around like crazy off and around the hard walls of the spare bedroom I use. I can't go putting acoustic foam all over the walls, so maybe I should build a small booth. I do have a large walk in closet I could use that has lots of my wife's clothes in it. Would that b e better than nothing?

Would my wife be as happy as the rest of you to know that I've moved all my gear in her closet?

Pragraph 1 is a serious question. Please advise. Thanks

Rob

[billisa]

Originally Posted by robjh22

Hello all: VF80 owner here. Do you use an isolation booth at home? How did you make it? I do have a large walk in closet I could use that has lots of my wife's clothes in it. Would that b e better than nothing?
Rob

Hey Rob,

Go into the closet and clap your hands. If you don't get any wierd reflection/echoey stuff then you could be OK. Personally, I built a PVC frame and strung mover's blankets all around it. You could just hang quilt/carpet/mover blanket material around the walls when you're recording, though you'd still get the ceiling in play.

The thing about a booth is you really need to have the extra space... But, adapting a closet could work, though without some deadening material around, you could wind up with some really wierd reflections. Still, putting carpet material on a closet wall won't appear too bad.

Also, check your mic placement -- not too close, too far.

BTW: The booth/technique I'm describing can't really be considered "isolation", as in sound-proof.

[Son of Mixerman]

I built an isolation booth for vocals and an iso box for guitar cabinets. 2X4 framing with insulation and drywall.

SoMm

[vestast]

I built a couple of gobos and put some foam on them. It's not intended to do anything with the frequencies, but it helps isolate the singer a bit from the rest of the room.

[dave in toledo]

i think this is the way to go also, i use blankets, and thick old curtains in corners behind the drums, and on a moveable rack for voals, kind of the size of a shower, works great,,,

[robjh22]

What in the world is a gobo?

[cellardweller]

Old thread but what the hell...

gobo=go between.

Don't forget the relatively inexpensive (compared to auralex) remedy of rigid fiberglass. I have a 2X4 piece the I keep wrapped in plastic to prop against any given amp/cab to slightly isolate. Not to mention the "holy grail" qualities of this stuff for panel traps, etc..

Look in the studio building and display forum here, do a search for "rigid fiberglass" or "owens corning". Much much good info.

[Cyrokk]

I use a walk-in closet as an iso booth for vocals and electric guitar.

With all the clothes hanging on the racks, and all the crap lined up along the walls, I have no need for sound absorption.

So before you start thinking about gobos and any other sound treatments, do some rough recordings in that walk-in closet in its current state. You may be happy with it as is.

[gmiller1122]

I run my mic into the can (powder room, bathroom, etc.). It's a small room, and right across from the room where I record.

I am thinking about making movable sound barriers using rigid insulation, wrapped in fabric.

G

[Jimmie]

A closet is fine ... the clothes in there would probably help dampen the sound. Get your instrument to sound the way you want it (wherever it happens to be) to the liking of your ears in the room/iso booth, if you aren't getting that sound on tape or harddrive then try a different mic placement, if that isn't working try a different mic. You should be able to get close, if not maybe your sound card on the PC or your losing tape generation on your tape. If still not, I dunno cause that's all i know happy recording