The more I look at my basement, the less ...

[bluesfordan]

I feel like trying to build a room in it. After demolishing the disaster area that was the finished area where I wish to set up, I have no desire to build another room to have the same problem happen again. I know concrete is a harsh sound reflector. Can free standing gobos help? I'm thinking of maybe making them in pairs, like privacy screens. I'm not looking to sound proof, I just want to (hopefully) avoid harsh reflections from the appliances and HVAC equipment, tune the room so to speak. Again, I'm just trying to make it so I can play down there comfortably and enjoy myself. I have no illusions of recording for release/distribution. Songwriting and composing are mostly what recording I would do. Chances are I'll be recording direct 95% of the time anyway.

Since drywall is pretty damn echoey in its own right, I'd still have to sound treat the room so I'm kind of wondering why go through all that expense and labor?

 

[Ujn Hunter]

So my recording space in my basement (cinder block w/ concrete slab floor) is basically just my open area (on the far side from HVAC/laundry/etc...) enclosed with some bookshelves/wire shelving units with all my gear/books etc... and some carpets on the floor. I don't have any "reflection" issues (not sure if cinder block is much different than concrete walls though), maybe hang some carpets/moving blankets (with some cool bands fabric posters on them) against the concrete walls?

 

[bluesfordan]

I was thinking of some moving blankets on the front and back walls and gobos on the side, I'll have basically one half of the basement. The stairs, HVAC and washer/dryer are the open 'side'. I'm going to have amps, bookcases (2), a work bench, a recording desk. I was definitely thinking of some area rugs. Plus there are guitar cases (probably going under the stairs. On the end wall between the two windows I'm going to build some sort of framework where I can hang my dozen or so guitars. I'd also like to set up a listening area with a sofa. The space is about 15' x 22.5' (4.5 x 6.9 m) and 80" (just under 2.1m) high.

Given the relatively open nature of the area, how much bass trapping am I like to need?

 

[mjbphotos]

Given the relatively open nature of the area, how much bass trapping am I like to need?

Corners are the worst spots for low frequency reflections - any corners, including wall-to-ceiling (exposed joists, too). The usual advice: start with corners, try some recording, do a room frequency analysis....

 

[markmann]

FYI, My music room has wood paneling with pink insulation behind it. The room next to it has the same paneling with no insulation and the music room is noticeably deader (more dead?). Once I added all my gear it was even more dead (diffused?). It's good enough for me since most of my recording is done direct and what isn't is close mic'd.

 

[Pinky]

It's good enough for me since most of my recording is done direct and what isn't is close mic'd.

Same here, room acoustics for me are mostly a non issue for the exact same reasons. It's only when mixing it matters, and at the lowish volume and proximity to the studio monitors I do the mixing it's again near zero issue. [I have things like you to scatter and absorb some of the sound]

 

[markmann]

Same here, room acoustics for me are mostly a non issue for the exact same reasons. It's only when mixing it matters, and at the lowish volume and proximity to the studio monitors I do the mixing it's again near zero issue. [I have things like you to scatter and absorb some of the sound]

Good point about mixing. I use actual monitors aimed straight at me but even with that I know room acoustics affect the sound but I am used to the room so I think my ears help compensate for that to some degree. That said I always use reference tracks and check my mixes on other systems.

 

[bluesfordan]

Summer's over here, fall is in full blast. It's been a year since I did the demolition of the basement. Things are in limbo for two main reasons. The first being my brother's health. He's facing major surgery in January and has warned me it's far from guaranteed he'll recover and we (meaning I) might have to find another place to live. The other being in 4 months I have to renew my driver's license and that's not guaranteed either. I don't want to be elbows and arses deep in projects and have to abandon them. Out of an abundance of caution, I'm putting off further construction expenditures until these are behind us.

I'm going to set up my guitar stuff anyway, but not the producer's desk kit. I won't have any sound treatment for the time being. Come January, after my brother's surgery if things are looking good, I might start hanging curtains. If I do get my DL renewed, and it looks like we're past the worst of my brother's issues, then next spring will see some construction starting.