Looking for Serious insight.

[lenMCHC]

Hi everyone,

I currently have a building in my backyard. It's on the small side, but I think it is a good size to use. Ok, some quick dirty facts:

-building is 12 x 15
-has a window along the east side of the building, along the 15 foot wall.
-The door is on the south side of the building.
-It is 15 feet from my house.
-It is on a concrete slab, but, it may only be 2 inches thick, i haven't checked to see exactly how deep.
-It doesn't take on a ton of water, but, i have seen a little evidence of water on the floor.
-It is completely empty on the inside
-The Ceiling is about 15 feet in the center, and pitched twice from that center angle to meet the side walls.
-There is Electric, professionally installed, and on it's own circuitbreaker.
-It is 30 feet from the neighbors on one side, and 100 on the other. and the other side faces a cemetary, so I don't think the dead will mind the noise.

Ok, what I intend to do with this:

- I have a steady stream of clients, looking for recording services, so, i will need to be able to do it all in there (yes, i know that the drum room needs to be a bit bigger, but this is to be a shorter term solution than a finality

- I need the sound room to be somewhat isolated, but i have no intention of recording drums at late hours, unless of course the room is quiet enough outside.

- I would like to have enough room to be able to comfortably sit inside at a desk, and have the rest of the band in the control room with me.

-Other than that, i'm pretty open to suggestions.

Ohh, and, I don't believe the walls of the building are insulated, so i will probably need to go ahead and do that as well.

As for budget, I'd like to try and keep it under 5grand, but if there is a solution that is a bit beyond that, and it seems perfect, i can probably stretch a bit.

(the old studio i worked out of got shut down unexpectedly by the landlord, and we didn't have a lease, just a friendly agreement, so i'm nice and bent over... not even a kiss goodbye.)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, or drawings anyone might provide.
And Ethan, I have been reading up on your accoustics information, i'll probably apply a lot of what i have learned.

 

[notbradsohner]

wow, 12 by 15 isnt that big. Are you set on two rooms?

 

[lenMCHC]

being that i generally do heavier music in general, I don't think i could bear sitting through 10 tracks of drums. and then guitars and the like..
even if the sound room is minimal, i'd much rather do that, then sit in the room.

and building onto the building is pretty much not an option.
as it would cause various problems, w/ zoning, and permits.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Are you sure you want to spend a couple grand just to setup a tiny two room studio for temporary use? That space is barely big enough for a one room studio with proper acoustic treatment. I don't see how you could have a drum room and a control room big enough for 5 or 6 people. My living room is almost twice as big at 21'x30' and it's barely big enough as a one room setup. With a full band and gear it gets very cozy.

 

[lenMCHC]

My only other option right now is to set the room up to be a satalite room, from which i track in the house, but the drummer would play in the building.
I'd need to do a small video system to be able to have "face to face talkback"

and i think that would be seriously pushing the money boundaries.

I just don't have a choice right now, unfortunately.

I only tend to track one instrument at a time, so i don't need to be able to set up everything all at once. and i generally do drum replacement, so even if i'm not getting perfect sounds, i can replace that.

Once i get a chance to make a quick diagram and scan it, i'll post it.
I've been very busy getting this record done...
for thrashing pirate folk www.myspace.com/swashbuckle the main songs up are not from my studio, it's some demo that they cut previously. the accoustic jam is from our current sessions.