D
Doctor Varney
Cave dwelling Luddite
Hi all. Hope you are all well!
I'm back after a somewhat long hiatus from audio recording. I've come back to it with a renewed vigour as new hope and opportunity for my audio book business has presented itself!
I don't know if anyone remembers me, but I started on this forum recording a couple of books and plays and then my acting career suddenly took off and recording sort of went by the wayside.
I started in the front room, which I was using as a little art studio and sculpting room. I since moved out of there and set it up as a sewing/ textile art room for my girlfriend. I took my work into the garden workshop and stuffed the audio set up in a corner of the dining room. Little wonder that my interest sort of fizzled out.
But now there's been a few changes and we've decided to bring the sewing room into the middle of the house. This leaves me with a whole room, which I can dedicate to audio recording... and after doing some market research, I have an exciting new plan to distribute audio books.
So I'm sure you know what I'm going to enquire about next! Okay, so I have 7x13 feet (excluding fireplace and bay) all to myself! These late Victorian houses have fairly high ceilings. It has a wooden floor, which I heard is great for a control room. Let's create!
In the process of moving the GF's stuff out, I garnered a little space in the bay window and decided to have a play around. I use JPW ML310s for monitors hooked up to an old NAD 3020 amp which has always been brilliant for a neutral tone and reveals a lot of critical info in the mid-range. For voice work and sound effects, I find this perfectly adequate and a good measure of how things will sound on a range of my audience's domestic systems.
At the moment, this room is jam packed with fabric, books and all manner of junk which absorbs sound. It sounds very flat and neutral and even clapping my hands, I hear almost next to nothing in the way of reflections. When I move everything out, ending with a virtually empty room, you can imagine what difference this will make. I'm painting this room entirely black and going for a 'minimalist' feel - but you know what's coming next, don't you?
So I need to tone this room up/ down, whatever it is one does with a bare room, to make it WORK as a recording space and mixing area.
Some time ago, we had the loft insulated. I was trying to work out what this 'Rockwool' stuff actually was, until I noticed a discarded wrapper the work men left - which said "Rockwool". After opening out the hatch wider, I have some left over 'Rockwool'. I can make deep frames (as an artist, I made my own frames) to house it. Is this the right stuff?
If so, I'm wondering how many of these I'll need, to deaden the space properly.
I intend to lower the ceiling to make the space more 'cozy'. The window occupies the short wall which is 7ft wide and it's here I intend to make the mixing position. I'm contemplating boarding over the bay to eliminate the recess. Do these seem like sound ideas?
As for recording, when I have actors over for voice recording sessions, I have the option to build a small recording booth in the far corner, at a later date, to house a high stool, mic stand and music stand for scripts. I think it will to be easier to control as it will take less material to treat. Sort of like a shower unit, but made of wood and with a window. Will a window cause problems with reflections?
I have a lot of questions but I think it's wise if I stop here, otherwise there will like twenty questions or so in one thread. Obviously, I'm excited and can't wait to get going. I'll be asking more focussed questions, as my head cools down and I come to each issue.
Right now, I'm looking for any suggestions and tips to get started with basic, inexpensive room treatment. I think the speakers I'm using work best against a wall, being more domestic than studio type monitors. So I think my best mixing position will be against the front bay, possibly with it boarded over - with enough space to allow the rear ports to 'breathe'. Or I could perhaps follow the shape of the bay, to make a truncated 'triangle' and thus create a curved desk space, which would tog the speakers in, to put the sweet spot where I'm going to be sitting? Any opinions on that? It seems logical to start from this position and plan the rest of the room around it.
I look forward to reading your thoughts and hope you'll join me on my little expedition!
Best wishes
Dr. V
I'm back after a somewhat long hiatus from audio recording. I've come back to it with a renewed vigour as new hope and opportunity for my audio book business has presented itself!
I don't know if anyone remembers me, but I started on this forum recording a couple of books and plays and then my acting career suddenly took off and recording sort of went by the wayside.
I started in the front room, which I was using as a little art studio and sculpting room. I since moved out of there and set it up as a sewing/ textile art room for my girlfriend. I took my work into the garden workshop and stuffed the audio set up in a corner of the dining room. Little wonder that my interest sort of fizzled out.
But now there's been a few changes and we've decided to bring the sewing room into the middle of the house. This leaves me with a whole room, which I can dedicate to audio recording... and after doing some market research, I have an exciting new plan to distribute audio books.
So I'm sure you know what I'm going to enquire about next! Okay, so I have 7x13 feet (excluding fireplace and bay) all to myself! These late Victorian houses have fairly high ceilings. It has a wooden floor, which I heard is great for a control room. Let's create!
In the process of moving the GF's stuff out, I garnered a little space in the bay window and decided to have a play around. I use JPW ML310s for monitors hooked up to an old NAD 3020 amp which has always been brilliant for a neutral tone and reveals a lot of critical info in the mid-range. For voice work and sound effects, I find this perfectly adequate and a good measure of how things will sound on a range of my audience's domestic systems.
At the moment, this room is jam packed with fabric, books and all manner of junk which absorbs sound. It sounds very flat and neutral and even clapping my hands, I hear almost next to nothing in the way of reflections. When I move everything out, ending with a virtually empty room, you can imagine what difference this will make. I'm painting this room entirely black and going for a 'minimalist' feel - but you know what's coming next, don't you?
So I need to tone this room up/ down, whatever it is one does with a bare room, to make it WORK as a recording space and mixing area.
Some time ago, we had the loft insulated. I was trying to work out what this 'Rockwool' stuff actually was, until I noticed a discarded wrapper the work men left - which said "Rockwool". After opening out the hatch wider, I have some left over 'Rockwool'. I can make deep frames (as an artist, I made my own frames) to house it. Is this the right stuff?
If so, I'm wondering how many of these I'll need, to deaden the space properly.
I intend to lower the ceiling to make the space more 'cozy'. The window occupies the short wall which is 7ft wide and it's here I intend to make the mixing position. I'm contemplating boarding over the bay to eliminate the recess. Do these seem like sound ideas?
As for recording, when I have actors over for voice recording sessions, I have the option to build a small recording booth in the far corner, at a later date, to house a high stool, mic stand and music stand for scripts. I think it will to be easier to control as it will take less material to treat. Sort of like a shower unit, but made of wood and with a window. Will a window cause problems with reflections?
I have a lot of questions but I think it's wise if I stop here, otherwise there will like twenty questions or so in one thread. Obviously, I'm excited and can't wait to get going. I'll be asking more focussed questions, as my head cools down and I come to each issue.
Right now, I'm looking for any suggestions and tips to get started with basic, inexpensive room treatment. I think the speakers I'm using work best against a wall, being more domestic than studio type monitors. So I think my best mixing position will be against the front bay, possibly with it boarded over - with enough space to allow the rear ports to 'breathe'. Or I could perhaps follow the shape of the bay, to make a truncated 'triangle' and thus create a curved desk space, which would tog the speakers in, to put the sweet spot where I'm going to be sitting? Any opinions on that? It seems logical to start from this position and plan the rest of the room around it.
I look forward to reading your thoughts and hope you'll join me on my little expedition!
Best wishes
Dr. V
perhaps a photo or two?