Studio Pics

I lovingly refer to the ceiling cloud as the Death Cloud, since it will probably fall and kill me. It's attached to the ceiling joists with heavy duty d-rings, 3 inch spring clips and heavy-duty screw eyes into cleats. But, still, I live in fear. :D after all, the middle section of the cloud is composed of doubled up 2" panels and they are heavy--around 30 lbs each. The old version of the studio had a bunch of two inch panels which were pretty useless. So, viola, I bundled them using metal braces to form proper bass traps
 
The garage window is just in front of the mixing desk. It's basically a giant window well. So I trapped it with R30 covered by a sound blanket. My motto is turn everything into a bass trap. If it movers, trap it. :D
 
The corners are all Superchunk variants. Each one is 24"x24"x 8ft covered in charcoal DMD fabric and filled with 24"x24" pieces of R30 insulation. I divided each one into two pieces for ease of handling and stacking and there is a thin shelf halfway up each cube so the insulation won't become compressed.

For those of you who have misconceptions about off the shelf R30, I cast you into the wilderness of the internet (or Gearslutz) to discover the power of plain and fluffy. At this thickness, at least, it works much better than the often used 4-6" of 703 straddling the corners.
 
You might also notice the extensive trapping on the rear wall. I've put bass traps at the wall-ceiling corners (3 at 12"x48"x4") and three 4" think wall traps that sit about 4" off the wall. These are all OC 703 and DIY like most everything else in this cave. I also went a little nuts and filled the shelving unit with R-30. The shelve are about 24" deep. Who needs shelves with uncertain diffusion properties when you can stuff 'em! I also ended up moving a couple of floor-ceiling DIY traps to the countertop, where they actually worked better.
 
You might also notice three 24x24x24 gray cubes stacked on the right, rear wall. I had a bunch of left over R30 and I decided to get cheap and experimental. I bought three 24 cube single wall cardboard boxes and filled them with the left over insulation. I painted them gray to more closely match the room and the other traps.

They actually helped with the low end and didn't add any mid to high end absorption. The cardboard tends to reflect higher frequencies and allow the low end to reach the insulation. And I'm theorizing that painted cardboard might be even more reflective. There a lot of traps in this space, and I'm doing everything I can to keep some life in the room.
 
I also added this mobile trap. Most people call it a gobo, but I prefer Scout.
 

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What you can't see...12x48x4 wall-ceiling panels along the side walls and several more OC 703 traps (24x48x4").
 
And there are two 4'x4'x12" R30-base traps just off the front wall in front of the desk. Did I mention that I like to space stuff off the wall? :D
 
I just curious...was/is there some kind of plan with all the different panels/boxes/curtains/etc...or did you just go for the "more is better" no matter where/how it's placed?

What problem(s) are you still chasing...besides the dead room result?
There's appoint where you really can't correct the low end much further no matter how much trapping you add. I mean, you would have to practically fill the room...but even before you get part of the way there, you end up with a dead room...so you don't solve one problem, but you create another.

It may be an obvious thing...but volume is what really makes a difference...and you want some kind of reverberation/life in the room.
 
Just a late night observation; this looks really cool. But where did you come up with the ideas for room treatment for your room? I see some acoustic treatment things here that I have never been recommended to do for a space like this.

Why the wall of stuff behind your monitors? What are those monitors? What is your dog's name?

:)
 
Ok if you like working in the dark. But, if you want more light (e.g. if you want to do any video), that means more heat. In my little space temperature control means noise in the [long] summer months. I'm guessing it's not a concern for you.
 
Looks cool. Looks like you put a lot of work into it. Now comes the fun part; making music.

The only thing I would have a problem with is the equipment rack at your feet under the desk. I would move that somewhere else so I do't kick it.

:cool:
 
Looks cool. Looks like you put a lot of work into it. Now comes the fun part; making music.

The only thing I would have a problem with is the equipment rack at your feet under the desk. I would move that somewhere else so I do't kick it.

:cool:

Great point! And what is the dog's name? :)
 
I just curious...was/is there some kind of plan with all the different panels/boxes/curtains/etc...or did you just go for the "more is better" no matter where/how it's placed?

What problem(s) are you still chasing...besides the dead room result?
There's appoint where you really can't correct the low end much further no matter how much trapping you add. I mean, you would have to practically fill the room...but even before you get part of the way there, you end up with a dead room...so you don't solve one problem, but you create another.

It may be an obvious thing...but volume is what really makes a difference...and you want some kind of reverberation/life in the room.

There really wasn't any sort of plan, per se. I started out with the basic theoretical suggestions that almost always characterize room treatment advice: corner bass traps, panels at the first reflection points, a cloud above the speakers/mix position, and some panels to cover large areas of open wall space. I also added some curtains for mostly aesthetic reasons

A some years later, I dove into room testing and analysis and simply let that guide me to wherever it went. In the process, I added traps, removed traps, reconfigured traps, and basically played musical chairs until I reached the numbers posted in the other thread.
Along the way a learned a lot, got plenty of advice (some good and some bad), and certainly came to the realization that all this would have been easier with a paid consultant. Easier but more costly and less fun.

When I started, I knew that the room was a problem room because of it's dimensions. And I knew that it would require substantial trapping to exert any level of control over the low end. I also knew that this would lead to certain sonic irregularities, including an overly dead space. For me at least, I was willing to accept this tradeoff. I don't record bands, other musicians, or anyone else for that matter. Only myself. And my music is simple and basic. It does not require a huge soundstage, It's not orchestral, or EDM, or stadium rock. I play mostly acoustic instruments which are often close-miced. So I'm less concerned about the deadness issue than others might be.

My measures of room reverb are consistent across frequencies (especially 250hz to 4k). They are also within the parameters for most small, home studio environments. They may not match BBC control room standards but I'm not the BBC.

I should also point out that this is an evolving process. Some would say a never ending process. So what you see here may change. The pics basically show my current placement as the result of a stepwise, data-driven approach to studio treatment.
 
Looks cool. Looks like you put a lot of work into it. Now comes the fun part; making music.

The only thing I would have a problem with is the equipment rack at your feet under the desk. I would move that somewhere else so I do't kick it.

:cool:

There's not much to kick:D. I got out of the gear business years again after too many disappointments and too much junk that did little for me except make me poorer and line the pockets of the gear pimps. One day, I just decided to go minimal. I have a decent interface (Apogee Duet) and the rack is basically a box holding power supplies and my external preamp (a Great River Me1nv). Everything else is in the i-Mac, where I run Logic with some Waves plugin's.
 
Looks cool. Looks like you put a lot of work into it. Now comes the fun part; making music.

Actually, the process of getting here was pretty fun. It cut back on my recording time but there is something appealing about room testing and measurement. At least there is data and some goals and standards. Recording and evaluating music is so qualitative and based on individual biases and perceptions. Compared to measurement, it's like having an argument at Thanksgiving with a drunk Uncle who hates your politics.
 
Ok if you like working in the dark. But, if you want more light (e.g. if you want to do any video), that means more heat. In my little space temperature control means noise in the [long] summer months. I'm guessing it's not a concern for you.


I like dark and quiet spaces. It matches my temperament and music. I also live in Florida and I get way too much light already. When it's 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity 90 percent of the time, there is nothing like an air-conditioned cave.

You are correct about noise, though. It's a problem given the need to control temperature in the garage. Luckily, it's pretty well sealed and I can run my wall unit AC off and on so it doesn't interfere with recording sessions.
 
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