Keeping sound OUT

[Rhythmschism]

My issue is actually more concerned with my current living condition than studio recording quality, although I do record in my current residence. My problem is this. I am currently attending college and am living in an apartment style dormitory. My roommates are everything you would expect from a recent high school graduate given freedom and are some of the biggest assholes I've had the pleasure of knowing thus far. I arrived to our apartment last initially, and so they took the bedrooms and moved my bed out into the living room. It is actually quite a large living room with 15' ceilings, and the space that I have sectioned off with desks and such is about 14' x 8'. This would be fine, except that I cannot sleep, study, do anything remotely productive, let alone record due to the incessant presence of large amounts of people, the same 5 songs played obscenely loud out of blown out speakers, said people attempting to communicate to each other over said speakers, television, and every other conceivable symptom of adolescents cut loose from authority.

I have read through many of the threads concerning sound proofing and the regular's common responses to these threads, and I think I realize that soundproofing is not going to happen for me. What I am asking though, is if there is some way to reduce the outside noises. At this point I am really not concerned about the acoustic quality of either sides of the room, how much the neighbors hear, or anything else really. The bottom line is I would just like to muffle/block as much sound energy as possible by creating some kind of makeshift separation between my side of the room and the rest of the common area.

Would trying to reflect sound back towards the other side of the room (I really couldn't care how that would affect that side) be more effective than trying to absorb it? Perhaps both? I am willing to spend around $200 to put up whatever possible sound fortifications possible. I am not concerned about aesthetics whatsoever, this is just about me being able to have a place to sleep at night and occasionally get a quick recording session in when there are fewer people trying to find new and imaginative usages for the word "fuck" (oh, and this can only be achieved through primal war scream volumes, if you were curious).

 

[mshilarious]

$200? How about a deposit on an off-campus apartment?

Seriously I don't know much you can do. I been there and you can't fight it. Might as well join.

I remember one particular Hell Hour when everybody THOUGHT they had a loud stereo until I patched Beethoven's fifth into my 130W 2x12 guitar amp wide open, aimed into the courtyard.

Not that big of an amp, but big enough for the hall director to rename it "Courtesy Hour".

Anyway, once all your buds fail their midterms they'll calm down a little.

 

[Rhythmschism]

Hah, yeah I already tried that. It just so happens that due to the extreme ridiculousness of a housing policy, I would have to pay 50% of the remainder of the year if I leave at any point during. If I left right now, that would amount to about $3800. Thus, my desperate quest to make due with this situation for the rest of the year.

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

$200 Huh. Buy a cheap casket to sleep in
Seriously, there is no such thing as temporary barriers that will do the trick, as sound flanks any and all holes, gaps, openings etc, so to find something that completely fills wall to wall, and floor to ceiling is.....well.....a wall.


You COULD barely build a 8' x 12' wall for $200-$300 depending on what price you find on things. With 1 or 2 layers of sheetrock on both faces. Sheetrock would require taping/texture and is permanant but is REQUIRED by the Building Inspection Department for fire and insurance sake. You could use MDF you could just screw the panels to the framework, fill the joints with spackle, and paint but is probably not to code. Maybe if there is no electric in the wall. However, this requires fastening to walls, floor, ceiling(even with temporary screws) and would probably require permission from the landlord AND maybe even a permit. Also maybe a door. Sounds like a lot of trouble. Its not. I've done it. You could do it in a day. But then, I don't know how big this opening is you are trying to partition off.

Top & bottom plates- (2x4x 12') $12-$14
Studs & blocking-10 (2x4x8') @$4 ea. $40
Insulation(Helps with transmission loss $35
Sheetrock 5/8" 4'x8' 6 sheets @$6 per sheet $36 (1 layer but 2
layers would be better.
Optional :
Door/Jamb (Maybe salvaged) ($25-$125 (solid core as hollow core will do nothing for isolation)
Locking Latchset ($15)
Nails,screws, Trim, caulk/text/paint ($35)
Sill roll(narrow foam rollout seal for the plates, end studs to seal the
connection). ($8)

This is your BEST bang for the buck 2 leaf option. Other than that, I seriously doubt if you will find ANYTHING that will even come close to reducing this type of sound intrusion. At least for $200 and really work. But I know you probably CAN NOT do this, so......... I haven't got a clue what else would really do it. Forget cardboard, blankets, 1/4" ply, or any other temp or improvised type stuff. IT WON"T CUT IT.
fitZ

 

[Innovations]

Well, let be address two separate issues.

1. Sleep. This is actually the biggest problem. Without enough sleep you will have trouble in your studies. Your roommates may be on the fast track toward flunking out (which may cause them to get serious after midterms, maybe not) but I can presume from your maturity that you do not want to go that route. The most practical suggestions I an offer for this is...

First, have some balls and tell your roommates that if they want you to take the living room as yours so that they can have a private room THEN THE LIVING ROOM IS YOUR PRIVATE ROOM. You have 100 percent the same human right to have some privacy as everybody else so if they want to keep this arrangement then you have the same right to tell them to leave the living room as they have to tell you to leave their rooms. This may cause some trouble but frankly your roommates are abusing you. Maybe they could agree to some arrangement that they will leave when you want to sleep or maybe they can agree to do something more than arrange a few desks. Perhaps some curtains or whatever. Hanging some moving blankets might help.

Second, get some earplugs. or maybe some isolation headphones.

1. Recording. No way you are going to fix this situation good enough for recording. I presume that you are a musician. Are you also a music major? If you take at least one performance course that should get you the right to reserve time in one of the college's practice rooms. Private, quiet, and accoustically treated. Take something nice and portable like a Fostex MR8 and a dynamic mic and you're ready to go.

 

[Rhythmschism]

Thanks for your comments everyone.

Creating an actual physical wall definitely isn't an option, as this is university property and they will hardly even let us bring in our own furniture. Somehow I think they might frown upon me erecting an entire new wall . Thanks though Rick, that's good info to know for when I am able to find a more permanent living situation (hopefully sooner than later).

I am a musician, but unfortunately I am not a music major, and am not sure what my access is to the university music facilities, although it would definitely be worth a shot. Yeah, the only reason I initially didn't completely flip out and rebel is because the space I have is actually considerably larger than the private room, and the other bedroom is a double. But, the larger space in no way comes even close to compensating for my miserable living conditions, your right Innovations, I am being exploited. I've basically decided that my ultimatum will be for them to decide who is going to stay out here for the next two quarters, because it's not going to be me. Rotation. I get shafted for one quarter, and now somebody else does, and then someone else after that. Seems fair to me.