Absolute do's or don'ts???

[816matt]

I have read through several threads and heard from people that certain things (this product or that, or this technique or that) should be used when constructing a home studio.

With that said my question would be: Are there any particular things that are absolute musts or mistakes when it comes to construction, sound-proofing, treating, or furnishing a studio?

I know that sounds like the broadest question ever but I'm just looking for a few things that some people did in their space that either worked really well for them or they wish they hadn't done so that I can learn from their experiences.

(IE: a glass window was good but I should have used plexi. I should have done no window but the double pane I have is good too. I used these doors and they are excellent at keeping sound in/out. This insulation/ that insulation. So on and so forth... I think you get the idea...)

I am at the ground stages of building my studio and am in the planning process. I am researching all the details so as to get it right. My strength and my weakness is that I am a perfectionist, so I may be looking into it way too much, but from what I know about audio and recording, I doubt it.

The space I am working with is 20ft by 9ft and I can split that however I would like. I want to be able to record a broad spectrum of musicians so if there is anything particularly related to one or another that is better, those are all good things to know.

Ok I'll shut up now and let you respond, if you would ever so feel inclined.

Thanks all in advance, and enjoy the music.

 

[Weasel9992]

Search function.

Frank

 

[Monkey Allen]

Don't:

 

[Supercreep]

Welcome to HR. You're in the right place.

First off: Don't start construction or buy anything until you know exactly what you want to do and how you're going to do it. Read that as many times as you have to for it to sink in. You can waste a lot of money real quick doing this wrong.

Now, tell us about this studio. Is it new construction, or an existing room?

Is it a standalone building, or attached to a larger structure, or a room in a residential home, or what?

Where are you located geographically? Are there complaining neighbors to worry about, or do you need to focus primarily on treating the room to sound good?

What are local noise ordinances and building codes that you need to be mindful of?

What do you want to record? (vocals only? Drums? Guitars? What?)

How do you anticipate recording it? (i.e., are you going to use room mics in a single room, track each individual separately, or track simultaneously?)

And lastly, how much money do you have budgeted for this? Of that budget, how much is going to construction, how much to treatment, and how much to gear?

What gear do you currently use, and what gear do you think you need to make this work?

Go slow and take lots of notes. This can be a lot of fun if you take your time and avoid common pitfalls and money traps.

-sc

I have read through several threads and heard from people that certain things (this product or that, or this technique or that) should be used when constructing a home studio.

With that said my question would be: Are there any particular things that are absolute musts or mistakes when it comes to construction, sound-proofing, treating, or furnishing a studio?

I know that sounds like the broadest question ever but I'm just looking for a few things that some people did in their space that either worked really well for them or they wish they hadn't done so that I can learn from their experiences.

(IE: a glass window was good but I should have used plexi. I should have done no window but the double pane I have is good too. I used these doors and they are excellent at keeping sound in/out. This insulation/ that insulation. So on and so forth... I think you get the idea...)

I am at the ground stages of building my studio and am in the planning process. I am researching all the details so as to get it right. My strength and my weakness is that I am a perfectionist, so I may be looking into it way too much, but from what I know about audio and recording, I doubt it.

The space I am working with is 20ft by 9ft and I can split that however I would like. I want to be able to record a broad spectrum of musicians so if there is anything particularly related to one or another that is better, those are all good things to know.

Ok I'll shut up now and let you respond, if you would ever so feel inclined.

Thanks all in advance, and enjoy the music.

 

[johnsuitcase]

Welcome to HR. You're in the right place.

First off: Don't start construction or buy anything until you know exactly what you want to do and how you're going to do it. Read that as many times as you have to for it to sink in. You can waste a lot of money real quick doing this wrong.

Now, tell us about this studio. Is it new construction, or an existing room?

Is it a standalone building, or attached to a larger structure, or a room in a residential home, or what?

Where are you located geographically? Are there complaining neighbors to worry about, or do you need to focus primarily on treating the room to sound good?

What are local noise ordinances and building codes that you need to be mindful of?

What do you want to record? (vocals only? Drums? Guitars? What?)

How do you anticipate recording it? (i.e., are you going to use room mics in a single room, track each individual separately, or track simultaneously?)

And lastly, how much money do you have budgeted for this? Of that budget, how much is going to construction, how much to treatment, and how much to gear?

What gear do you currently use, and what gear do you think you need to make this work?

Go slow and take lots of notes. This can be a lot of fun if you take your time and avoid common pitfalls and money traps.

-sc

What he said

 

[816matt]

What I'm workin with...

I absolutely agree that I need to wait and get it right without wasting money that is why I am here.

To fill you in on some details:
It will be constructed in the basement of my home. It is unfinished at this point, but brand new. I am somewhat secluded from neighbors at this point but they are building new houses closer soon so I will want to consider that. I am more concerned about getting a good sound out of the room. Minor leakage won't be an issue other than a control room being attached to the iso. The current situation is concrete on one 9ft wall and 20ft wall. Concrete floors and floor joist ceiling. (New house/Unfinished basment)

I am going to be recording drums, vocals, guitar, bass...etc.

Tracking will be done up to 8 tracks as i use a focusrite pro 26 and macbook pro setup. I have invested in gear little by little building up to setting up the studio. I have used bathrooms and closets to this point to learn and track some vocals.

I will not be doing "live" recording because I don't have enough room to create iso for several different instruments.

I got a steal on an auralex foam 24 ft squares and 8 bass traps for 50 bux.
Acoustically speaking that is all i have.

All of the money I have at this point will be going toward construction of the actual control and iso. I have the equipment, programs, and mics that i need to get started.

This is a serious venture for me, not just a fad, so I want the room to be good for now but able to keep up with me growing for a little bit.

This is just the next step in my plan to doing this as a possible career. Up until now I haven't had the money to build, but have saved enough to do what I want.

With that said, I have no million dollars to do this, but a few thousand.

Thanks for you help. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know.

 

[Dogbreath]

What he said

yup.

 

[Supercreep]

I absolutely agree that I need to wait and get it right without wasting money that is why I am here..

Good. Anything worth doing is easier said than done. Be patient.

To fill you in on some details:
It will be constructed in the basement of my home. It is unfinished at this point, but brand new. I am somewhat secluded from neighbors at this point but they are building new houses closer soon so I will want to consider that. I am more concerned about getting a good sound out of the room. Minor leakage won't be an issue other than a control room being attached to the iso. The current situation is concrete on one 9ft wall and 20ft wall. Concrete floors and floor joist ceiling. (New house/Unfinished basment).

Full stop.

If you are building a studio in your basement and you want to isolate it from the rest of your house (and your neighbors), everything you do - from framing to insulating to sheetrocking - must be done in a certain way. You can't have a finished basement and just assume you're going to isolate it later. This is because of structural trasmission. Bass frequencies (especially, but not only) will be transmitted throughout the house by ducts, joists, pipes, and anything else that can vibrate sympatheically.

Throughout this post, when I say "soundproof", I mean "isolated significantly". Making something truly "soundproof" is almost impossible and certainly way out of your budget.

In a nutshell, to make something soundproof, you must make it airtight. The problem with this is that occupants also need to breathe. Also, adding duct work to an isolated room creates a channel for structural transmission. In addition, to make something soundproof requires MASS. Willy-nilly adding mass to a residential structure creates the potential for a catastrophic event like a collapse.

You need to go to John Sayer's forum and read about construction techniques and materials and learn how to apply them before you commit to any structural changes to help with isolation.

You will need to get permits for the work being done, I imagine. The last thing you want is for an insurance claim for a fire or other disaster to be denied because you failed to get clearance for the work being done.

I recommend you NOT break the room up into smaller pieces. 9 x 20 is a decent size room. With proper treatment you should be able to get a good sound in it. Trying to make multiple rooms is going to seriously cut down on your space, if you're using construction techniques like dual-leaf systems, staggered studs etc. (room within a room).

What about power? Is the power clean, or are you going to have pops and clicks and 60-cycle hum? Read up on this at Sayer's forum. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I am going to be recording drums, vocals, guitar, bass...etc..

I do this in a single well-treated room and get very good results. I spent my money on treatment, not isolation. So I knock it off at nine and make nice with my neighbors. You can't buy good neighbors. Make 'em happy.

Tracking will be done up to 8 tracks as i use a focusrite pro 26 and macbook pro setup. I have invested in gear little by little building up to setting up the studio. I have used bathrooms and closets to this point to learn and track some vocals. .

Good plan. You won't need an isobooth. You will be able to track vocals with no issues at all.

I will not be doing "live" recording because I don't have enough room to create iso for several different instruments. .

I mean the exact opposite. Live mics, live room, capture the performance. Think jazz. don't worry about isolation if you don't have to.

I got a steal on an auralex foam 24 ft squares and 8 bass traps for 50 bux.
Acoustically speaking that is all i have..

Auralex sucks. Can you return it? Also, what do you mean by bass traps? Foam is not bass traps. How high are your celings?

What you're looking for is rigid fiberglass or rock/mineral wool in the 3.5-8pcf range.

All of the money I have at this point will be going toward construction of the actual control and iso. I have the equipment, programs, and mics that i need to get started..

You're the boss, but I strongly suggest that you consider a single room recording/mixing environment. I can PM you photos that explain how I did it.

I have a studio construction thread around here somewhere....

This is a serious venture for me, not just a fad, so I want the room to be good for now but able to keep up with me growing for a little bit..

Good plan.

This is just the next step in my plan to doing this as a possible career. Up until now I haven't had the money to build, but have saved enough to do what I want..

This is an especially good reason to slow down, and possibly a good reason to hire a consultant or engineer to assist with design and construction.

With that said, I have no million dollars to do this, but a few thousand..

Lol.

Thanks for you help. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know.

Keep the questions coming, and get your research hat on. It's gonna be a long ride, but you're in the right place.

-SC

 

[Monkey Allen]

More don't:

 

[816matt]

As far as power is concerned, i have clean 200 amp service. The studio itself will be on its own breaker. Also I use a furman power conditioner.

The question I have about NOT splitting the room would be what about bleed from monitors? If i'm controlling and recording in the same room without isolation, how am I to prevent it?

The Auralex was cheap and I couldn't pass it up at the time. It will provide some about of reflection resistance...I think?

I have considered building in bass traps. IE 45ing the corners and filling them with insulation and covering with some material. Does this make any sense?

I am definitely taking my time and planning this the best and most economically that I can. Honestly I have been looking into this for over a year now and trying to figure out what is best for my situation all the while saving money to do it.

I am very excited to be doing it, but I am rushing nothing. I've waited a long time and a little bit longer won't hurt me.

Super...please PM those pics to me, I'd love to take a look...

 

[M1Fanatic]

Monitor with a headet unless it's an electronic instrument or you are using a DI box.

 

[Supercreep]

The question I have about NOT splitting the room would be what about bleed from monitors? If i'm controlling and recording in the same room without isolation, how am I to prevent it?

The Auralex was cheap and I couldn't pass it up at the time. It will provide some about of reflection resistance...I think?

I have considered building in bass traps. IE 45ing the corners and filling them with insulation and covering with some material. Does this make any sense?

Cool, it's always nice to see somebody step up to a challenge.

The trick with recording in a single room is for you to audition sounds before you commit to a recording. You won't be monitoring while you're recording. You'll be right in there with the action.

The reality is that unless you're willing to commit serious resources and give up a lot of space (that you don't have to begin with) You're not going to have a control room isolated from the LF generated by acoustic drums or electric bass. At the same time, recording and mixing in a single room you can achieve the same quality of sound - just using a slightly different process. We record instruments separately most of the time.

Hold on to the auralex for early reflection points. It kind of works, but only on HF, which are the easiest to knock down. It's really easy to kill all the HF in a room, and you don't want that. Anyway, that's last. For now, let's figure out how you're going to approach the control room/single room issue.

Then we'll talk room treatment.

 

[miroslav]

Some good info has been provided for you be Supercreep...
...I'll just augment that with a few considerations.

I totally agree on the one large room VS 2-3 small "boxes"...unless you have some serious square footage to work with.

Also...don't get too hung up on 100% soundproofing unless you REALLY need to. If you are worried about neighborhood houses, you still don't need to overkill on soundproofing, you’re better off doing overkill on acoustics….they are two different things.
Being able to hear some music outside of the house is one thing, having it be so loud outside as to be annoying to neighbors is another. I think in a basement, you are already going to have minimal impact on your neighbors, unless the houses are like only 20 feet away.

Finally, something that doesn't get said too often on studio building threads....
...consider the studio *vibe* as much as you are considering acoustics.
IMO...a studio shouldn't end up being a warehouse for 703 fiberglass panels (or any other types).
Yeah, yeah..."the more trapping the better"...but you still wanna do it with some style and comfort.
I've seen a few home studios that were wall-to-wall traps, and they looked like shit and left very little room for gear and comfort!
IOW...when you walk into your studio, you want to smile and got Ahhhhh…like you just walked into a hotel suite or a Buddhist sanctuary or whatever gets you in the right zone, it's your studio, set it up how you like it.
Spending lots of time in a room that looks like a drab padded cell…ain’t very conducive to good *vibe* or good recording…IMHO.

 

[miroslav]

Don't:

Hey matt...are the shoe boxes used for drums?

Man, that must be rough having to set up impromptu "studios" in various hotel rooms.
And then also NOT annoy any other guests while you try to lay down some decent tracks.

 

[816matt]

Soundproofing definitely isn't my biggest issue. I mean I play my drum kit in the basement at all hours of the night, and I haven't had a problem yet. Thats yet, there is always potential, so I'm going to do some soundproofing, but focus more on treatment than anything. The whole basement is concrete, and underground (no walkout or ground level exposed) so this should be a little easier.

I am considering all the info i have received and researched and working toward devising a plan.

today it is snowing so i will likely be here and around just researching.

thanks for the notes and info..

keep it coming.

 

[moresound]

Don't:

Why monkey --- do you have a patent on this set up?

 

[johnsuitcase]

Soundproofing definitely isn't my biggest issue. I mean I play my drum kit in the basement at all hours of the night, and I haven't had a problem yet. Thats yet, there is always potential, so I'm going to do some soundproofing, but focus more on treatment than anything. The whole basement is concrete, and underground (no walkout or ground level exposed) so this should be a little easier.

I am considering all the info i have received and researched and working toward devising a plan.

today it is snowing so i will likely be here and around just researching.

thanks for the notes and info..

keep it coming.

I am a fan of the one-big-room approach as well. And don't go overboard with treatment, either. Deal with flutters, and if you have bad room modes, but keep in mind that you want a second or so of reverb decay, and no room will be totally devoid of modes, unless it's an anechoic chamber. But if you have a mode that's significant, treat for that.

One thing I don't see mentioned often is that simply putting up drywall on 2x4 framing creates a lot of bass trapping. Fill those with insulation and you're going to do a lot. Don't get me wrong, drywall doesn't sound good at the high end, but it will remove some low end resonance. That's part of why most residential situations are actually decent for recording, much better than people think. Small rooms are bad, but bigger rooms, with regular wood frame construction and a bit of furniture work really well. I do it all the time.

I'm not talking exclusively from experience, Alton Everest says basically the same thing in his Master Handbook of Acoustics.

 

[Supercreep]

S I play my drum kit in the basement at all hours of the night, and I haven't had a problem yet.

Your project just got 100x less expensive and a whole lot more fun.

You better treat your neighbors like gold.

Consider using superchunks for your main corner traps.

 

[gecko zzed]

That's part of why most residential situations are actually decent for recording, much better than people think. Small rooms are bad, but bigger rooms, with regular wood frame construction and a bit of furniture work really well. I do it all the time.

I'm not talking exclusively from experience, Alton Everest says basically the same thing in his Master Handbook of Acoustics.

And as I have likewise discovered. I use my lounge room; about 6.5m x 7m (whatever that is in feet and inches). I have no explicit acoustic treatment, but plenty of 'natural' treatment, i.e. bookshelves, couches, carpet, curtains and a random-laid stone wall. The room is light, airy and sunny (big windows, left open most of the time), and because I do most of my loud stuff during the day, no complaints from the few scattered neighbours I have).

A while ago another room became empty, and I thought of using that as a dedicated studio (rather than the 'multi-purpose' lounge room). But it was smaller, darker, facing the road, and its 'roominess' was too intrusive. Besides, only a small percentage of time is actually spent recording loud . . . most of the time I am doing mixing, editing, whatever, at relatively quieter levels . . . why spend that time in a claustrophobic cell instead of in warmth and comfort?

Having a relaxed, casual environment in which to record helps a lot to relax the performers themselves . . . it is not as intimidating, which helps if the performers are relatively new to recording.

 

[Monkey Allen]

Hey matt...are the shoe boxes used for drums?

Man, that must be rough having to set up impromptu "studios" in various hotel rooms.
And then also NOT annoy any other guests while you try to lay down some decent tracks.

Haha...those shoe boxes are actually mic stands. That was my home for more than a year. Now I live in an echo chamber on the 22nd floor of a neighboring residential building.

Why monkey --- do you have a patent on this set up?

I drew up the blue-prints and submitted them with the photo