squares and rectangles

[smellyfuzz]

HELLO FELLOW BUILDERS,

I have a question...

For practical reasons, I'm thinking of finishing my basement the old fashioned way.
That is to say, big square & rectangle rooms.

I am still planning to use one room as a control room, and the other as a recording room.
I'm also considering building a somewhat large closet to use as a vocal booth.

Now, I know squares and rectangles are the worst, but can they be treated to sound good ?

If so, can they be treated to sound great ?

AND IF SO, any tips would be cool.

Thanks.

All comments welcome.

Sean

 

[Ethan Winer]

Sean,

> can they be treated to sound great ? <

Yes. The real issue is avoiding flutter echoes and ringing. You can do that with absorption in selected places along the wall. Or you can apply angled plywood or masonite sheets on the wall. Or you can build an angled false wall inside the real wall.

Or you can give in and make the walls angled a little. It doesn't have to be too much of an angle to avoid echoes. And then you'll have more control over the sound. That is, you won't have to add more absorption than you'd like just to get rid of the echoes.

--Ethan