Question regarding room modification.

[SteveCPerrino]

So, my walls in my basement are quite strange. The walls themselves are rockwool, so there is next to zero reflection of any sound in my basement. While this is good on SOME level because there are no BAD reflections/standing waves/etc, it also gives all my recordings a very dull, dry, low-heavy sound.

My idea is to build "mobile walls". I thought I'd take a sheet of 3/4" plywood, 4' wide and 6' tall, form a base and support system to keep it upright, and then acoustically treat it in whatever way I need to after that. I'd have 3 walls, so for example when I'm recording drums, I'd have one in front of the kit and one on either side of the kit.

My question is: Is this a complete waste of time? Will this actually work/give me better results? Does anyone have any better ideas? My budget for this is around $500-600. Willing to go a little over budget if I'd get great results from it.

Thanks everyone, I hope soon I can solve this room issue.

 

[jhbrandt]

Steve,

Actually, the dull, dry, 'low-heavy' sound is caused by standing waves that have not been properly damped. You need more trapping, probably below 100 Hz since you are in a basement which is likely bordered by concrete and/or earth. An enclosure such as this will exhibit similar response when 'lightly' treated with thin absorption.

I don't recommend building the thin walls. Keep the space large. Build some limp membrane traps and for a better 'snap' from the kit, you might double sheet-rock one wall section & sit with your back to it when playing.

Polys, geometric shapes, slats, and even proper diffusors will go a long way to 'balancing' the sound spectrum. Do what you can afford. A bit at a time. - But the VLF trapping is what you probably NEED.

Cheers,
John