Help getting started

[guinsu]

I'm thinking of building a studio in my basement since I am already recording there anyway. I wanted to see if I could get some suggestions for layout. I'd probably just make it one room and use products like the realtraps when I am done to cut down on reflections and such. The basement is currently unfinished and is about 23x26, though not all of that is usable. The ceiling height is 7', except under the ductwork and a beam, where it is 6'4". I've included a rough drawing with some measurements, note that the beam runs top to bottom above the two poles. I realize the builders put everything in exactly the wrong place to get a large usable area, one question I have is how feasable is it to move a washer/dryer/sink?

 

[bpape]

With regard to moving the W/D/Sink - anything can be done given enough time and money. Are there standpipes over by where you want to put them? You can easily tie in to one of those with the draing and the supplies are no big deal to move wherever - the drain is the driving factor.

Plan ahead for your acoustical treatments. Think about where your mix position will be and make sure you can treat the reflection points, make sure it's in a good spot acoustically, etc. Don't get all done and then figure out you have problems that you can't easily address.


Enjoy the journey.

Bryan

 

[Ethan Winer]

Guinsu,

> I'd probably just make it one room <

I agree, and in that case there's no need to move the sink etc. I'd just wall off a large, but well-proportioned area, away from the sink etc and be done with it.

--Ethan

 

[mshilarious]

Flip the W/D to the other side of the sink. That will buy your some more room pretty cheaply.

 

[guinsu]

I don't think there is room on the other side of the sink, its only 4 feet and there is an electrical panel on that wall there. I thought of walling off everything that was left without moving anything, I know it leads to lots of little closets and rooms due to the layout. Just a rough estimate from my drawing shows that the "main" rook would be 20x16, but thered be a large low spot due to the ducts.

I thought of moving the w/d/sink to the other side of the basement, its closer to the drain (in case of washing machine overflow), and there are water pipes on that side. That would give me about a 19x14 space for recording and mixing, with the dividing line at the duct work, so no worries about a low ceiling section. Almost half the basement would be left for storage and other uses. I could also make the recording room bigger by pushing in more in the middle section.

I've attached two pictures to show both ideas. Thanks for the help so far, its been difficult for me to figure out how to arrange this room to make it large enough to be usable but still let me use my basement as a basement.

 

[IronFlippy]

That second pic looks like a good solution, if you want to spend the time moving the W/D/S. Are you going to make a separate control room?