It's ghetto, but turning a closet into a vocal booth?

[anppilot1]

Ok, before yall jump in and say that it's ghetto, heres the deal:

The closet is small, I mean small.

2' X 6' X regular ceiling height. I dunno maybe 8 foot?

Heres the concept:

Widen it from the 2' X 6' to 4.5' X 4 or leave it alone? You tell me

I thought of comming out with it +1.5' to 3.5' and shorten it to 4' or 5'. I cant bring it out the full 6' because that will eat up precious space that I don't have in the room

What do I do to make the booth sound-proof? Is Aurlex good enough? Put 1/2" foam behind the Aurlex?

I dont want to be ghetto and put egg-crate up, so I'm thinking about 2' X 4' panels of Aurlex.

The closet has carpet in it, and I dont want to take it out so:

1. So should I build a raised floor with 2x4 and plywood on top of
it?

2. Do something else to the floor

3. Leave the floor alone

4. Aurlex all four walls from the bottom of the floor to the ceiling

5. Do I aurlex the ceiling?

6. What kind of lighting that will be bright

7. Will a flourescent light in the vocal booth (frequency-pulses)
be picked up by the mic/computer/soundcard

8. Put accordian style Mic stand in there mounted to the wall

9. Running the mic wire through the wall, does someone
make/sell a wall plate w/recepticle for a XLR mic wire? That
would look very professional.

10. What about putting a glass window (will not be able to open
up) in the door?

11. Heat? The studio is always 3-4 degrees hotter than the
rest of the house. On the duct comming in the studio, should
put a inline thermostat controled boost fan then split off on
the output of the fan and run duct to the vocal booth? or
would the air comming in there (the vocal booth) be picked up
by the mic? Or say the hell with them being hot, deal with it?

12. Is there anything you need inside a vocal booth besides a mic
stand, mic, and music holder?

13. Does it need a railing for safety reasons? (DONT LAUGH)

14. I saw this on the net.....a vocal booth that was completely
mirrored- 4 walls and the ceiling? Anyone heard of this? It
looked cool, and made it look alot bigger. But what does it do
to the sound? It doesn't seem like it wouldn't deaden
anything, but do the opposite? I dont knoe, I'm not a audio
engineer.

I've heard people say that the smaller the vocal booth sometimes, the better. That it really deadend the sound. But by deadening it too much affect the sound? Can I get away with not having to reconstruct the closet?

I dont know how many times this question has been asked on this bbs. If its a common question, please forgive me. Between my fulltime career as a aircraft mechanic for a major airline, and running the studio, I dont have alot of down time to search for similar posts.

My studio is going very well for me right now and is taking off. It is not professional by any means, it's just a very good home studio that I am getting excellent results from and I have met the right contacts.

I'm working with a independent label owner here in Dallas who is a host of a cable access hip hop showthat is very popular. He likes the product and results were getting, but he recomends that we "do something to the closet" to sound proof it.

He is hooked up with an A&R lady who works with popular rap artists, and many other acts. Some popular, and some up and comming. And another person who promotes shows here at a local concert stadium in Dallas, and popular dj's on our urban radio stations in the metroplex and their music directors.



I'm trying to get known as a producer and engineer, and my work speaks for itsself. Is it the same quality that you would get from a $100k studio? No, but it's not to bad for Cubase 3.5r2. It's not 'totally' what you have, but what you have that you do with it. I understand there is certain products that you have to have thats professional like decent mics, pre's, ect. Thats a given. And I'm in the process of upgrading that gear. But I have to laugh at the big boys that have $100k worth of gear that cant do crap with it and I have a mear $30k invested and I'm starting to meet the right people. Some of the people I've met cant believe what were doing with what little we have (which isn't little but just not as big as others).

Please help me design this vocal booth and make it decent without spending 8 grand...lol


Mike

 

[Flo' Dolo]

Off topic, but I gotta say it...

Good luck with your booth, dude.
One thing though:

if you don't live in the ghetto, it ain't ghetto...

I dont want to be ghetto and put egg-crate up, so I'm thinking about 2' X 4' panels of Aurlex.

In the hood, we'd sleep on them egg crate joints on top of a fucked up mattress, and auralex would hella plush under a fitted sheet, too...

How about this instead:
"I don't wanna be stupid and put egg-crate up..."
<Can't help with your booth issues as well as others, so I won't, but hopefully calling shit "ghetto" will go out of style REAL soon...>

good luck,

diendolo

 

[A1A2]

i'm a poor man, so i am gonna skip your long post and say this, put up free materials first and see what you don't like about it...I've put up heavy blankets in a closet and made sure the blankets were at least a couple of inches away from the wall; it actually worked out pretty good. Only costed me 4-5 nails sorry for being ignorant if you are trying to build a world-class vocal booth.

Al

 

[frederic]

Please help me design this vocal booth and make it decent without spending 8 grand...lol

Its easy Mike.

go to http://www.whisperbooth.com and purchase a booth for about 2500 dollars, rip out your closet and frame the closet a hair larger than the whisperbooth. Then push the whisperbooth into the opening, and close the wall and leave an opening for the door to the booth.

The booth comes complete with foam, door seals, etc. They are high performance units and they are less than 8 grand.

 

[anppilot1]

I guess I hurt the ghetto rats feelings around here.

#1 I used to live in Philly, so I'm used to ghetto.
#2 If your ashamed of the ghetto, then pull a George Jefferson
and move on up...and out !!!
#3 I'm not trying to be rude, but screw it if you take it that way
but, this isn't some bullshit post, so would the ignorant
please put their thumb in their mouth and start sucking if you
dont have anything sensible to say.
#4 I'm a white boy from the hood


Oh and that webpage isnt pulling up dude

I'll Google their product to see their booth.

But what do you think about the questions I have? Any of them yall would do or have done?

What would you do in my situation?

Mike

 

[c7sus]

Why does your booth need to be soundproof?

I think the guy was referring more to treatment than soundproofing.

If you're handy with remodel I'd say make the booth 4' x 4' 6", then make some frames out of 2" x 2"s and put 1-1/2" rigid fiberglass soundboard (like Knauf 703 or Owens/Corning) in the frames. Cover the frames with cloth and Velcro them to the walls..........

In fact, I'd make the frame for the ceiling first, Velcro it to the ceiling, then install the frames on the walls. That should support the ceiling frame so it can't fall.

1-1/2" RFS should run about $1.20/square foot. So insulation for the entire booth should be under $200US.

Stay away from flourescent lighting. Besides the hum from the ballast making noise that's gonna wind up in your recordings, the ballast also creates line noise on your electrical system that you don't need. Install a down light, or maybe a pair of down lights with wall-washer trims. I prefer lighting to be somewhat indirect.

Check out FullCompass for a wall-mount spring-loaded mic stand. They make a mount that you can bolt to the wall but still be able to remove the stand itself from. I can't for the life of me think of a reason you would ever have to remove the stand from the mount, but I guess that's beside the point............ they also should have some wall plates. Don't forget to put a couple jacks for headphone feed(s) too. Like maybe when you're recording 2 singers at once and they both need phones.............

If you wind up doing the full remodel route, install an exterior door frame that is kerfed for weatherstripping and a solid-core door with a sweep on the bottom.

From my experience you only need a handrail in the booth if it has a tap from a keg.

If you go with the tap I would suggest installing a urinal also...........

 

[frederic]

Oh and that webpage isnt pulling up dude

I mistyped. Should be: http://www.whisperroom.com/

 

[Flo' Dolo]

Nah Annpilot, sorry but I don't got no feelings. I just thought since you're asking for help you might not wanna offend some of the people who could help. Looks like the others got you covered. I figured as much.

Too bad your homeys in Dallas don't have feelings, either though.

<now I know why I hate MTV>

Sheesh...

 

[anppilot1]

Hhurt feelings? I dont give a dam about them there feelings.

HUH? WTF !!!

Ghetto is a state of mind besides being an "environment"

Heard the term Ghetto Faboulous?

Means your a star in your neighborhood.

Anyway, I was refering to treatment, not 100% soundproofing.

And I like the Vocalbooth Idea for $2,000. Not bad. It looks nice.

However, I want to make it myself.


Mike

 

[anppilot1]

OH PS,

If I call you a "N--ga" and you take offense to it, then your not proud who you are. I or anyone should be able to call anyone a "N" and people not get pissed. Ones who get pissed are not proud of themselves.

I myself and a Italian.

Oh yeah, a wop, a greeser, ect, ect.

You can call me anything like that and I dont give a crap.

Why? Because I'm proud of who I am.

Ghetto? What do you care if your not proud of who/what you are?

Thats why I laugh at gays that get pissed when people call them a fag. They try to act like there proud of what they are, but deep down they arent. The ones who are proud of being gay dont give a SHIT when people call them a fag.

Just my 2 cents.

And stay off my posts if you dont have something decent RELATING to my post.

Is there a Ignore feature on this site besides email ignore?

 

[frederic]

Re: Hhurt feelings? I dont give a dam about them there feelings.

Ghetto is a state of mind besides being an "environment"
Heard the term Ghetto Faboulous?

Nope, never have. To me a Ghetto is a slum, where the city rats run for cover. Its right down there with "bling bling pinky ring", pimpin, and giant useless wings on honda civics where the wheels are worth more than the entire car.

Whatever makes people happy, who am I to judge.

 

[anppilot1]

Thanks for all who have posted that stuck to the topic.

 

[frederic]

Thanks for all who have posted that stuck to the topic.

Oh, like you're doing

 

[Flo' Dolo]

Ghetto state of mind. True dat...

Damn dude, why so huffy? And for the record, if I do have something to contribute to your posts, I do. Ignore me if you want, no biggie.

BTW - check these out since you just need treatment. Read about them on a post on this BBS, and took the bait. Inexpensive as hell, too. Hopefully, it'll work for me for a nifty temporary solution until my basement is finished (just got up the loot to place an order for 'em)...

http://www.realtraps.com/micro_booth.htm

It don't matter where you grew up, be it Philly, Chile,or Just-Plain- Silly, U.S.A. Living in the shits don't give you global carte blanche to make light of a fucked up situation. As much as I love the people & culture of the hood, any hood, the thought & sight of them still makes me hella sad. Maybe I'm a punk. Maybe not. I think if you growed up in the hood, it'd bother you that people have turned being from the ghetto into something that every motherfucker who never had to suffer that shit flings around like a new designer label. No, it's not MCs' fault for spitting about life around them, or consumers' fault for liking the music. It's about using the term to mean cheap, less-than-ok, embarrassing, out-of-control, fucked-ass-up, and so on (like frederic wrote) ...

Furthermore, if you think I should be proud of my heritage when people call me a nigger, you need help. You ain't a wop or a greaser or any of that shit, you're an Italian American. The fact that we (you included) who suffer those indignities at the hands of racists have chosen to minimize those words to terms of endearment (?!?) in our own communities is a whole 'nother ball of wax. I got white homeys who lived in my hood, and they never say that shit. I know some w/similar circumstances do, but that's on them.

Those words don't hurt me, they just make me sad when hurled as an epithet. THE MEANING IS WHAT MATTERS. If we really cool like that, you may be able to call me "your nigga" & not be construed as being a pig - provided everybody in our company is all on the same page. That'd be between me & you, you know. But as an across the board generalization, you be buggin'.

Most importantly, if you use those words or think they're ok to use, you gotta carry the responsibility that goes along with it, much like owning an 'istol. My issue is that all those words & phrases are so common & ingrained in our society, that we're raising kids who don't have no history, no clue, and little to no hope. How fast would you work for an employer who referred to you as "his little wop worker" and only allowed you to do the shit he thinks one of your ethnicity can handle like thugging, eating pasta & singing Oooo So-loooow Me-ooooooooo?

That's all i'm saying, grip. Maybe somebody read your initial post & now thinks it's ok or cool to call shit "ghetto" when it means to them all that fucked up shit I stated above. And to think, you'd have "taught" 'em that without the history of those words, today's many cultural & social meanings behind them, or even your particular thoughts on how valid or valuable they are or aren't. Lotta kids & ignorant-assed adults on this BBS of all races, I'm sure.

But in the end, you're right. Ignore me & say that shit in the wrong company - like you just did. Try to laugh that off & see what it gets you. Especially from those less "enlightened" than you (or should I say "those a lot less whiter than you?").

Oh yeah, thanks for the ebonics lesson...

<sensible enough post for you?>

keepin' my doo rag on,

DJ Dolo

 

[frederic]

Re: Ghetto state of mind. True dat...

Furthermore, if you think I should be proud of my heritage when people call me a nigger, you need help. You ain't a wop or a greaser or any of that shit, you're an Italian American. The fact that we (you included) who suffer those indignities at the hands

If you're born here, you're simply an "American".

Anything else is merely a "comfort phrase" to make an old label more appealing to the masses. But its nothing more than a label, it by itself means nothing. It doesnt define who you are, what you can be, or where you should end up.

If bloodline and heritage defines who we are, I'd be immediately lynched..

All that truly matters is someone a good person and free from seriously annoying psychological defects. If not, they may stand waaaaay over there

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

ON TOPIC.....

...egg crates won't do shit for much except holding eggs (and possibly sleeping on as previously noted...)

Discuss..............

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

ok WHITEY, lets get it on. You want the shit, you got it. Get ready for a reality check DUDE.

QUOTE]What would you do in my situation?[/QUOTE]

1. Read this entire forums history smart guy.
Every answer to your inquiry is already here, TEN times over. frederic has already given you the alternative. DIG?

But I feel generous today.

Widen it from the 2' X 6' to 4.5' X 4 or leave it alone? You tell me

Yes, widen it.

What do I do to make the booth sound-proof? Is Aurlex good enough? Put 1/2" foam behind the Aurlex?

Refer to #1, or study physics. Auralux IS foam, and does NOTHING to soundproof.(Simple answer. You can't)You CAN lower the level of sound transmission. However, it takes mass, isolating products, and SERIOUS construction techniques and willpower. That in turn uses up floorspace. But you cannot TOTALLY soundproof the existing booth. Even if you could, then you "airproof it". Clients need to breath.

The closet has carpet in it, and I dont want to take it out so:

If you widen it, how are you going to leave it on that portion ?

So should I build a raised floor with 2x4 and plywood on top of

IF, you refer to #1, and actually do it, the answer will become obvious. Simple answer is, unless you "float it" correctly, you waste time and money. And if you float it, your still wasting time and money. The walls are still connected to the floor(ie...you have to build a "floating vocal booth" otherwise structural sound transmission negates your raised "floating floor". Dig?

Do something else to the floor

Refer to #1 and that too will become obvious.

Leave the floor alone

Yes. How can you isolate the floor from the rest of the house unless you build a "floating" booth?(I assume this is a house, no?)

Aurlex all four walls from the bottom of the floor to the ceiling

As far as soundproofing, weve already discussed that. For "treatment "search" for "703". Or go ahead and use it. However, it STILL does nothing towards "soundproofing". It really does some things though. For one, emptys your wallet. Some people have big wallets. Big expectations too.

What kind of lighting that will be bright

Many kinds. But other than fluorescent, they ALL generate heat. If you use recessed, you puncture the shell that your trying to soundproof. That leaves surface mount. There are many types, brands. Halogen is brightest. Also hottest. Take your pick.
But remember, heat buildup makes for unhappy singers/rappers. Sweat makes for damaged mic's, and humidity in room. Fans make bad recordings. Sooooo, that illustrates your BIG problem. That is unless your clients can sing without breathing. REGARDLESS of soundproofing.

Will a flourescent light in the vocal booth (frequency-pulses)be picked up by the mic/computer/soundcard

If you can hear it in the booth, so does the mic. Not only that, the transformer will induce "hum" into the electronics.

Put accordian style Mic stand in there mounted to the wall

That is the least of your problems. Search for microphone "shockmounts"

Running the mic wire through the wall, does someonemake/sell a wall plate w/recepticle for a XLR mic wire? That would look very professional.

You only have ONE Mic XLR in the booth. Very simple electrical type outlet covers with one or two XLR jacks are available at electronics and audio vendors. Usually stainless steel
However, when you puncture the shell, you must SEAL the cover/box. Use an electrical outlet box behind the cover. The jack cover usually comes with a rubber gasket, but not always. Caulk becomes your friend. I would purchase the type with TWO XLR jacks. One for mic, one for headphones. Wire appropriately.

What about putting a glass window (will not be able to openup) in the door?

Refer to #1. The reality is, glass is a poor soundproofing material. So are doors. So are jambs. So is standard construction. IF you are a DIYer, anything is possible, but it depends on your understanding of STC, and your construction abilitys. It is a compromise in the context you stated it though.

Heat? The studio is always 3-4 degrees hotter than therest of the house. On the duct comming in the studio, should put a inline thermostat controled boost fan then split off on the output of the fan and run duct to the vocal booth? or would the air comming in there (the vocal booth) be picked up by the mic? Or say the hell with them being hot, deal with it?

Do your clients breath? What duct comming into the studio? From household HVAC?
If you penetrate the vocal booth interior shiething, and install a fan WITHIN the duct, what is the point of sound proofing? You have now installed a SOUND PRODUCER. Dig? So now you either:
1. confront the conundrum of "soundproof/airproof" and DEAL WITH IT, but your not going to like it, or
2. forget it, let them deal with it and accept the consequences.

Is there anything you need inside a vocal booth besides a mic

I told you...AIR.

Does it need a railing for safety reasons? (DONT LAUGH)

Hehehehe....yea, for when they run out of AIR.

I saw this on the net.....a vocal booth that was completelymirrored- 4 walls and the ceiling? Anyone heard of this? It looked cool, and made it look alot bigger. But what does it do to the sound? It doesn't seem like it wouldn't deaden
anything, but do the opposite? I dont knoe,

You also don't KNOE how to spell.
But given what I've read so far, I don't think it matters. Especially if you want to put mirrors in the vocal booth.

I'm not a audio engineer.

Thats odd, you just told us about your engineering results in your studio.

Hmmm, the only other thing I can suggest, is see #1. Otherwise you can spit in the 'hood. Knoe wha' 'm sayn? Now....IF you want to continue being a snot nosed little whitey from the 'hood, go ahead, but your vocal booth can burn for all I care. On the otherhand, IF you really want to improve your situation, READ, come back and there might be some real chance that you'll get information that will actually do you some good.

fitZ

 

[anppilot1]

Ok Fitz, ROFLMAO jesus christmas, I swear you had me ready to piss my pants laughing so hard.


1. I mean "audio design engineer"

2. I was in a really pissed off mood when I wrote this because my cousin and wife were gunned down outside a club 2 days ago.

3. I can spell, KNOE was just a typo.

JESUS, I'M STILL LAUGHING AT "THE RAILING IS A NESSECISITY IF CLIENTS RUN OUT OF AIR."

ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT......I'm a dick at times, I know that

To all offended, sorry to you and your entire race back to Noah's day.

"CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG"



Mike



PS:

God Bless, and may none of yall get in a firey wreck and burn to ashes on the way to see your families for Thanksgiving

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Ok, thats more like it. Got no time for racist shit here. Or tough talk. Were ALL in the same boat here. OK? Cool, now, let ME apologize. AND extend my heartfelt sympathy, condolences, and prayers. We live in a fucked up world. Only one power in the universe can change it either. Untill he does, lets get on with being what he wanted us to be. BTW, I ain't no saint either. Most of the time I"M the dick around here. So watch you seniority. Hehehehehe! Btw, I'm white. And a dick. What I ain't is a racist. My lord isn't either. You get my drift?
Soooo, vocal booth huh?. Lets do this. In order for people to give ya the best help, they need INFORMATION themself.

Tell me. Have you hung here much? There is much to learn. Especially if you want to build it yourself. Right off the bat, I'm going to tell you this. Homebuilt studio/control rooms/vocal booths are USUALLY a set of compromises. Its HOW you compromise that makes the difference. Another thing, this is my disclaimer

I'M NO FUCKING EXPERT!
At anything but woodworking and being a DICK. And I even fuck those up sometimes. My purpose here is to learn and pull out information here from people so the REAL experts can get to the heart of the matter with out wasting their time. But usually, they are REAL busy. So I try to help as much as anyone here.
And sometimes, not very often but sometimes I"M WRONG, but I will admit it to ya. But I won't lie to you. If anything, I won't pull any punchs. Soooo.....

Do you know how to build things? Do you know ANYTHING about construction?
Do you own or have access to ANY tools. Do you have a small budget? Do you have a girlfriend....opps...heeheheh! Are there any places like home depot around you or lumber yards? How 'bout
Ok, lets start here....you obviously have a computer. Do you have any other programs such as a drawing program? Reason is A PICTURE IS WORTH ....you know.
Its much easier to SEE it than to GUESS it. Dig? So IF you can post a drawing, most preferably to scaleBut for starters you need to tell us some things. OK?
Are you renting? Rentals are a bitch. As you probably know. I know this is none of our business, and don't reply if you don't want to, but damn, if were going to help ya, we don't want to steer you wrong. Comprende?
Is this a bedroom closet? I mean is your studio in a bedroom? Garage? Bathroom?
I assume this is a one room studio/control room, with a closet as a vocal booth, right?
Are there adjacent bedrooms or other rooms with NOISY people or equipment or anything? What is adjacent to the closet? Is there a forced air HVAC unit in the building? IF not, what type heat/air or anything is there? We have to know what is EXISTING.
Is this a one family house, or an apartment? Is there more than one level, like is this on a ground floor, or is it upstairs, in a basement or what?
Obviously, if its on a second floor, the floor construction is wood, MOST likely. But if its on the ground floor, is the floor a concrete slab or wood?
Does the backwall of the closet backup to another bedroom or what? Any exterior walls in the studio? Windows? Where does the studio door lead, a hall?
All of these types of things have a bearing on WHAT and HOW you will build. Dig? Ever been in other home studios? Looked on the net? Have ANY idea how a studio is built?

Well, thats enough for now. Answer this stuff, and were off and running. OK? Once we have an idea what your really up against, maybe we can offer some solutions. Till then, thats about all I can tell you. No sense in telling you how to frame a vocal booth if its a rental and you can't really tear out anything, right?

One more thing, there are many people here with ideas, experience, knowledge, and they share. Obviously I'm not the only one. But one thing is for sure. They won't do your homework. You need to read. As much as you can. Here and elsewhere. We have links, but I ani't going to post them till you show us your willing to do shit your self. Dig?l Lots of people come here expecting to have a studio design handed to them on a platter. Ain't gonna happen. Sooooo SEE #1. Later.

fitZ

 

[anppilot1]

Do you know how to build things? YES (Aircraft mechanic a 4 major airline)

Do you know ANYTHING about construction? YES

Do you own or have access to ANY tools: YES

Do you have a small budget? YES

Do you have a girlfriend? WIFE THAT I WILL LEND OUT, BUT I DONT SHARE THE GIRLFRIEND. (BEING SERIOUS)

Places like home depot around you? HOMEDEPOT & LOWES

Is this a bedroom closet? YES

I assume this is a 1 room studio/control room, with a closet? YES

Are there adjacent bedrooms or other rooms with NOISY people or equipment or anything? GARAGE AND UTILITY ROOM

What is adjacent to the closet? READ ANSWER 2 LAST QUES

Is this a one family house, or an apartment? HOUSE

Is there more than one level? NO, 1 FLOOR

IF ground floor, is the floor a concrete slab or wood? CONCRETE

Have ANY idea how a studio is built? NOPE. GUESS IM A MORON. JUST MAKING MONEY WITH "WHAT I GOT" IMAGINE IF I KNEW SOMETHING?



WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS U HAVE FOR ME?