Studio- Drum Area Upgrade

[Jeff_D]

So, this is my basement home studio. It isn't the prettiest thing- painted concrete walls and floor, no ceiling, but it actually functions pretty well. I have treatments up (moreso on the mixing side) and my mixes translate pretty well to the real world. I've had this space for about 4 years now, and I'm really to the point where I think I know it pretty well (both its virtues and weaknesses). Its used mostly as my bands practice space- weekly, beer, rock-n-roll . Alot of the recording I do is live stuff- like recording practice, so everything stays mic'd most of the time and I can record up to 16 tracks at a time on my computer- plenty for us- drums, 2 guitars a bass and 3 or 4 vocals. So, the space is used 50/50 practice/ recording and 70/30 recording my band / recording other peoples bands.

One of these days I'll drywall the walls and put down a nice floor, but its just isnt in the budget right now, and quite frankly I doubt that will make a big functional improvement (though it would be nice). The basement was once finished, I suspect by ray Charles and Helen Keller. It actually looks better now that I "unfinished" it. My studio is DEFINITELY function over form.

Anyway, the thing I'd most like to improve upon now is my drum sound. The cymbals tend to get washy (especially during some of the fast stuff we play), and it muddies up my drum sound. There isn't much treatment back around the drums, and I'm thinking that if I can treat back there and tame some reflections, I might get a tighter drum sound.

So... here is the current floor plan...

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...and here is the view looking at the back wall behind the drums... You can see there is a fireplace (it doesnt work) and a set of built-in book shelves on each side. So, my thought was, cloud over the drums (size?) and to make absorption panel doors for the upper book shelves. For those I was thinking 1x4 frames- open front and back with OC703 or rockwool and wrapped in fabric both sides- the upper shelves are like 10" deep and I figured I'd angle them in (the lower cabinets are 18" deep) so I'd have all that space behind the absorber... and I could still store stuff on those shelves. I had originally considered actually stuffing the entire shelf full of rockwool, but I thought that might be overkill and plus, it would be nice to keep those shelves.

Thoughts? Ideas? Tell me my studio is messy?

 

[Jeff_D]

also, I was never quite sure what to do with the back wall of the recording area around the door to the porch steps. Its not symmetrical because of the bathroom- I have the two big thick rolling partitions there now ("E" on the plan- 48" wide 7'-6" tall 8" thick rockwool). I actually spin those around to face the musicians area when recording, spin em back when mixing and I'll put them together in a 90 degree angle to make a "nook" for recording vocals.
So feel free to chime in with ideas for that back wall...

 

[miroslav]

You certainly have a great "raw" space that could become a fabulous studio...if fully finished.
I like the L-shape of the space...kinda gives you a 2-room vibe without two sperate rooms, and that's a pretty high ceiling for a basment!

AFA treating the drum area...I dunno if just hanging a few panels will fix your problems...but heck, nothing wrong with a few more panels!

You might get some good mileage from stuffing the cealing with insulation...though at that point, you would want something covering it, as you don't want fibgerlass dust falling down on you al the time.

 

[Jeff_D]

You certainly have a great "raw" space that could become a fabulous studio...if fully finished.
I like the L-shape of the space...kinda gives you a 2-room vibe without two sperate rooms, and that's a pretty high ceiling for a basment!

Layout wise- its perfect for having the band on one side and recording stuff on the other. and, it actually sounds a lot better than it looks. And it really doesn't look that bad when its clean

You might get some good mileage from stuffing the ceiling with insulation...though at that point, you would want something covering it, as you don't want fibgerlass dust falling down on you al the time.

hmmm.... so maybe instead of just a cloud, stuff the ceiling full of rockwool or OC703 in that whole back area and maybe cover it with fabric... never thought of that.... Now you got the gears turnin

 

[miroslav]

.... Now you got the gears turnin

Just go easy on the clutch...you don't want to grind 'em to long!

 

[dintymoore]

I'm jealous of your ceiling heights for sure!
When I looked at your setup my gut was that the cement floor would add a nasty slap sound and that the cymbals would bounce off the fireplace a little harsh.
In this vid, they have rugs under each guy, and they have a moving blanket up behind the drummer... maybe there's some ideas there.


I bet your place doesn't sound bad in there as is tho.

 

[Jeff_D]

hmmm.... so maybe instead of just a cloud, stuff the ceiling full of rockwool or OC703 in that whole back area and maybe cover it with fabric...

So, I could stuff the last 4 joist bays over the drumset- the joists are 2x10s, but I figure I'd friction fit 4" rockwool even with the bottom face of the joist. That would make a 4ft by almost 12ft. area over the drums. Would that be *too* much? Is there such a thing as *too* much? "Duck Cloth" comes in 60" wide role, so I can cover it with one single piece of fabric.

I'm thinking of dismantling the big wedge shaped slot diffuser ("J" on the plan) and using that material to make my shelf door absorbers. I think between the 1x slats and the rockwool inside, I should only need to buy fabric. That big wedge thing was a remnant from my last house and I never really had a *good* place for it here. The doors would be roughly 48" high x 30" wide and there would be 10 to 14 inches of airspace behind them. Maybe I'll start that tomorrow...