Possible Attic Studio... (w. Pics)

[johnnypraze]

This is my homes 3rd floor. My studio is currently in the homes third bedroom which is too small.

I'm thinking about drywalling the attic and transforming it into my new studio.

I just wanted to see what others thought about the space in general (size, angles, etc...) Its much bigger then the bedroom I'm in now.

I have all the measurements, I'm trying to draw it out on graph paper to give you a better idea of the space. I'll post the actual dimensions once I finish.

I'll be using this space mainly for mixing, and recording mostly vocals. (I plan on building a seperate vocal booth.)
Any thoughts as of now...?

(Please excuse the mess.)

[turtlishous]

i'm noexpert but i would bet that those vaulted ceilings would be a project. but it's bigger than your current room and space to move is a nice luxery

[Gorty]

Who ya plan on hanging?

[johnnypraze]

^ LOL... Thats for the door to the attic fan.

[OhSh1rt]

Attic studios are the coolest.


In my opinion.


-jeffrey

[EdWonbass]

Man, I wish I had a space that cool. The great thing about it right now is that it is a clean slate (well not so clean).
I think it would make a great studio. Also it will get you out of the main part of your house.

[johnnypraze]

Heres a scaled overview with dimensions...

[johnnypraze]

Ideally, where would be the best place to mix from?

I'm trying to get an idea of how to set this up, and how it will look.

[Freudian Slip]

I say go for it and do what you have to do. You could make a booth out of one of the dormers.

F.S.

[Obi-Wan zenabI]

When I laid out my 20x30 space (with an open stairwell like yours, only at one end of the space), I aimed for openness and comfort in the space more than a perfect listening/ mixing spot.

I wouldn't wall off the dormer for a vocal booth, you'll cut off the natural light in the room. How about make that 5x8 area a mixing area, facing out the window? Treat the heck out of all the walls in there, bass trap the peak of the dormer, and have a nice desk and rack in there.

Plus, the angle of the roofline where the dormer comes in would make a vocal booth intrude deep into the space of the room. You can always rig up some sound deadening gobos or hang moving blankets to get at least some isolation if you wanted to take a vocal in that mixing area.

That way, you have more space around the room for instruments and musicians and the essential nice sofa.

just my two pennies...

[pdlstl]

Could you give the dimensions indicated by the red arrows?

[thegunshyboy]

kind of an odd space, especially with the stairs coming up in the center of the room. might be neat to install a door in the floor there, to help open it up some, but not sure if that's possible with the radiator there.

[OhSh1rt]

Maybe you can turn that 5x8 space into a vocal booth or some kind of storage closet


-jeffrey

[notbradsohner]

Look around for Frederic's studio. A lot of his ideas may incorporate well into this space.

[Seeker of Rock]

Man, that reminds me SOOOO much of the Greg Brady room once the show got older. Aside from any acoustic possibilities, that is just a cool-ass space (technical term ). I think the vibe will definitely be good for writing/recording in there should you choose to develop it.

This is going to be recording by you, not commercial, correct? The reason I ask, is maybe you have some liberty with sound and the rest of the inhabitants of the space if you are not making noise 12 hours a day up there, and that would probably weigh in on how much isolation work you need to do. Call me silly, or Seeker your choice , but the ceiling sland is your roof rafters. So there is not a lot of 'mass' between your rafters and the outside world. I have the same situation in my little space, and used something called 'hushboard' in between my rafters and the final interior ceiling treatment (wood). R30 between the rafters for thermal insulation, but I have to assume there is already thermal insulation up in your case, which is good for the wallet.

I think the pitched angles are probably good as opposed to 90 degree, but that is speculation from memory on what I've read.

Are you planning on loud tracking instruments like drums or amplified guitars? Just curious at this point, more about the isolation factor than anything. That I can somewhat help with...the actual layout and for acoustically treating, where, how much, and what, is better left to people here who know much more than my opinion would be worth.

Cool vibe to the space, man.

[johnnypraze]

Originally Posted by notbradsohner

Look around for Frederic's studio. A lot of his ideas may incorporate well into this space.

I knew I remeber a similar space done on here but couldn't remember whos...

Thanks.

[johnnypraze]

[johnnypraze]

Originally Posted by Seeker of Rock

Man, that reminds me SOOOO much of the Greg Brady room once the show got older. Aside from any acoustic possibilities, that is just a cool-ass space (technical term ). I think the vibe will definitely be good for writing/recording in there should you choose to develop it.

Are you planning on loud tracking instruments like drums or amplified guitars? Just curious at this point, more about the isolation factor than anything. That I can somewhat help with...the actual layout and for acoustically treating, where, how much, and what, is better left to people here who know much more than my opinion would be worth.

Cool vibe to the space, man.

Thanks Seeker.

I'm more concerned about absorbtion and acoustics vs. isolation. (My house is on commercial property, I could care less how loud it gets.) I'm only doing vocals and mixing for now, but I will be putting drums and a few amps up there in the future since I will have the space.

Also I will be recording mostly me, friends, and family, but if it becomes beneficial for me to record local talent, I may be doing that too...

[Seeker of Rock]

...more about acoustics than isolation. I am not a great source of wisdom on this, as I'm still asking questions myself. I'll follow your post, though, just to see how that cool room works out in the end.

[johnnypraze]

Can anyone shoot me the link for frederics studio... I cant find it.

[Treeline]

Can you do anything with that stairwell? Other than that it's got some possibilities.

You'll need some air handling, for sure.



.

[travelin travis]

If you could tear down the section surrounding the top of the stairs, you could use a hinged door. That would open up your space quite a bit........or maybe relocate the stairs.

[johnnypraze]

Originally Posted by Treeline

Can you do anything with that stairwell? Other than that it's got some possibilities.

You'll need some air handling, for sure.



.

What do you mean by "air handling"?

Relocating the stairs is not an option, but I've thought about a hinged door...

[Freudian Slip]

You could loose the box over the stairs and put a railing around it. That's the easiest thing I can think of to open up the room sound wise.



F.S.

[johnnypraze]

Originally Posted by Freudian Slip

You could loose the box over the stairs and put a railing around it. That's the easiest thing I can think of to open up the room sound wise.



F.S.

Very Smart F.S. I didn't even think of that.

I can't do much with the stairs, as the stairs from the 1st floor up to the 2nd are directly below the attic stairs.