Road Noise

S

Shourn

New member
Hey guys,
I live across from a logger and on a fairly busy rural road. I don't have neighbors near enough to care about noise, however the last thing I want is a drum track with a diesel engine in the background. My recording-space-to-be has 5 windows, a low ceiling (I live in an 1800's Maine Farmhouse), and is 14'x22', though maybe longer. What is the most effective way to block out incoming noise?
 
Move!
To make an acoustically-isolated room, you will need to build a 'room within a room', with floating (rubber composite) supports. Since you mention a low ceiling, you're going to be out of luck, because you need to float a supporting floor and isolating ceiling as part of this.

But don't give up. You may be able to put up double-framed walls and insulate the ceiling and do some outsiede noise reduction, then use mic techniques to pickup less outside noise. Or do what a lot of people do - wait until late in the night to record.
 
Diesel motors are awful because they're in the bass ranges. Low frequencies are tough.
You might be able to block it to begin with. High, 18" thick air-gap (or flex) concrete wall in front of the house with some nice shrubs to reflect and diffuse the noise will keep most of that noise out of your house. Probably cost a couple grand and you'll need to wait for the shrubs to grow tight...
Also, the vibration through the floor (if that's part of the problem) would still be a problem.
 
Wait, if you're in Maine, you have access to lots of rock. Build a rock wall, leave a 6" gap and build another. You can probably get the rock cheaply and just use mortar. Might even raise your property value! :D
 
Yes, proofing is going to be difficult but palliative measures could be useful.

If it is a diesel "donkey" it is periodic and such sounds can usually be quite successfully eliminated by the "sample sound, seek and destroy" softwares. I have it in my Adobe Audition ver 1.5 . Bob will show you how to use it!
Pretty sure there is a version in Reaper?

But use a high pass filter on everything. Things like bass guitar can be DI'ed and kick drum gated tho' that is loud so put a '57 in the drum and attenuate if needs be.

But surely they don't run all night? My son could only get decent acoustic guitar takes at midnight and on into the wee smalls and we be in a leafy suburb (NN5 5P* guess for * and Google earth. )

Dave.
 
You can build walls, floor to ceiling, between your recording space and the windows. The walls would have to run the full length of whatever side of the room the windows are on. A lot of work and money if windows are on all walls. And, it may not completely isolate the outside sound, but it will help significantly.

Things like draping moving blankets, carpets, egg crates, etc will not help. You need mass to stop the sound.
 
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