Need help pimping a wardrobe with absorption and isolation

[madfresh]

Hey, people.

I posted a thread a while ago and asked about instructions on how to build a portable vocal booth since I'm craving for recording illness and since I'm moving in about 6 months. However, since I have found it very expensive to build one, take it apart and transport it 300 km, I have come up with an alternative, potential solution that I might use instead.

I got a wardrobe which I think should be recording-friendly with a height of 2 m, width of 1 m and depth of 0.5 m. I now want to ask you guys two things:

1. What do you say about the dimensions and the small size? It won't screw things up completely, right? I'm doing groovy, underground hip hop so it doesn't demand SUPERULTRACLEANCRYSTALCLEAR vocal quality

2. What should I decorate the wardrobe with for best recording quality and for best isolation? (my room has very thin walls and I don't want to disturb the neighbours, even though my music is the definition of dope)

Hope that someone can find time to help me out.

Peace.

[apl]

My cheapo vocal booth:

In the bedroom do you have a closet with sliding or bifold doors? Open the doors as wide as you can exposing the most hanging clothes. That would be mrs apl's at my house. Put the micstand in between the clothes so that the mic is outside the clothes by about 6". Stand in the bedroom and sing toward the clothes.

The clothes act as a major kickin' good absorber acting on almost 180° of your projection. There is very little left to go bouncin' round the room and hit the mic again. The bed is a big absorber, too. Open up the other closets if you can. This makes for a very localized acoustically dead space which will take care of 99% of those echoes and reflections.

[madfresh]

apl

That would be mrs apl's at my house.

Hehe.

That tip about opening the closet door and putting the mic stand a bit in front of the clothes in the closet sounds good for absorption, but what about isolation? My neighbours will still hear me when I'm assaulting the beat.

[apl]

Originally Posted by madfresh

apl

That would be mrs apl's at my house.

Hehe.

That tip about opening the closet door and putting the mic stand a bit in front of the clothes in the closet sounds good for absorption, but what about isolation? My neighbours will still hear me when I'm assaulting the beat.

Sing when they're gone.

[madfresh]

They are never gone. They like to stay inside the house; the have a thing for wallpaper.

[NeveSSL]

I always do loud stuff during the day. The cops only come at night.

Brandon

[xtxetherxtx]

Isolate the side you'll be singing on with foam or curtains...?

[madfresh]

NeveSSL

Hehe, true. I wish I could. I work at a freaking call center all day and can only start recording at around 6 PM

xtxetherxtx

Which side do you mean? To my right, left, behind me, in front of me?
Btw, do you have any suggestions for absorption inside the closet? Like, what kind of stuff should I put and where?

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Isolate the side you'll be singing on with foam or curtains...?
Reply With Quote

Isolate....with foam? Put a curtain over your head and see if it isolates ANYTHING. I think you need to re-evaluate your concept of ISOLATION.

Madfresh, isolation is terribly difficult under the best of circumstances, as well as expensive. Your best bet is apl's suggestion. If the neighbors are ALWAYS home, good luck with live singing. However, ....ahem...personally, I never considered "groovy, underground hip hop" as singing anyway...somewhere along the line...singing has MELODY! So reciting a poem should be easy to isolate. Just lower the volume of your voice to a whisper, and increase the signal on your recording device.

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Btw, do you have any suggestions for absorption inside the closet? Like, what kind of stuff should I put and where?

Yes. If you want the TRUTH.........OC703. Do a search here. There are literally THOUSANDS of explanations on this forum.

[madfresh]

RICK FITZPATRICK

Regarding isolation. I understand that complete isolation is expensive and perhaps also quite complicated in this case (?) But what I was thinking when I said the word was: stuff that I can somehow put on the outside of the closet to reduce the sound going out a bit. You know, just slightly, so that I won't sound as loud as I do normally.

I'm sorry but the rest of your first post was just ignorant.

I'll do a search here about the absorption. Thanks.

[fitZ08]

I'm sorry but the rest of your first post was just ignorant.

Excuse me? Ignorant? I beg your pardon. Anyone that calls their music "the definition of dope" hasn't got a clue. Dig? But you have a right to your opinion as much as I do.
So heres another one.

I made a premuture offer of advice. No amount of absorption will improve "groovy hip hop" recordings. Nor will ...ahem..."pimping". In fact, the mere thought of "pimping" a studio is the most juvenile asinine statement I've come across in 5 years on this bbs.



Now, take your groovy "mary had a little lamb" studio and shove it where the sun don't shine.

On a lighter note, a wardrobe would be a good thing to use to help get dry vocal recordings. No kind of absorption is going to prevent neighbors from hearing you (isolation). That is something that any amount of research on room treatment would have told you.

Do you live in an apartment? Because if you live in a house and your neighbors can hear you rapping then you're doing it way too loud.

If your neighbors complain tell them you're going platinum with yo beatz

[madfresh]

fitZ08

YES, IT WAS IGNORANT. There's NOTHING you can say that can prove the opposite.

I'm creating a post hoping to get some serious answers, also trying to show that I'm a friendly, easygoing guy by using words such as "pimping" and sarcastically referring to my music as the "definition of dope" and you, who I understand can be considered a professional in this field, tell me in this arrogant tone to whisper. Come, on. How lame are you?

Seriously, you're joke. I don't understand. How hard can it be to help a struggling guy out with some SIMPLE advice? No, instead you tell me to whisper. Also, how the does the fact that I will mainly rap change anything (I will actually also do singing - "underground" doesn't automatically mean no singing)? I will still produce loud noise (maybe even louder than that of singing) which needs to be dampened and it's reflections killed. Singing has melody. Yes, we know. What's your point?

And about "pimping". See, there's something called sense of humour. But I don't know, maybe you lost yours when you moved to Asshole-Land.

danny.guitar

So your saying there's nothing that I can put on the outside of the closet to even lightly isolate it?

Yeah, I live in an apartment.

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

I'm creating a post hoping to get some serious answers,

Serious? Hmmmm, somehow, the word "serious" gets diluted when the word "pimping" is used to ask for help. But, ok, I'll pass on the so called humor. Lets do this. Let me illustrate something. If you want SERIOUS help, try using "pimping"" here and see what happens.
http://forum.studiotips.com/index.php

also trying to show that I'm a friendly, easygoing guy by using words such as "pimping" and sarcastically referring to my music as the "definition of dope"

Good enough.

and you, who I understand can be considered a professional in this field, tell me in this arrogant tone to whisper.

Arrogant? If humor is good enough for you, why isn't it good enough for me? And btw, I ain't no stinking professional. I'm simply a HR enthusiast whos done his homework. As to the whispering advice...you're the one with the problem.
I suggested a cheap solution. The fact is, you haven't given us a fucking clue to what your REAL situation is. No info on what the boundarys between you and the neighbors are like, distance, construction, type of building, location and or environment, nor what the fucking construction of the closet is like, materials, adjacency to boundarys or location in the room or how it relates to the neighbors in terms of distance from whatever divides your room from the "neighbors", or even what this building is...an apartment?house?basement? or even if the neighbors are beside you, above you...or below you... fucking ZILCH...ZERO....NOTHING! so how in the fuck do you expect to get a goddamned rational answer when you won't even take the time to fucking CLUE US IN!!!!

Look Mr. Clueless...take a look at 1000 of my posts and you will find more input, drawings, lengthly explanations and more info than 90% of the respondants here. In fact, if the goddamned owner of this bbs would get off his cloud/could care less about this bbs other than income producing ASS, and make some of my fucking posts a goddamned STICKY, we might not even be haveing this fucking dialog. DIG?

How hard can it be to help a struggling guy out with some SIMPLE advice?

How hard can it be to give a stuggling respondant some SIMPLE INFORMATION!! Its like...I have a car. Can you fix it? Spare me. good grief....why do I do this. I must be masochist.

Also, how the does the fact that I will mainly rap change anything (I will actually also do singing - "underground" doesn't automatically mean no singing)? I will still produce loud noise (maybe even louder than that of singing)

When one recites a poem, it is SPEECH, which uses a different set of muscles/lung expulsion to inflect AMPLITUDE!! When one SINGS..the lungs and larynx use much more power to change FREQUENCY and AMPLITUDE. Hence the advice to WHISPER.

which needs to be dampened and it's reflections killed.

Hmmm, do I detect you might have a clue or two?

And about "pimping". See, there's something called sense of humour. But I don't know, maybe you lost yours when you moved to Asshole-Land.

I moved to ASSHOLE land when I came across the first post on this bbs similar to yours. Look, my post count and the depth of my posts in the past gives me the right to defend my attidude any fucking way I want to. Dig. But just to show that I can be helpful to those who don't bother to give US a clue.....here is some help.
Ok, the simple answer to the exterior "dampening" of the...lets see, what did you call it?...oh yea...a wardrobe(not to mention if its a goddamned freestanding unit, built in closet, trunk, chest or suitcaseor any other simple insight other than dimensions) is MASS. Simple mass. Or better yet, decoupled mass. Which means WEIGHT. Oh, now that you mentioned your place of abode is an appartment, is it on a ground floor or higher..and if higher, what kind of floor is it....wood, concrete etc( some cheap apartments on an upper floor would either not support the wieght of even adding a layer of MDF to an existing piece of furniture such as a "wardrobe"(which btw usually means your CLOTHING Mr. Dunce ) or even if its concrete, would simply allow for structural transmission of vibration EVEN if you applied 10 layers of MDF, unless you "decouple" the so called "wardrobe" from the floor....dig? So....give us some insight and maybe, just maybe we can help you. BTW, adding enough mass to keep even low key rap from transmitting to an adjacent apartment may cause structural failure to a cheap apartment floor.....ie....look out dwellers below!!!

As to the inside....well, I already told you. OC703 or its equivalent(ie...different brand/same specs or foam products. There are other DIY solutions...but you asked, I answered. I'm willing to go into it, but not yet.

Ok, if thats what you wanted to know, cool. If you want more...give more.

Or DO A FUCKING SEARCH on Vocal booths here. I've posted more goddamned drawings and info than you'll find on the net. Just get off your duff and SEARCH!! geeezus.....

And btw, how far into the rabbit hole do you want to go? Here is a detail for a vocal booth door. Try to build this Mr Brilliant. Or even square cut a simple panel of 3/4" MDF @ 3lbs sq. ft and haul it into an apartment and the n FASTEN 6 panels to the outside of the so called "wardrobe" so every joint is
airproof, not to mention the door.


good luck.

your friend,
Mr. ASSHOLE

[madfresh]

1. Why are you upset? I'm the one who is desperately looking for help. Oh, I know. YOU JUST MADE A COMPLETE FOOL OUT OF YOURSELF.

2. Your complaining about the fact that I haven't provided you with enough information. Well, why the hell didn't you ask me to do that in your first reply if it it's so damn crucial?!

But ok, I will give you more details. (What I should REALLY do though is to stop talking to you because you treat me like SHIT and I haven't deserved it, but I guess I unfortunately need your help).

Actually, I've seen your posts here and there on the forum. You're always arrogant towards people asking for help. Then your arrogance is pointed out after which you carefully, in your own asshole way, apologize. It's like a vicious, never ending circle and it's occurrence is evident in this thread. I think you should seek some help - you clearly have social issues. But, anyway, the details:

LIVING

I live in an apartment on the 2nd floor and I would like to record in my room which is about 15 m2. The walls are thin, the floor is made out of wood and I got neighbours on two sides, as well as below and above me. Oh, the ceiling is also very high up, about 3.5 m. Hmm...did I miss anything?

THE WARDROBE

Hmm...It's made of...wood. I'm sorry, but I don't really know what kind haha I suck at these things that's why I ask here. Anyways, you got the rough dimensions in my first post. About the positioning, I was thinking about putting the wardrobe on the side opposite to our apartment bathroom - which is the farthest from the neighbours.

3. Who said anything about reciting poems?

4. Look, my post count and the depth of my posts in the past gives me the right to defend my attidude any fucking way I want to

That sentence just summed up your whole persona: You're a stuck up asshole.

5.

a.) It's weird considering everything I've written above, but you have given me advice so I have to thank you for that.

I will do some searching on the forum you linked to and I will check that material for absorption you mentioned.

b.) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wardrobe

But what's the point really in arguing whether "wardrobe" is the correct word to use? You knew from the beginning what I was referring to.

6. You have helped me but still, I will probably never ever, EVER dig you, dig?

That diagram just gave me a seizure...

Is it a time machine?

[madfresh]

UPDATE

My room (place where I wanna put the wardrobe marked with an "X")



The wardrobe where I want the magic to happen

[madfresh]

Hey, guys. Listen. Would it work if I bombed the interior with different kinds of foam, seen in the picture on this site?

http://www.soundprooffoam.com/soft-s...d-std-kit.html

And then maybe decorated the outside with this?:

http://www.soundprooffoam.com/quiet-barrier.html

Also, do you guys know how effective these are?

http://soundproofing-solutions.com/s...nclosures.html

I would be thankful if you could me out

[timthetortoise]

THAT'S SOME AWESOME SHADING THERE BRO

But seriously, this thread brought some good laughs. One dude taking the internet too seriously and the other flexing his post count while, yep, taking the internet too seriously. Good jobbb

Edit:
Also, you may want to invest in a different type of stand. That one doesn't look too stable.

[rayc]

Pimping is such an ugly word - at the very least it means bad taste & at worst it's procuring.

[madfresh]

timthetortoise

"THAT'S SOME AWESOME SHADING THERE BRO"

Haha. Don't be dissing my skills on the P-E-N to the C-I-L

I blame my too strong seriousness on the post-flexer :P

Hehe, the stand works fine believe it or not.

Kidding aside, you don't have any advice that you want to share, Mr. Tortoise?

[madfresh]

Hello there...

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Madfresh, the mere name "SOUNDPROOF FOAM" is a repugnant LIE!

These liars prey on people such as yourself who have very little knowlege of SOUNDPROOFING. They should be challenged in a court of law. However, the best defence against these lying bastards is KNOWLEGE. PERIOD.

You didn't want to listen to my best advice before, but I'll say it again. MASS

and ONLY MASS, will assist in "soundproofing". However, let me give you a clue to something. There is NO SUCH THING as "soundproof", unless you are buried 50' underground or so, in a concrete bunker with walls 10' thick. But even then, a thermonuclear explosion will submit your ears to the truth.

So be it. Here is the truth. Foam is an ABSORBER, and even as such, has different absorption coefficients at different frequencies. It does NOT soundproof a goddamn thing. Hope this clears up your question.

[madfresh]

These liars prey on people such as yourself who have very little knowlege of SOUNDPROOFING. They should be challenged in a court of law.

Haha!

Alright, alright. So:

Mass --> Isolation.
Foam --> Absorption.

Ok, I got it.

Btw 1, maybe we should replace the word "soundproofing" with hmm...I don't know...maybe "damping"?

Btw 2, sorry about my comments before. I was in pissed off-mode. I'm not usually like that. Normally, I'm a real, nice, happy, friendly guy

Thanks for the advice.