Noob Needs Room/Sound Advice

blackscot

blackscot

New member
All my recordings are thin and anemic compared to anything professional sounding (including a lot of the stuff you guys are posting here!!!). I would really like to get the kind of full, huge sound that so far has been lacking, and wonder how much my mixing environment is holding me back.

I'm a hobbyist working in the proverbial spare bedroom, which in my case is about 12 ft x 12 ft, and generally empty. Other than my guitars and amp, PC and peripherals (all of my non-guitar production is synth/MIDI), there's just a wooden table, a couple of furniture cabinets, a small-ish braided rug, and my dog's bed.

All performance is instrumental in one form or another and without any vocals, and everything is direct input to the PC via an Mbox. So tuning the room for miking isn't an issue. It's the play-back for mixing I'm struggling with.

I have some latitude in how to handle the room, but also with limits. My wife isn't likely going to be too keen on paneling the walls and ceiling with accoustic foam. Most non-permanent arrangements could probably be lobbied for though. I'd really appreciate getting any basic considerations on room configuration, placement of equipment, monitors, etc.

And speaking of which, I really suspect the effect of my current monitors, which are a very cheapie (I think they were $99 for the pair) now out-of production model by Roland. I finally got them off the floor onto some decent stands, but wonder how much improvement something say in the $300/pair range would get me.

Thanks.
 
In a generally "square" room, you're going to have low end problems that are much worse than in a rectangular room (which will only have substantial problems).

I'd get some sort of bass trapping in the corners - Start with the rears if you can't hit all four at a time.

www.realtraps.com -- www.johnlsayers.com -- www.gikacoustics.com

All have good information. Sayers' site has DIY corner traps that will change the way you feel about the room. GIK and RealTraps are ready-built units.

After that, it's mostly about getting a good core sound, picking it up with a decent mic / preamp / interface with a *proper* recording level (not dancing around -0dBFS, but somewhere around -18dBFS or so, as to not put the preamps into "overdrive") and generally staying out of the sound's way.

In many cases I'd suggest replacing the monitors first. In this case, I'd suggest taking care of the room first - You monitors will only ever sound as good as the room will allow them to.
 
Massive Master said:
......I'd get some sort of bass trapping in the corners - Start with the rears if you can't hit all four at a time.

www.realtraps.com -- www.johnlsayers.com -- www.gikacoustics.com

All have good information. Sayers' site has DIY corner traps that will change the way you feel about the room. GIK and RealTraps are ready-built units.....In this case, I'd suggest taking care of the room first - You monitors will only ever sound as good as the room will allow them to.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Looks like room treatment might better come before any monitor upgrade. Some kind of panel-type traps hung from hooks would probably be do-able (only have to take down and putty the holes to return the room to "normal"). Those pre-made units though are WAY beyond my budget, so I'll need to take a close look at Sayer's user-made stuff and/or anything I can find that is similar.
 
You could used rigid fiberglass panels and just stand them in the corners. No need for mounting them. Make them about 18' to 24' wide 4' thick and run them floor to ceiling in all 4 corners. You'll be pleasantly suprised at how well they will work.
 
blackscot said:
Now that's news I can use! Exactly what kind of material is this though? Available locally?
Click to expand...
A decent poor-man's bass trap that can be removed and stored when not is use is available at your local Home Depot. Get a couple of rolls of Johns Manvill rockwool insulation, the kind that are 4' x 8' sheets that are rolled up into rolls 4' long and about maybe 18" thick.

Leave them rolled up and stand them in the corners of the room with maybe a couple of inches or so gap between the rolls and the walls. You can do two corners with three rolls by taking one roll and cutting it in half, and then stacking each half on top of each of the other complete rolls to make each stack about 6' tall.

One caveat when using rockwool is that it is a VERY itchy material, that'll keep itching well after you have rubbed up against it. It's not a problem on the main surface of the rolls, which will have a brown paper backing facing the outside. The edges of the rolls, however, will have exposed rockwool which can itchy if you rub your arms up against it, and could potentially get loose and into the room via normal wear and tear while moving it around. For tis reason, sealing the edges with plastic or duct tape or something before using them is a good idea.

HTH,

G.
 
Thanks guys. The ducts in my house are of the rigid stuff. Didn't know you could just buy sheets of it. Will check it out. Sounds like it might be a little easier to handle than stacked-up rolls of insulation, but that could be a back-up plan.

I've been researching some of the info resources on acoustics provided above and elsewhere. Looks like pretty much anything would be an improvement over the currently totally raw room.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top