Room treatment for a bedroom studio?

[DrewPeterson7]

So, I'm a hobbyist, plain and simple. I have a decent hobbyist-grade setup (Firepod, a modest assortment of different mics, a dedicated stereo pre, monitors, etc), and I get OK results with it. I won't be putting any big-name producers out of business, exactly, but I can put together a finished product that sounds pretty good, to my ears.

However, I'm still working in what's essentially an un-modified bedroom. I've got my desk in one corner with my monitors wall-mounted above it, my amp on the other wall, my bed (lengthwise) in the opposite corner, and a dressor across from the bed. I'm right next to the roof so the wall over my bed slants up to the ceiling a bit. I've got my guitars wall-mounted over my bed, and a few picture frames on the walls, but that's it. Layout is approximately as follows:



So, I know the acoustics of a room can make a huge difference to the quality of signal a mic is picking up. As such, it sort of stands to reason that given the fact that I have a, if not pro than at least totally servicable, recording rig at my disposal, the next biggest gain I'd be looking at would be in making my room sound better.

The thing is, though, that,

1.) This is my bedroom. I'm a single 27-year-old guy who, if not knee deep in elligible virgins, exactly, still wants a nice-enough looking bedroom where I don't feel like I have to apologize and explain any time I bring a girl home.
2.) While my roommate does have a drum kit, and I can just barely squeeze it into my room, most of what I record is electric guitar and bass guitar. Does the room make a large enough difference in a close-mic'd environment with something as loud as a 50-watt tume amp? Typically, I use a single mic, about 1-2" back from the grille. I own and record an acoustic as well, so undoubtedly this is where the big gain would occur, but I don't record acoustics that frequently, and when I do I'd say about 70% of the time the acoustic is merely a supporting element in a mix, and not a solo instrument.
3.) I live in Boston. Space is a huge factor, both in terms of the size of my (smallish) room, and in terms of storage space for any temporary removable acoustic treatment solutions.

So, fire away. Is it worth pursuing some kind of acoustical treatment for the environment I'm in, given how I work, and if so then what?

[bpape]

Is there any possibility of:

- Getting the desk out of the corner and somewhere that's symmetric left to right in front of you

AND

- Having the slanted ceiling either at your front or back

Yes - the room makes a huge difference unless you've basically completely surrounded the amp/instrument with absorption to dry it up and then 'fix it' in the box.

Bryan

[pandamonk]

Originally Posted by DrewPeterson7

So, I'm a hobbyist, plain and simple. I have a decent hobbyist-grade setup (Firepod, a modest assortment of different mics, a dedicated stereo pre, monitors, etc), and I get OK results with it. I won't be putting any big-name producers out of business, exactly, but I can put together a finished product that sounds pretty good, to my ears.

However, I'm still working in what's essentially an un-modified bedroom. I've got my desk in one corner with my monitors wall-mounted above it, my amp on the other wall, my bed (lengthwise) in the opposite corner, and a dressor across from the bed. I'm right next to the roof so the wall over my bed slants up to the ceiling a bit. I've got my guitars wall-mounted over my bed, and a few picture frames on the walls, but that's it. Layout is approximately as follows:



So, I know the acoustics of a room can make a huge difference to the quality of signal a mic is picking up. As such, it sort of stands to reason that given the fact that I have a, if not pro than at least totally servicable, recording rig at my disposal, the next biggest gain I'd be looking at would be in making my room sound better.

The thing is, though, that,

1.) This is my bedroom. I'm a single 27-year-old guy who, if not knee deep in elligible virgins, exactly, still wants a nice-enough looking bedroom where I don't feel like I have to apologize and explain any time I bring a girl home.
2.) While my roommate does have a drum kit, and I can just barely squeeze it into my room, most of what I record is electric guitar and bass guitar. Does the room make a large enough difference in a close-mic'd environment with something as loud as a 50-watt tume amp? Typically, I use a single mic, about 1-2" back from the grille. I own and record an acoustic as well, so undoubtedly this is where the big gain would occur, but I don't record acoustics that frequently, and when I do I'd say about 70% of the time the acoustic is merely a supporting element in a mix, and not a solo instrument.
3.) I live in Boston. Space is a huge factor, both in terms of the size of my (smallish) room, and in terms of storage space for any temporary removable acoustic treatment solutions.

So, fire away. Is it worth pursuing some kind of acoustical treatment for the environment I'm in, given how I work, and if so then what?

Acoustics make a huge difference in not just the recording sound, but mixing as well(probably more).

Is this picture to scale? Does your bed take up almost half the room?

This is my suggestion from an acoustics perspective: Build/buy 4 gobo panels(movable rigid fiberglass panels) for placing around the amp, acoustic guitar or drumkit. Maybe you could mic up the drumkit with gobo around panels in your flatmates room, the hall, living room, kitchen, or whereever, which would give you some isolation from the "control room". Definitely get out of that corner and get symetrical with speakers firing down the long room dimention. The absorpton panels I'm suggesting 2'x4'x2-4"(2" for flat wall, gobo and ceiling above mixing position, and 4" for across corner bass traps) rigid fiberglass panels, framed and wrapped in fabric, can be hung like a picture, and could actually be painted or covered in a nice fabric, so you can either just take them down when you have a girl over, or they could look quite decorative.

[DrewPeterson7]

Hmm. I'll bust out the tape measure tonight after work and get something for you that's approximately to scale.

The short answer is, it's probably not feasible to make the sort of changes you're proposing. When positioned perpendicular to the longer axis of the room, I believe I have 2-3' to spare between the wall and the end of the bed, which is 1.) awfully tight, and 2.) will interfere with (i believe) the range of motion for at least one if not both of my doors.

I'll provide better measurements tonight, as well as experiment with reorganising.

Originally Posted by pandamonk

Is this picture to scale? Does your bed take up almost half the room?

I TOLD you Boston was tight, lol.

[DrewPeterson7]

Did some work over the last couple days - really there's only two feasible layouts for my room, the bed as it is, and the bed against the back wall pointing perpendicular to the axis of the room, and neither of them would give the desired layout.

The best I could do would maybe be to wall-mount my monitors on either side of the door, facing into the middle of the room, and just listen to the playback a foot or two away from my desk. Not ideal, but better than nothing, I guess...

[pandamonk]

Originally Posted by DrewPeterson7

Did some work over the last couple days - really there's only two feasible layouts for my room, the bed as it is, and the bed against the back wall pointing perpendicular to the axis of the room, and neither of them would give the desired layout.

The best I could do would maybe be to wall-mount my monitors on either side of the door, facing into the middle of the room, and just listen to the playback a foot or two away from my desk. Not ideal, but better than nothing, I guess...

That might be the best idea, although wall mounting brings its own problems unless done properly.

[rayc]

I really nice blonde would do wonders for your tone.

[omtayslick]

Originally Posted by rayc

I really nice blonde would do wonders for your tone.

Now that's the kind of helpful guidance I come here for!

[MachineGunMace]

put the amp in your closet. then get some headphones and listen to what your mics are catching. then. add or remove clothes that are hanging in there (if any) to dampen or make it more live

[pandamonk]

Originally Posted by MachineGunMace

put the amp in your closet. then get some headphones and listen to what your mics are catching. then. add or remove clothes that are hanging in there (if any) to dampen or make it more live

You wouldn't want a live closet.

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

You wouldn't want a live closet.

Of course not. Then you'd have to feed the damn thing.