cstockdale
supafly killa homey
Here is a diagram of the layout of the space I am using. It is just a rental house, so construction/destruction really aren't options, but some mods are okay, cost is a major issue too. Let me describe more about the space:
Area A and B are the same room, just conceptually divided into "studio" (A) and "control area" (B), area C is the rest of the basement complete with workbench and all sorts of odds and ends, hot water tank, laundry, furnace etc. Width of area A (measuring from outer edge of bed platform) to wall 2 is 14 feet. Area B is ~18' wide. Front edge of desk in area B is 15' from wall 1, back edge is about 15 feet from wall 3 (wall 2 is about 32 feet long)
Wall 4 divides the basement into these two sides, and wall 4 is a thin MDF over 2*4 framing, no insulation in it, just MDF over both sides.
Walls 1,2 and 3 are all walls to the outside. From the floor, there is 3 feet of bare concrete (painted), and then the rest of the walls (on the inside) have been framed, have pink fibreglass insulation installed, and have clear plastic over the framing/insulation (not drywalled).
Window on wall 1 is at a height of about 4 feet, and is 2*2 feet, and has a draw-blind over it at the moment.
Window on wall 2 is same height, and is 2' high by 4' wide, covered in cotton curtains, similar fabric as dish towels.
The closet in the upper left corner of area A is open, do door, and I keep my guitars hanging on the wall in there.
The bed platform is 2" off the floor, has boxes stored underneath it, and there is an additional 5' of headroom above it.
The ceiling in most of the area is at a height of 8', except over the bed platform, extending back towards wall 3 (see the 3 solid black squares, these are support beams, and it is between these support beams and wall 4 where the ceiling is 1 foot lower.
The ceiling over area A is like the upper part of the walls: the joists have been filled with pink isnulation and clear heavy plastic is stapled over it all.
The ceiling over area B is open-joists (no insulation or plastic).
I have the desk centred between walls 2 and 4, with the monitors facing towards wall 3, and dual video monitors on the desk too. On the right hand side of the desk is my rack with my mixer etc.
Somethign like Auralex foam is a long way off in terms of affordability,a nd I doubt I will be living in this house that long, so for the time being, I am not considering it.
End of "description" of the area.
QUESTIONS:
How bad is the concrete lower wall influence on acoustics?
How bad is the covered-with-plastic insulation stuffed joists both on ceiling and upper walls?
IDEAS:
I think i should strive to make the room acoustically dead for recording: are these good ideas?
1) I am thinking of covering the walls in area A with cotton sheets stapled to the joists, ditto with ceiling.
2) Hang a heavy curtain along to cover in the bed platform (it is built in and not removable),a nd I can use the space to store my mic stands, cases etc.
3) Hang a curtain from wall 4-wall 2 in front of the control desk to essentially isolate Area A and B from each other.
I have another thread addressing the bookshelf in the corner, but it seems as though it is a rough approximation of a bass trap.
Area A and B are the same room, just conceptually divided into "studio" (A) and "control area" (B), area C is the rest of the basement complete with workbench and all sorts of odds and ends, hot water tank, laundry, furnace etc. Width of area A (measuring from outer edge of bed platform) to wall 2 is 14 feet. Area B is ~18' wide. Front edge of desk in area B is 15' from wall 1, back edge is about 15 feet from wall 3 (wall 2 is about 32 feet long)
Wall 4 divides the basement into these two sides, and wall 4 is a thin MDF over 2*4 framing, no insulation in it, just MDF over both sides.
Walls 1,2 and 3 are all walls to the outside. From the floor, there is 3 feet of bare concrete (painted), and then the rest of the walls (on the inside) have been framed, have pink fibreglass insulation installed, and have clear plastic over the framing/insulation (not drywalled).
Window on wall 1 is at a height of about 4 feet, and is 2*2 feet, and has a draw-blind over it at the moment.
Window on wall 2 is same height, and is 2' high by 4' wide, covered in cotton curtains, similar fabric as dish towels.
The closet in the upper left corner of area A is open, do door, and I keep my guitars hanging on the wall in there.
The bed platform is 2" off the floor, has boxes stored underneath it, and there is an additional 5' of headroom above it.
The ceiling in most of the area is at a height of 8', except over the bed platform, extending back towards wall 3 (see the 3 solid black squares, these are support beams, and it is between these support beams and wall 4 where the ceiling is 1 foot lower.
The ceiling over area A is like the upper part of the walls: the joists have been filled with pink isnulation and clear heavy plastic is stapled over it all.
The ceiling over area B is open-joists (no insulation or plastic).
I have the desk centred between walls 2 and 4, with the monitors facing towards wall 3, and dual video monitors on the desk too. On the right hand side of the desk is my rack with my mixer etc.
Somethign like Auralex foam is a long way off in terms of affordability,a nd I doubt I will be living in this house that long, so for the time being, I am not considering it.
End of "description" of the area.
QUESTIONS:
How bad is the concrete lower wall influence on acoustics?
How bad is the covered-with-plastic insulation stuffed joists both on ceiling and upper walls?
IDEAS:
I think i should strive to make the room acoustically dead for recording: are these good ideas?
1) I am thinking of covering the walls in area A with cotton sheets stapled to the joists, ditto with ceiling.
2) Hang a heavy curtain along to cover in the bed platform (it is built in and not removable),a nd I can use the space to store my mic stands, cases etc.
3) Hang a curtain from wall 4-wall 2 in front of the control desk to essentially isolate Area A and B from each other.
I have another thread addressing the bookshelf in the corner, but it seems as though it is a rough approximation of a bass trap.
