Underground Studio

[Mikey likes it!]

I'm thinking about asking a couple of friends to let me build a studio in the basement of their house. But before I do, I'd like to know what you all think about it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

The basement is accessible only from the outside via stone steps. The entire basement is below ground level, with the top of the doorframe just about at ground level. If you walk out the door from the basement, you have to make a left turn to go up the steps, as there is a 5' stone retaining wall directly in front and to the right of the door. I think this would help stop any soundwaves that escape through the door.

The interior is very clean; concrete floor, exposed beam ceiling. There is a concrete block wall set inside the foundation about 3', and is about 4' tall. The space between the wall and foundation is filled with gravel and dirt.

I have only been in there once or twice, but I remember the water heater is located there. I'm not sure but I think it has 8' ceilings. The entire space is about 20' wide and 30 or so feet long. (Just eyeballing, I haven't measured it) No A/C vents or water, but there is electricity.

I'd like to build a freestanding structure inside the basement for my studio. I want it to be somewhat soundproof, so I don't disturb the house's occupants or the next-door neighbors.

Here's what I thought:

Build the frame with 4x4s (or two 2x4s) on each corner resting on rubber pads, 2x4 floor joists, plywood floor with vinyl tiles and an area rug.

2x4 studs, 16" on center, running up to a 2x4 top frame 2" below ceiling. (house floor) Plywood "roof" on top of frame with fiberglass between the plywood and house floor. Owens-Corning 703 mounted on plywood "roof" from underneath. I realize this isn't enough for low frequency restriction, so I'd like to have some suggestions on this.

OC 703 or 705 mounted on studs on the inside, fluffy stuff mounted on outside. I'll worry about my acoustic treatments after I get it built.
According to a site reccomeded to me by Goldcan; "There are a few 'ideal' ratios of room height , width, and length that professional studio designers agree should be used if possible." According to my calculations, my studio should either be:
8.55' W x 10.42' L
9.60' W x 11.55' L
12.0' W x 17.47' L

I believe the last one would be the best. The length, of course being the main studio room. There's plenty of room in the basement to build the control room at the end. At the front end, the width will be 11' 0" and the control room end, 13' 0" so the walls won't be parralel.

I want the studio to be completely independent of the house. They will have no contact except for the rubber pads below and the fluffy stuff on top. In my vision, you would enter the basement first through the existing door, walk about three feet into the basement, and enter the studio via a second door. I want a couple of feet between the studio and concrete wall all around, so we can access the water heater and check for any water leakage in the wall.

Would the trasmission loss caused by layered 705/air/plywood/fluffy stuff "roof" keep sound out of the house above, and the studio wall/air/concrete wall/gravel/concrete wall/earth be sufficient to avoid disturbing the neighbors? I don't think the former would, but I'd like your opinion.

I want to be able to record drums and amped up guitars in the daytime, after checking with my friends and their neighbors, so I want it to be a little quiet, but it doesn't have to be completely silent. All that I'll be doing at night is recording vocals, acoustic guitars, mixing, etc. (When they'll let me)

I would like to do everything myself for as little money as possible, but I have no qualms about spending a little more for quality, and have plenty of time to invest in this project.

Do you have any corrections/suggestions on my design, choice of materials, or my project in general?

Here are a couple of diagrams, no where near "in scale."

 

[bcains]

best bet is to check out John Sayers for layouts.

 

[HapiCmpur]

What are the proposed dimensions of that control room in the first pic?

 

[Mikey likes it!]

It's up in the air at the moment. Once I get exact measurements of the basement, I'll decide the appropriate dimensions of both rooms. I may end up making the control room narrower and putting an iso booth at one end, and a storage area at the other. (please see attachment) The only concern I have is having to pass through the vocal booth to enter the control room. It shouldn't be much of a problem unless the drummer spills his beer on my prized amp, and I kill the lead singer trying to get out of the control room.

Any suggestions on this?

BTW, love the Homespun Studio site. I plan on using some of your ideas in my studio.

 

[VSpaceBoy]

Looks like you've definately done some reading and heading in the right direction. I have some questions and comments for you.
You said you plan on redrawing the layout? I would suggest making your control room larger if you can. You going to spend alot more of your time in there and you'll want it bigger. lets see some demensions.
You won't be able to use plywood on the ceiling like that. It won't span across without sagging and failing. You'll have to fasten it to the floor joists above. What most ppl do is use risilient channel, then two layers of drywall. So to answer your question it would go . 703>3/4" drywall>5/8" drywall>Pink stuff.

 

[Ptownkid]

Unless you're planning on doing a lot of wall unit treatments to your studio, you need to get rid of all those parallel surfaces. Parallel surfaces are the worst problem that sound rooms can face.

Most controls rooms are usually some type of hex shape. I'll do a quick sketch tomorrow after i get back from my friends wedding.

What are the overall dimensions of your basement? Also, you'd be best to reverse your layout and put the main entrance into the CR instead of the tracking room.

Cheers

 

[HapiCmpur]

I agree with VSpaceBoy that you're going to want to increase the size of your control room if you can. (And you have to take him very seriously because he's got that Tyler Durden thing going on in his signature now.) Your drawings lack dimensions so it's hard to say, but from the looks of it your control room is likey to suffer from terrible acoustic problems because of its size.

 

[photoresistor]

if youre considering a floating floor or a floating room you need to be prepared to do a lot of research... its not just as simple as building a floor over some rubber. check out this thread at this forum (search around at this place, its a great resource): http://forum.studiotips.com/viewtopic.php?t=1586

especially look out for posts by eric desart and paul woodlock...(among others)

good luck with your studio--im trying to design and build one soon here myself. just make sure youve done enough research and thinking so when you do it you can do it right (you might try submitting some of your plans to the studio tips).

hope this helps

dan

 

[the dreamer]

And if you decide to do a floating floor like the one in my thread at studiotips, be prepared for a lot of work! I don't have much time to work on it these days but I hope I can pour the concrete within the next 2-3 weeks and will show updates in the mentioned thread.
Florian

 

[Mikey likes it!]

Thanks a lot for your interest & replies, I'll try to answer all questions as best I can, and I hope you'll come back with even more questions!

VSpaceBoy: Yeah, it's been hard for me to absorb everything I have been reading, but I have learned more in a week than I have all year! I will definitely make the control room larger, like I said my drawings are not to scale. They weren't meant to show dimensions, just the basic layout.

I will try to get over there sometime next week and measure the basement, but I'll be real busy at work so I don't know when I can get to it.

You won't be able to use plywood on the ceiling like that. It won't span across without sagging and failing. You'll have to fasten it to the floor joists above.

Shouldn't the studio ceiling be decoupled from the house floor? It looks like fastening it to the floor joists would allow it to transmit sound and vibrations into the house above.

What most ppl do is use risilient channel...

I've never heard that term before. What does it mean? (Stupid rookie question )

...then two layers of drywall.

That sounds like a lot of weight hanging above my head and equipment.

Ptownkid:

Unless you're planning on doing a lot of wall unit treatments to your studio, you need to get rid of all those parallel surfaces. Parallel surfaces are the worst problem that sound rooms can face.

I am planning on a lot of wall units. With my carpenter's skills, all I have to do is try to make things parallel, and they won't be. Guaranteed.

Just kidding. I'm thinking about making the wall on the right angled to where the studio will be 2' wider at the front than in the back. But it may be a lot easier and less expensive to just add more traps. It seems like a hex shape would just have one more reflection than a square room.

What are the overall dimensions of your basement? Also, you'd be best to reverse your layout and put the main entrance into the CR instead of the tracking room.

I'll have the measurements next week. (see above) Why would reversing be better? I wouldn't really want musicians having to pass through my control room to get to the studio, especially the drummer.

Photoresistor:

Thanks for the link, I'll study up. I'll look out for the experts.

good luck with your studio--im trying to design and build one soon here myself.

Thanks Dan. I'm glad to hear that. Maybe we can start a support group. Sort of like an AA for studio builders. I can see a thread now: "I'm Suicidal! i ran out of drywall and my 705 shipment is due in ten minutes!"

just make sure youve done enough research and thinking so when you do it you can do it right (you might try submitting some of your plans to the studio tips).

I'm working hard at it. I hope you all can keep me from doing something stupid if I mention it here first.

The Dreamer:

And if you decide to do a floating floor like the one in my thread at studiotips, be prepared for a lot of work! I don't have much time to work on it these days but I hope I can pour the concrete within the next 2-3 weeks and will show updates in the mentioned thread.
Florian

I am prepared to do a lot of work no matter what type of studio I build. I hope I can use the existing concrete floor. If I find out I have to pour any, all bets are off. I'll be looking for updates.

Thanks to everyone for their replies. Like I said, I hope you come up with more questions for me. Please excuse any dumb ideas or questions I post. I've learned a lot, but have a lot to learn.

 

[VSpaceBoy]

Shouldn't the studio ceiling be decoupled from the house floor? It looks like fastening it to the floor joists would allow it to transmit sound and vibrations into the house above.

Here's a pic of resilient channel

Its the little metal channel in between the lumber and drywall.

You want to screw this into the joists above, then screw sheets of drywall to this. Its flexable so it lowers the transmission of sound waves through it.

Plywood would not be able to hold its own weight over that span. Drywall is cheaper, and will ultimately be the better choice. I say double up because if you use the channel correctly, it can hold two layers no prob and you'll get maximum SPL loss.


Get some measurements!!

Yes you HAVE to work on getting the walls angled at least 12 degrees away from parallel in every room.

 

[pdlstl]

I'm thinking about asking a couple of friends to let me build a studio in the basement of their house. But before I do, I'd like to know what you all think about it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I think I'd find out first if they will let you do this and also decide if this is what you really want to do, if they agree.

It appears that you're ready to jump into a LOT of work with no guarantee that you will have unrestricted access to this space over a long period of time. Anything can happen. They may decide to move or God forbid, something worse. If it does, what are your options? Get your gear out and leave all of the effort you put in it? I don't think that's a viable option. At least it wouldn't be for me.

Not meaning to be a wet blanket but you need to consider all the possibilities.

Once everthing is settled on that front, then start thinking about how/what/where you want to construct.

My 2¢...