Studio storage

[Tadpui]

For those of you that have a room dedicated to recording, what do you use for storage of the random accouterments that go along with your studio?

My room won't have a closet built-in, so I'm looking for ideas of where to keep cables, mics, tuners, strings, CDs/DVDs, etc. I'm reluctant to bring in a wardrobe/armoire for fear of creating a big reverberant chamber with rattly doors/drawers on it. But I definitely don't want to just pile my stuff on the floor, and there's only so much wall space once I get treatment hung.

I like the carts that I've seen that are a vertical stack of plastic tubs that pull out, and I'll probably use at least one of those. That might be enough, but you know how it goes: you end up collecting more and more stuff to store, and I'm sure that I'll need something more.

 

[gecko zzed]

I've made bookshelf-type units to put stuff on.

I hang leads on hooks around the place.

I've got a couple of aluminium roadcases for mikes, because I often take them out on live mixing jobs.

I keep headphones in plastic bin things

 

[bLUiVORY]

My room won't have a closet built-in, so I'm looking for ideas of where to keep cables, mics, tuners, strings, CDs/DVDs, etc. I'm reluctant to bring in a wardrobe/armoire for fear of creating a big reverberant chamber with rattly doors/drawers on it.

I'm in the same situation - no closet.

I've got a couple cabinets and drawer units. My doors don't rattle. My drawers don't rattle.

And they're not "reverberant chambers" because I've got so much shit crammed into them!

 

[TimOBrien]

Look around the second hand office furniture stores.
I have a 2-drawer horizontal file that works great .

 

[Tadpui]

I've made bookshelf-type units to put stuff on.

I hang leads on hooks around the place.

I've got a couple of aluminium roadcases for mikes, because I often take them out on live mixing jobs.

I keep headphones in plastic bin things

I'll have to consider some sort of shelving because I have a feeling that once I move everything back in the room and have an expectation of it looking tidy (at first...I'm actually a pretty big slob) I'm going to realize that I have way more stuff than I have places to put it all.

So, where do you put your beer while you're tracking?

 

[Tadpui]

I'm in the same situation - no closet.

I've got a couple cabinets and drawer units. My doors don't rattle. My drawers don't rattle.

And they're not "reverberant chambers" because I've got so much shit crammed into them!

That's actually a good point...if they're full of my random crap, they won't be nearly as resonant!

Look around the second hand office furniture stores.
I have a 2-drawer horizontal file that works great .

Not a bad idea. I like the thought of something low-profile that won't compete for too much wall space with the acoustic panels.

 

[bLUiVORY]

So, where do you put your beer while you're tracking?

Early in the session: Very carefully as far away as possible from delicate equipment.

In the wee wee hours: Very close to, and just above the most expensive electronic lump within reach.

 

[witzendoz]

Storage I have a whole extra room and a workshop and a shipping container outside and still run out.

Seriously, I have 3 x 3 draw bedside units lined with foam that I have the mics in, I have lots of hanging pegs with cables, headphones, etc hanging on. Under the stars I have a industrial steel storage cupboard where I store Tapes, Hard drives, and odds and ends.

Alan.

 

[mjbphotos]

Storage was one of the reasons I made my new desk - underneath there's a shelf in the center support area, with room under that for 2 milkcrates (cables and such). The two monitor shelves have room for CDs etc on one side, and rack-size the other for Sony power amp, AI and backup drives. Room unerneath for 3 small amps, and more 'crap'.
Shelves above the wall-mounted bass traps around the desk have storage for all the 'crap'. I built an open-front cabinet to house guitars in cases, a smallshelf inside for small instruments and room on top for other 'crap'.

 

[grimtraveller]

I have a three drawer filing cabinet with deep draws. Everything goes in there. The leads are coiled and velcro'd in a bag, the mic leads in another. The mics are in the plastic cases that they came in and in one of the drum mic cases, I carved a space out for the 58. There was a lot of space in it. All the pedals and stuff like strings and my preamp go into the drawers as well. I'm fairly minimalist.
Because the cabinet's in my kids' room, everything has to fit in it. I'm not risking leaving delicate bits out to nudge their curiosity. The drums and percussion are in a part of the room that they can't reach and all the other instruments are in a tiny cupboard adjacent to the stairs. It was originally the cupboard space that carried a heating flue but I cut that out over a two day period 11 years ago. I had to send my wife and son away for 2 days because there were sparks flying all over the place !

 

[Tadpui]

Storage was one of the reasons I made my new desk - underneath there's a shelf in the center support area, with room under that for 2 milkcrates (cables and such). The two monitor shelves have room for CDs etc on one side, and rack-size the other for Sony power amp, AI and backup drives. Room unerneath for 3 small amps, and more 'crap'.
Shelves above the wall-mounted bass traps around the desk have storage for all the 'crap'. I built an open-front cabinet to house guitars in cases, a smallshelf inside for small instruments and room on top for other 'crap'.

That's becoming a big plus as I shop for desks...having rackable space that can double as storage. A couple of rack shelves and all of a sudden a 12U rack space becomes a nice stack of shelving.

I have a three drawer filing cabinet with deep draws. Everything goes in there. The leads are coiled and velcro'd in a bag, the mic leads in another. The mics are in the plastic cases that they came in and in one of the drum mic cases, I carved a space out for the 58. There was a lot of space in it. All the pedals and stuff like strings and my preamp go into the drawers as well. I'm fairly minimalist.
Because the cabinet's in my kids' room, everything has to fit in it. I'm not risking leaving delicate bits out to nudge their curiosity. The drums and percussion are in a part of the room that they can't reach and all the other instruments are in a tiny cupboard adjacent to the stairs. It was originally the cupboard space that carried a heating flue but I cut that out over a two day period 11 years ago. I had to send my wife and son away for 2 days because there were sparks flying all over the place !

Frotunately I don't have little ones or critters so if I leave anything out, it's just at the mercy of my own clumsiness. But I like the tidiness of having things tucked away unless they're being used. But I also love to leave everything plugged in full-time, so this will be in interesting balance to strike. The filing cabinet seems to be a popular choice though...I'll keep it in mind.

Thanks!

 

[grimtraveller]

But I also love to leave everything plugged in full-time

If I had a dedicated room for recording and mixing, I would. Before my wife and I had kids, everything was out, the drum kit was fully set up, the mic stands and amps were all in a permanent place as were the Fender Rhodes, Hammond and piano. Children growing caused me to become a "use every nook and cranny" mobile recorder.
Everywhere in our house though, I have everything plugged in on those multigangs things with 4 or 8 sockets. So you just switch on as needed. The one place I'd like to have it like that, I can't !
Oh well.

 

[Dave Holmes]

I have one mic permanently setup but I've got an ammobox for cables (with a tuppaware box inside for connectors/adapters) and a plastic briefcase for my other 2 mics.
My next mic comes with it's own flightcase but is likely to be permanently setup.
Guitars are on stands.