Shed Studio?

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JBr33zyMusic

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My mom noticed I'm running out of room in my bedroom with all of my music equipment. She mentioned she would buy a shed for the backyard where I could put all of my music stuff. Is this a good idea? Does it have any downsides? There would be electric in the shed also. Her only concern was my computer and equipment might get really cold and stop working. Please tell me your opinions! Thank you.
 
Depends how big it is. I'd say if you could fit a drum kit inside + all your stuff, you're good.
 
Ideally you would want it climate controlled and properly insulated, obviously that means more money. Computers aren't the only thing effected by climate, guitar necks can warp, drum shells can warp, etc. Will it be bigger than your current room?
 
Well, all I do/record is rap vocals. No instruments. I would have enough room for this studio desk that I don't have room for in my current room.
 
Most sheds have 2x3 or 2x4 walls with no insulation. They're small. If you insulate it for sound and temperature control, its going to sound like you're in a closet when you record.
 
midge ure's studio was a shed . properly kitted out should do you until you upgrade. I'd try to take most of the fragile gear (instruments and mics) out rather than leave it in there overnights though.
and it will stop people pinching your gear from the shed too.
 
Depends where you live. If you are in a cold climate the shed will be unusable during winter months. To be truly useful the shed would essentially have to be an addition to the house, i.e. it would be insulated and heated/airconditioned. Otherwise you really won't get anything done out there.

I would suggest trying to find a new way to organize your bedroom so that you can fit your gear in it. Or stay with a more compact setup.

What studio desk do you want to put in there?
 
I mean guys this is a pretty big shed, with electric. I could easily put a heater in it. I don't have my room insulated and I get pretty good sound. Also I would buy a foam kit for the walls.
 
JBr33zyMusic said:
I mean guys this is a pretty big shed, with electric. I could easily put a heater in it. I don't have my room insulated and I get pretty good sound. Also I would buy a foam kit for the walls.
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Do you have actual dimensions you could tell us?
 
To be completely honest with you, you'll hate it. I have a friend who did that.
He had to deal with the sound of cars. Bugs that crept in.
Plus the subtle noise from heaters and fans in the summer is nuts.
Then you'll have to turn them off every time you want to record.
The other things is, when mixing with the background noise of fans and heaters, will effect your mixes.
Not trying to shoot down the idea, but it's stuff to think about.

Sounds like you have a very cool mom.
Good luck with your decision!!
 
Besides all the other concerns, what about security issue`s?? would your equiptment be safe out there from thieves etc..
take it from someone who has been there so to speak..trust no one....I`m assuming your pretty young, and let me tell a..it`s likely to be many years before you`ll know who you can really trust!
 
AL P said:
Besides all the other concerns, what about security issue`s?? would your equiptment be safe out there from thieves etc..
take it from someone who has been there so to speak..trust no one....I`m assuming your pretty young, and let me tell a..it`s likely to be many years before you`ll know who you can really trust!
Click to expand...

+1 to that, 1000's of dollars worth of stuff put into a shed would be a pretty big security risk.
 
A friend of mine did that, and so did I, but it's a lot of work and some $ to get the outside sound down to a minimum and get the room treated well. My friend actually put more thought, money and effort into his and came out with something very nice...acoustically. I have a pretty nice dry sounding space, but I do get some low frequency road noise that has to be dealt with. I'm on top of a hill near a busy country highway. Do lots of research before proceeding and get a plan...then have some experts shoot it down and plan again. Auralex style foam is okay for keeping down reflections, but that is about all. It is not suitable for soundproofing.

A nice functioning studio can be made with an unfinished shed by gluing dense 3/4" fire rated drywall between the studs of the exterior siding and ceiling, setting the thing on a foundation rather than the usual blocks, floating the floor, using heavy inner and outer entrance doors, and using a staggered-stud double wall system. Insulate well. Heat with a $40 oil type radiant space heater and cool with a quiet split AC system (kind of pricey). Treat the inside with DIY clouds, broad band absorbers, and bass traps...maybe some diffusion. If you get one that is well made, it'll last a long time if you keep the inside temp constant, and ventilate the roof space. Mine is quieter than my house. I started with a case of foam "Great Stuff"...and it is also more bug proof than my house.

As far as a security risk, you can get one without windows, install an alarm system, add the heavy doors, etc. Check with your homeowners policy and make sure you are covered on that end.
 
If there is electricity & a heater in the shed, set it up as a bedroom and keep the studio in the house.
 
Tell your mom to get the shed...then empty out all the non-vital "stuff" from the house into the shed...
...that should open up some more space in the house for you. :)

If you are going to turn a "shed" into a "studio"...you might as well build a proper structure for a studio. A bit more $$$...but it will be good for many years to come.
 
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