CHEAP sound dampening materials

[teletaylor]

Hi!
This is my first post but I'm trying to "soundproof" a smaller room in my apartment (roomate getting sick of guitar), and I simply want to put stuff on the walls and floor to help deaden the sound. I have limited funds and would rather do it somewhat quickly. I do some recording but more of a musical notebook for myself. What are some good options? Thanks

[Alex W]

For isolation--you need mass and sealing up of all potential leakage points (around doors, windows, electrical boxes, etc.).

If you're trying to do the whole room of an apartment it'll be tough. Your best approach would be to build a room-within-a-room; but this won't be CHEAP.

What are you playing through and how loud are you playing? You could consider building a box for your guitar cabinet, micing it, route it through a 4-track or other inexpensive mixer and listen through headphones.

Unfortunately, the cheap stuff (blankets, foam, egg crates, etc.) won't do much for the bass frequencies that are annoying your roommate. You need heavy things like bricks or drywall--and again, sealed really well. Sound moves through air pressure changes and will find a way out anyplace air can find a way out.

Good luck

Alex

[teletaylor]

I just got back from home depot where they had acoustitiles(sp). They were 4'x8' and 1"1/2 and made of a pourous type of material. They were made by Cell-Tex and I wonder if anyone has any prior experience with these things? Thanks!

[M.Brane]

The cheapest materials for sound deadening from a performance vs. cost perpective are fiberglass and MDF (medium density fiberboard).

You'll never get total isolation between rooms in the same apartment building. Unless you can figure out a way to de-couple your room from the rest of the structure and maintain structural integrity.

BTW why do they call them apartments if they're all together?

[knightfly]

"why do they call them apartments if they're all together?" -

Because "Togetherments" just sounded too sickening sweet, lovey-dovey-barfey for a bunch of total strangers who weren't all smokin' the same shit... Steve