recording/mixing room disaster!

wes480

New member
ok guys, I need some solace here, more than anything.

The room I am going to be using for a recording and control room, I thought was going to be sheetrock all around. Well, it isn't.

It's 2 walls cement (cinder block), and 2 walls cheap wood panel put up with finishing nails.

The ceiling is wood - but, it isn't flat across. It's like a studded ceiling.

i considered doing drop tile, but becuase of the ducts and pipes, it isn't worth it. I don't *think* the ceiling is going to be my biggest enemy though. Also, don't know much about it - but figured the wood up there might actually give it a cool sound..

But I am really worried about those walls. Getting back echos off of the concrete or cheap panel.

I have some acoustic panels to put around - they won't fill up the entire surface area of the walls, but probably 65% of it or so. I figured I could get some foam pieces, and get the total treatment coverage up to maybe 85%.

So, how screwed am I? Is it going to be possible to get a decent room sound in there? I don't want to have to close mic the drums *too* much. Any suggestions for cheap and non obstruvsive improvements would be great...I don't have much leeway for change in this place.

The room is totally cleared out now, and the desk is on the far wall, computer monitor facing into the room. Near field monitors (mackie hr824)

I will post some pictures later on...when I have them (tomorrow or so) thanks.

-Wes
 
ok, here is the ceiling, and the room showing both types of walls. (its all cleared out now..and like i said, the flourecent light is gone, so no prob there. thanks!

really would like some ideas about the ceiling....if it is going to mess with my sound being studded like that -...i figure foam on the walls will take care of a lot.
 

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I would fill the ceiling joists with insulation and hang acoustical tiles below your pipes. This will provide dead-air space to help with isolation.

As for the cement walls.. attach 2x2 strips every 24" and use 2" rigid insulation in between the 2x2s. Add paneling or drywall on top of that.
 
Can you sew? Or do you know anyone who can?

You could go and buy a bunch of HEAVY Material and make drapes, and use Metal electrical conduit for curtain rods, and hang these in front of the Concrete Block walls.

I think this would be cheaper than just buying heavy drapes, but you could go to all the local Salvation Army places, and look for rubber backed HEAVY drapes.

The odds are that they will be really ugly, but you can get them fairly cheap.

Personally, I'd be more worried about those two walls first.

Tim
 
cement first...gotcha.

well, I have a large amount of foam I can use in addition to the acoustic panels I have....

will that help? on the cement walls?
 
Wes,

Suppari is right on about how to handle the cement walls. I might even take it a step farther and attach resilient steel channel (available at home depot) to the 2x2's. Then, attach your drywall to the steel channel. The channel is pretty inexpensive so it shouldn't add too much to your total cost.

In my last house, we finished the basement ourselves and used steel channel on the ceiling along with a nice think isulation (can't remember the "R" number... sorry) it really isolated the noise between the basement and the main floor. It was awesome!

You can see a picture of steel channel installed here: https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=52485


Peace,
Brad
 
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