please criticize my dungeon studio!!!!

[rockironwebb]

Hello everyone. I have been a drummer for many years but last year I thought I would see if I might enjoy getting into recording and mixing. Turns out I like it quite a bit. I don't have the greatest gear but I do want to do my best to optimize what I have.
When I started out I didn't spend big just in case this new hobby didn't take, so here is what I'm working with:
cheap pyle 7 piece drum mics, bass, snare, tom, tom, floor tom, 2 condensers.
Started with a behringer usb mixer, NOW using an alesis multimix 16 firewire.
Pretty good HP PC, do not know specs off hand but it'll handle my needs for recording.
Acoustica mixcraft 5 and sony acid pro 7.
OH YEAH, and a crappy dungeon basement, which is why I am posting.
I am including photos of my recording space. it is what it is, so I have to make do. I would appreciate any tips or advice, or criticism.
overhead mic placement is troubling me. I am looking to pic up all my cymbals better.
Like I said, I have what I have, so any advice on how I could optimize my space would be appreciated.
Thanx

 

[gianelli280]

This is the forum where carpet goes do die.

Having that said it looks almost exactly like my first studio (the shred shack... rest in peace!). It sounded absolutely like mud in mine, probably because it was a carpet womb. Even though it sounded like hippo shit, many a good song became of that place, and we had a blast doing it! Looks like a perfect start if you ask me!

But yeah, carpet knocks out higher frequencies only, other than that it's a fire hazard. Bass traps (if designed properly) will help control mid-low range freqs, which are more troublesome when it comes to recording. Unless I'm mistaken, high frequencies will be controlled by burlap (or similar) fabric wrapping the trap itself. Plus they can look really pro.

They're not too expensive to make, if you have the proper tools. Here's a link to making your own.

Steven P. Helm: DIY Bass Traps

Keep in mind here you're not building a piano, so if it isn't exact i'm sure it won't ruin everything. As we said in the shred shack "less thinking, more doing," which evolved into "less thinking, more drinking".

Here's another approach. Seems a little more complex, though.
http://www.ethanwiner.com/basstrap.html

Oh, once you get rid of the carpet... Lava lamp. For sure.

 

[rfahey86]

I'd cover the ceiling with sheetrock or something similar. The exposed joists create a nasty resonance. Also your for your snare mic, I would place it in between the snare and hats and a little closer to the head to help eliminate some bleed. I would also add some traps too.

 

[Steenamaroo]

+1
I had open roofing joists in my studio/garage and never realised there was a problem.

while i was away, we had the ceiling sheeted and wow, it sounds so much better.

Can't say how; Monitoring just 'feels' better now.

 

[rockironwebb]

Thanx for the tips. As my wife has learned, I have started a project that will never be finished and I will never be completely satisfied with. As for the carpet, I am a hunter/gatherer/caveman so that was something that I scavenged. Great link. I will look into the rockwool bass traps, and I will also add a lava lamp to my wish list.

 

[gianelli280]

In care of the firemarshal, no lava lamp until the carpet is gone For your overheads, look under Recording Techniques. Check on google for common overhead mic setups. There are a few ways that have worked for enough people that they have become somewhat of a standard. As far as your setup goes, no two are alike, so those setups may be a good starting point for you to tweak around with.

 

[Supercreep]

Rip all that carpet out of there and hang as many broadband absorbers as you can. You literally cannot have too many.

 

[arcadeko]

Man that brings back memories of 1987 - had a lot of fun in a basement just like that looks like you got a lot of ghost down ther, maybe you will pick up som eEVP in your recordings - Ghosts can sing some sweet backup (natural reverb and all).

Sheet rock is cheap for the ceiling - make sure you have 2 people helping you