Need advice please: Bedroom Studio

[chipwits]

My studio is stuck to the confines of my bedroom. It is a 11 x 11 approximately with a large bed, carpeting, and a desk. One wall has a large window with a pull down vinyl shade. Ceiling is flat (not vaulted).

My first question is, if I am micing instruments within 1-2 feet of the mic, how critical is the room? I know when I talk in this room, there isn't much echo. Next, do you think if I treated this room somehow, a bit, it would help much with the sound? I can't get carried away, but I guess I could add some acoustic type foam to some areas on the walls and temporaily hang foam over the window shade by hooks or something (when I am recording).

Heh, I am newbie, and pretty clueless. I could use some help. =P

Thanks,
James

Edit: Additional Note: I don't record bass. Just guitar, fiddle, mandolin and male vocals. Don't know if this impacts the need for acoustic foam or not. But I read somewhere that you need thicker foam for bass.

[JazzMasterWil]

I can't be of much help (I'm new at this as well.) But, here are some links that have been helpful to me.

Amp Isolation box
http://www.jeffstrong.com/ampbox.html

Gobos
http://www.jeffstrong.com/gobos.html

Two Really Good Links
http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html
http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/

[Cheeky Monkey]

I'm pretty new at this also, but I don't think the problem is as much micing instruments within 1-2 feet of the mic and getting good results inside your recording interface as much as what the room will contribute when monitoring and mixing to get your final result. Nearfield monitors help in this regard to take the room somewhat out of the equation, but a bad room will be a problem that without proper treatment will be harder to translate. I'm much in the same boat and I know I will have to treat my room.

If I'm way off in my advice, someone please correct me.

[giraffe]

you can use an old freezer for an amp iso box.

if you're gonna have problems it'll probably be on the violin.
that's the only instrument (from your list) that you really (seems to me) need to be able to get away from to get a good sound out of.
everything else you can close mic, and mostly just cut the room out of the equation.