Room study for recording space?

[Yu-Jin]

Hi everybody,
I got a lot of info here about room acoustics and room study. Thanks to Ethan Winer for great articles about acoustics!

One of the questions I have is how can I study acoustics inside my recording space? The info I found here is mostly about acoustics inside listening rooms.

Can study be done inside tracking room? Is it necessary at all or should I go by ear only?
If it can/should be done, how can I do it physically?

I am playing the flute, and I'd like to get the best sound I can. My thought was to put measurement mic in the position of regular mic, and put the speaker at the position and height of player's head (which is mine in this case ). Generate the tone within flute range.

Will this really do any good?
Thanks for any advice!
Gene

 

[Ethan Winer]

You can measure a recording room. The best metric to examine is RT60 in third-octaves. That probably matters more than frequency response.

--Ethan

 

[Yu-Jin]

You can measure a recording room. The best metric to examine is RT60 in third-octaves. That probably matters more than frequency response.

--Ethan

Thank you!
Another question..
I've read a lot about "algorithm" for sound treatment of control room: place the desk along the shortest wall, make equal distance from the walls; create equilateral triangle between speakers and listener's head, use mirror trick to find points of first reflection, use bass traps, cloud.. and so on.

Is there any algorithm for acoustic treatment of tracking room?

Here's a question: if I buy several RFZ's or other free standing traps, where do I start placing them?

Thanks!

 

[Ethan Winer]

Is there any algorithm for acoustic treatment of tracking room?

Sure: Absorption or diffusion on opposing surfaces is one place. If you don't have carpet, then you'll benefit from absorption on the ceiling. Also, absorbers or diffusers are useful on any surface near to an instrument or microphone. This applies especially in small rooms where you're never more than ten feet away from a reflecting surface. Corner bass traps are also useful in recording rooms, again especially if the room is small.

if I buy several RFZ's or other free standing traps, where do I start placing them?

In front of those nearby walls.

Seriously, the advantage of panels on stands is you can move then around as needed.

--Ethan

 

[GIK Acoustics]

If you had a microphone and computer handy, you could always run a test using a free program like REW: Room EQ Wizard Tutorial - GIK Acoustics

Panels on stands or portable GOBOs are good for a recording environment, especially if you ever practice with other people so you can position them as needed. However, they still work great on the walls as well obviously. Considering flutes don't go very low in frequency, you would be fine with thin panels. Diffusion could also be used as most diffusors bandwidth matches a flute quite well. Lightweight diffusors on the ceiling could be an easy an unobtrusive way of treating the ceiling.

 

[Yu-Jin]

Thank you!