A Tent for my recording studio?

  • Thread starter Thread starter darkecho
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darkecho

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Yes... After reading up on acoustics, I began wondering if maybe I didnt need a studio at all... here are the facts:

1. I live in the foothills on 20 acres of ranch, neighbors are next to zilch so noise making isnt really a problem for me...

2. the place i was thinking about making my studio was either my bedroom (tile floor and really dense walls, not square by any means) or my office (airport is our neighbor.)

so i was thinking, since outside has the best transmission loss, due to pretty much nothing to reflect sound off of, wouldnt it be the best "studio"? given there was no birds chirping, rain raining, or wind...winding?

I think that the rain and wind could be fixed by a really nice large tent setup (no huge gusts or anything, probably not even a problem) and it rarely rains anyways, but it would provide a nice place for an electric heater and protection of equiptment form dust and animals.

the only other problem is the natural noises such as birdies, but i think that i could just fire a few rounds off with my pistol to shut them up for a while during a recording, beside, ill be doing mostly Folkmetal/acoustic stuff and we were going to be inserting birdy sounds and rain noises anyways as ambience! hahah... so am i an idiot? :confused: :D
 
A tent reflects sound too, believe it or not...

You also might be amazed how different everything sounds from day to day, hour to hour depending on temperature, barometrtic pressure, wind veleocity, the sun's position in the sky, proximity to trees, dense forests, near by building structures, nearby mountains, etc.


There's alot to consider sonically, but if can live with all the ambient noise, humming generators, buzzing from bugs, planes, and chain saws, etc... rumble from distance sources, etc.

I'd still try it out and see what you get.

I don't know if you're an idiot, though. Try asking that question in the Dragon Cave. :D
 
lol not bragging! there are pros and cons to foothills and city, for most things i would rahter be in the city (its 15 mils to the nearest stop light and gasstation and its a PITA to drive that same 15 miles every day.... i would rather be closer to everything i do.. but at the same time, nature kicks mighty arse especially round these parts, and if i can use it to my recording advantage, then all the better! not much airplanes, no humming generators (remember my home is out here lol i just run a long extension cord from my bedroom thats like 50 feet away... i suppose i dont need a tent, illl just record on the pavement. ill post up pictures for you guys to see what im talking about lol... oh yeah no chainsaws either... and usually a gunshot or two will make my "audience" shut up for a while. except those tree bugs that think im trying to communicate, they get all fired up and start buzzing... but yeah i wouldnt mind the occasional birdy tweet since distorted guitars will probably do a good job of covering that... now its those crows and vultures that dont sounds so appealing.
 
Hey did you see the post on the cave about the guy who's tent basically caught on fire and shrink wrapped around him? I'd say electric equipment+space heater=darckecho having a closed casket funeral.
 
I seen a guy on here with a recording shed. I feel bad for laughing at him now.
 
RezN8 said:
the sun's position in the sky
Click to expand...

wow i wasnt aware that the sun was not a sonic absorber and would reflect sound back at me :D guess i should record at night time so that my frequencies can get past the sun and out into the universe for the best acoustics. heheh...


hmmm ok screw shrink wrapping myself.. and no closed casket funeral, (im going to have a suprise funeral with discoballs and stuff)

i was thinking more of like those squarish gazebo like tarps like this thingy but less lame
tent_sides_tent_rental_tent_accessories.jpg



and here is what im working with
drive way recording pad PICTUREE
 
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darkecho said:
wow i wasnt aware that the sun was not a sonic absorber and would reflect sound back at me :D guess i should record at night time so that my frequencies can get past the sun and out into the universe for the best acoustics. heheh...


hmmm ok screw shrink wrapping myself.. and no closed casket funeral, (im going to have a suprise funeral with discoballs and stuff)

i was thinking more of like those squarish gazebo like tarps like this thingy but less lame
tent_sides_tent_rental_tent_accessories.jpg



and here is what im working with
drive way recording pad PICTUREE
Click to expand...
well he moons gravitational pull lowers frequency responce in the 300hz range. so even the moon will affect your sound. :D
 
I'm going to use that color theme in my studio!!! I'll call it "Big Top Studio"!!! :D
 
LemonTree said:
I seen a guy on here with a recording shed. I feel bad for laughing at him now.
Click to expand...
Me? Theres a few guys who record in a shed
 
did you guys look at my picture? its like a natural stadium haha. the grassy hills around.. i read on some sites that in the middle of nowhere is the best recording studio.

best_recording_studio_ever.JPG
 
I've done live sound in a tent and it can be one of the weirdest things. Oddball reflections, unexpected opportunities for feedback, and things just keep changing on you. And then when the thing begins to rip from way up on account of the driving wind and starts dumping water down from thirty feet up, you begin to wonder whether you were wise about fording the floodwaters to get your gear here. Then you start worrying whether the 220V line running through the brook really is all that waterproof where it was spliced. And the wind sound on mics can drive you nuts. Then you start thinking about the aluminum staging just as the lights begin to dim and pop. Bass players getting electrocuted and all that; it's just a real hassle. I wouldn't go with a tent.
 
i would probably do this outside during the spring... doesnt rain a whole lot here in california, and wind isnt very bad either...

im just trying to find the best way to record for the least amount of money... i thought maybe i could get away with outside lol.... hmm oh well.. maybe it would help when i record in my bedroom to open all of my windows to encourage transmission loss?

i could record in the garage with the big doors open, that way im still in a room but i think the garage is very reflective for sound... probably not as good as my bedroom

P.S. i probably wouldnt use a tent on a day with good weather to prevent those weird reflections and stuff just plain old asphalt and sky
 
I thought about making the main gear of my studio into a portable rolling rack and seeing what things sound like out on the screen porch. I guess the ceiling and floor would still come into play. But it would be a nice change from the no window deal I have in my garage.
 
And what you gonna do about natural reverb especialy when recording acoustic guitar, just a thought.
 
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