my drum isolation wall

bassmonkey144

bassmonkey144

poor college student
My band finally decided to record ourselves (well, mostly me recording us :p) but the problem was we had to record in a basement with a 7ft ceiling and about 12x20. Practicing in that basement was hard enough, the drums sounded really harsh and it was hard to hear everything properly, even when everybody played much quieter. So I decided when we tracked drums I wanted something to make it sound like we weren't recording in that room. So, with the help of my drummer, I built a 5 panel gobo of sorts. It has 2" mineral wool in each panel, burlap on the sound source side and masonite on the opposite side. We put hinges on it for easy reconfiguration, perhaps for a vocal booth of sorts.

The goal wasn't to isolate the drums completely, but rather make the sound the mics were picking up sound much better. We also hung a cloud over the cymbals and that helped a lot too. The red head in the pictures is the drummer in my band. Luckily, you don't have to see my ugly mug.

Overall, I am very happy with how the drums came out. Everything sounded tighter, with less harsh overtones and transients. I didn't add much EQ to anything, but then again, the Naiants I used as overheads did a really nice job.

3226896907_fb8717cdce_b.jpg


3227753286_bcceda1244_b.jpg


3226906889_16f62c18be_b.jpg


3226911049_a702223bbb_b.jpg


set-72157612950620701


3226917793_0d749dd999_b.jpg


3227772688_6966a61c1d_b.jpg
 
cool. you should put up the recording of the drums. i know i'd like to know what the results of something like this sounds like. Also what kind of material is that cloud?
 
I used Roxul mineral wool for everything and I got it from ATS Acoustics. The walls and the cloud are covered in red burlap. The whole project cost me about $130.

I was on the fence about posting these songs when they aren't quite done yet. (we haven't recorded vocals yet) but here they are anyway.

A couple notes: The resonator head on the drummers snare cracked about halfway through recording. I fixed as much as I could with EQ and with cloth tape on the strainer. I haven't submitted these to the mixing clinic yet, but I feel pretty good about them anyway.



 
Last edited:
music sounds cool i actually think the snare and kick could use more beefing up, but like you said it's a work in progress. Anyway, how would you rate the difference in sound quality in your room after putting up the gobos? I'm thinking about getting that exact same stuff from ats for my room.
 
greyharmonix said:
music sounds cool i actually think the snare and kick could use more beefing up, but like you said it's a work in progress. Anyway, how would you rate the difference in sound quality in your room after putting up the gobos? I'm thinking about getting that exact same stuff from ats for my room.
Click to expand...

I would say the difference is not noticeable when you are just standing there in the room listening. Maybe a little less harsh when the drummer is playing loud. But the real difference is when you listen through the mics. It sounds much better and cleaner.
 
It's the scene shop at my college.
Click to expand...
:eek::cool: Ahh, that explains it. Lots of stuff there that didn't fit into most shop "fixturing" and materials. Wish I had a shop like that. Very cool. Mine is ok though. I can build most anything I need in it. I was a fabricator at an architectural mill/store fixture manufacturer for a long time. I love to build stuff. Good luck with your studio. Your gobos look great.
 
RICK FITZPATRICK said:
:eek::cool: Ahh, that explains it. Lots of stuff there that didn't fit into most shop "fixturing" and materials. Wish I had a shop like that. Very cool. Mine is ok though. I can build most anything I need in it. I was a fabricator at an architectural mill/store fixture manufacturer for a long time. I love to build stuff. Good luck with your studio. Your gobos look great.
Click to expand...

Thank you sir.
 
Is that how you build bass traps/ sound absorbers?

I have mine sent from Gik acoustics. Which, they are really nice, professional and the company just rocks. But, you built 4 for about the price of 1 and 1/2 of theirs, if they're the same thing.

Being a poor college student as well, I could save a bit by doing it myself.

what is the cloud thing? is that just for drums?
 
That is one way to build them. There are many other ways. I designed mine specifically to work with a drum set, hence the 2x4 frame and hinges. Normal acoustic panels don't have that stuff. But the material is the same, or similar. I don't know what Gik uses, but it's either mineral wool or rigid fiberglass.

The cloud is made out of mineral wool, just like the panels. The idea was to cut down on slapback and cut out some of the harsher transients from the cymbals.
 
stupidfatnugly said:
i read that these were the same thing.
Click to expand...

They are not quite the same thing, but they have similar properties. Physically speaking, mineral wool can't hold its form by itself, it needs a frame to support it. Rigid fiberglass doesn't need a frame.


stupidfatnugly said:
is that all there is to it? like making a sandwich?
Click to expand...

I must stress that this is just one way of doing it. There are plenty of other ways. For normal broadband absorption panels that you hang on a wall, I would certainly not use 2x4s and masonite. Search around on this section of the forum, there are plenty of examples.
 
Drums

So I think the sound of your music is great. Loved the Piano and then the high beat craziness of the 2nd song. I think the Snare / Toms sound really good but the kick drum is a little too low and at times the big sounding bass can drown the snare a bit. As for the cymbals I can still hear the harshness. I'd like to hear what it sounds like without the gobos just for a reference. Either way, nice ingenuity and great music. Keep at it.

Lank
 
Effectiveness

Hey, I'm completly new to the whole recording thing, and I was wondering if it would be worth the 40$ to buy three peices of mineral wool and make a drum shield?

I'm a very poor college kid with a band who needs to record.

Here's out set up:
one small dorm (cement walls, carpeted floor, no acoustic treatment)
MXL 990/991 cond. mics
behringer xm8200 dynamic
Mapex drum set (CAD drum mics)
etc etc.

I need it so that the drums bleed as little as possible into the vocal mix, we're using my matress currently, and yielding marginal results.
 
With concrete walls since they are quite bad for recording in anything will make an approvement if placed well in the room.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top