Help: New Studio, Treatment, Options

Ninjaza

New member
Hey guys,
So I've just come out a nearly 2 year music hiatus, and moved into a new place.
I want to setup a studio in my house. Essentially in this room, as the other is my bedroom.
It can be a dedicated studio, part lounge and work-space.

It's quite an odd room, and I've been wracking my brain on how to best position everything and set it up for production, and secondary loung / logical space-saving.

1. Which wall to put my studio monitors / desk / gear closest to.
2. Which treatment to get for each option.

I know that the longest walls should be on the left and right, but that means against the windows, meaning I will have to put panels over them and get thicker curtains, the downside here is losing the beautiful view and having friends over to chill by the windows. Also, the neighbours house (same property), is under the right window.

The fireplace wall is obviously out (or is it?) because I can't center the setup.
The long window wall or opposite wall closest to the passage are other options. The wall closest to the passage is a drywall (may affect decisions / sound)

Room size: 4.6 x 3.4m
Right now I just am brainstorming here and would love any thoughts, ideas, help and advice on how best to go about this - and take it from there.

Worth mentioning I have another room which is more standard. A single window and door, relatively rectangle (my bedroom).

Thanks you so much guys :)

PS
Ive also been looking at this: Reference 4 sound calibration software | Sonarworks
A friend of mine said this has been the biggest game changer and its damn unbelievable. He said it's really all I need..
Reference 4 sound calibration software | Sonarworks
 

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Last edited:
The pics make the room seem very narrow but there’s no way to really know without some dimensions.
 
Desk on that window wall is the best you're going to do. You've got to get your monitors spread out, sitting as they are on the desk gives you a lousy stereo image. Symmetry is important when mixing, that's going to be the tough thing in that room - that sofa is way too big for the room.
 
Hi,
Realistically it's always going to be a compromise room so I think I'd focus on getting dense material on the first reflection points, left right and up (from your sitting position).
I'd just leave the window exposed. May as well enjoy that view. ;)

+1 to moving the monitors.
Right now if you look over the top of the speakers, you see windows. Move them out wider so you see the room corners.

If you and the two speakers make a triangle, you'd want to be the right angle in it.

Try to find some boxes or stands or something and get the speakers up a foot or more : Whatever your comfortable sitting ear-height is.
 
Hi,
Realistically it's always going to be a compromise room so I think I'd focus on getting dense material on the first reflection points, left right and up (from your sitting position).
I'd just leave the window exposed. May as well enjoy that view. ;)

+1 to moving the monitors.
Right now if you look over the top of the speakers, you see windows. Move them out wider so you see the room corners.

If you and the two speakers make a triangle, you'd want to be the right angle in it.

Try to find some boxes or stands or something and get the speakers up a foot or more : Whatever your comfortable sitting ear-height is.

Thanks a lot guys. So, I built floor to ceiling corner bass traps, a large ceiling trap and a few standard wall panels from dense rockwool fibre mixture (in my last studio).
I still have all those. I also plan to get monitor stands, and I do feel that I should hang panels over my windows whilst producing, then remove when not ( to enjoy the view ;) )
Right now I'm more unsure of which wall to put my setup against. Production is very important to me, I know it wont be perfect in a room like this (I have good production Seinheiser phones to reference / do final mixing on), but I'd like to get it near perfect as possible. And can get Sonarworks to make it that much better.

Any thoughts on placements etc? Any other walls?

(As an absolute last resort I could move it into my bedroom which is more standard (and use it as a studio and chill room for guests).. but then I'd have to move my bedroom into this room which will involve a bit of sacrifice) Also the bedroom doesnt get nearly as much sun. But it is a more normal room.
 
You're talking about covering the windows anyway, so what difference does the sun amount make.
Dimensioned diagrams (for both rooms) would be the best thing for anyone to assist you.
 
Thanks a lot guys. So, I built floor to ceiling corner bass traps, a large ceiling trap and a few standard wall panels from dense rockwool fibre mixture (in my last studio).
I still have all those. I also plan to get monitor stands, and I do feel that I should hang panels over my windows whilst producing, then remove when not ( to enjoy the view ;) )
Right now I'm more unsure of which wall to put my setup against. Production is very important to me, I know it wont be perfect in a room like this (I have good production Seinheiser phones to reference / do final mixing on), but I'd like to get it near perfect as possible. And can get Sonarworks to make it that much better.

Any thoughts on placements etc? Any other walls?

(As an absolute last resort I could move it into my bedroom which is more standard (and use it as a studio and chill room for guests).. but then I'd have to move my bedroom into this room which will involve a bit of sacrifice) Also the bedroom doesnt get nearly as much sun. But it is a more normal room.

Comfort and ergonomics.
What makes the most sense to you?
Nice space.

G
 
You're talking about covering the windows anyway, so what difference does the sun amount make.
Dimensioned diagrams (for both rooms) would be the best thing for anyone to assist you.

So the panels would be able to clip on and off when producing or not. Also then this room would be my bedroom which brings some negatives..
It will take me quite a while to make diagrams.. :/

Based on the images isnt there any advice anyone can give? Windows / fireplace effects / best position to setup etc etc..
 
Comfort and ergonomics.
What makes the most sense to you?
Nice space.

G

Appreciate the words sasquatch,
What do you mean re comfort and ergonomics?
So I want to know what would be best sound wise for setting up a home studio :)
thanks so much
 
when I was asking similar questions, same was said to me. basically put, you have to be realistic. this is where you live, where you spend your time. you need to feel at ease and comfortable. then worry about the sound. If the space isn't inviting and pleasant to be in, then you won't be enticed to stay in it for any length of time and be more likely to rush or even not do anything in it.
 
Yup.
Everything in it's place and a place for everything.
Decor becomes part of the overall acoustic "treatment".

G

So, let me ask this. Can I have a good enough sound in this room for production and releasing my albums? and if so, how?
This is important to me.

I've produced in a room without much treatment before and released albums, but thereafter I built my own studio in 2 different places where I lived.

Otherwise, I can move my bedroom into this room, and my studio / chill space into my bedroom. The bedroom has a more standard and simple room and a studio will be a lot easier. However,
I'm sacrificing this being a really nice lounge space, and maybe not an A bedroom (although I will have to just adapt)

Many thanks man.
 
Desk on that window wall is the best you're going to do. You've got to get your monitors spread out, sitting as they are on the desk gives you a lousy stereo image. Symmetry is important when mixing, that's going to be the tough thing in that room - that sofa is way too big for the room.

I did intend to get a smaller desk and monitor stands (or maybe stands not necessary), right now its just planning my room at stage 1.

Could you also answer my latest post man? Thanks so much for this. Keen to get your opinion.
 
Hi,
Realistically it's always going to be a compromise room so I think I'd focus on getting dense material on the first reflection points, left right and up (from your sitting position).
I'd just leave the window exposed. May as well enjoy that view. ;)

+1 to moving the monitors.
Right now if you look over the top of the speakers, you see windows. Move them out wider so you see the room corners.

If you and the two speakers make a triangle, you'd want to be the right angle in it.

Try to find some boxes or stands or something and get the speakers up a foot or more : Whatever your comfortable sitting ear-height is.

Thanks pal. Think the windows being exposed is fine? Its important to me to have a production friendly home studio space. To make and release my next albums.
Could you share your thoughts on my last reply ?

Keen to get this sorted and making music properly again :) Withdrawal is real after the past 2year hiatus.
 
So, let me ask this. Can I have a good enough sound in this room for production and releasing my albums? and if so, how?
This is important to me.

Pretty much everything can always be better but the short answer is yes.
For me, in a home environment, as long as the speakers are ear height and pointing the right direction, and first reflection points up and sideways are covered,
that's most of the work done.
If that's a new term to you, those are the points where you'd be able to see the monitors if you hung a mirror.

You could list hundreds of ways to improve from there but you have to balance cost and practicality against results.

Getting to know your room and monitors, whether perfect or not, is very important too.
Spend time listening to commercial material that you're very familiar with, and do it in the mixing/listening position.
 
Pretty much everything can always be better but the short answer is yes.
For me, in a home environment, as long as the speakers are ear height and pointing the right direction, and first reflection points up and sideways are covered,
that's most of the work done.
If that's a new term to you, those are the points where you'd be able to see the monitors if you hung a mirror.

You could list hundreds of ways to improve from there but you have to balance cost and practicality against results.

Getting to know your room and monitors, whether perfect or not, is very important too.
Spend time listening to commercial material that you're very familiar with, and do it in the mixing/listening position.

Hmm are you sure? I feel my music got a lot clearer and better after I worked in a treated studio. What about other room issues?
 
Just for some more context and info - Here are my studios that I built (I built the panels too).
Did reflection points / mirror trick etc and sorted out problems. I studied and got info on how to do all that years ago.

First studio
12309781_10153038515542924_4670389418520631741_o.jpg12304082_10153038539722924_8756121116497752863_o.jpg10838168_10152601921097924_3113608477858097424_o.jpg

Second (most recent and last before my hiatus)
DSC_0669.JPGDSC_0660.JPGDSC_0652.JPGDSC_0649 (1).JPG25587232_2001892876763154_3910632287650910382_o.jpg

Note: I have all the panels in storage of which Im probably going to use and want to install in this new studio. Or may get some from retail.
 
If you've got more panels then, by all means, put them up. The more the merrier.

I'm losing track of what the question is. Seems you have experience with fairly well treated rooms and presumably you've mixed in regular un treated rooms?
You must have your own idea of where the line is?
With first reflection points done I reckon you could get to know the room/speakers and make some good music.
If you have additional panels, or corner traps, then that's even better. :)
 
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