temporary sound proofing solution

[hiphopsupamix]

hey guys, great site!

I'm just about to get my first proper microphone, a "RODE NTK" and am going to have some MCs come over to record vocals over my beats (hip-hop). Eventually, I'd like to build a little basic vocal booth, but in the meantime I'd appreciate some suggestions for my situation...

my home studio is a small room (my bedroom) with one small window and a door (see pictures below). I'm thinking to improve vocal recording (prior to building a vocal booth), I could maybe put some thick blankets or similar over my window and door to reduce outside noise

window

door

to the experienced home studio people, does this seem like a worthwhile endevour? any additional suggestions?

thanks!

 

[Innovations]

Rooms 101
There are two primary kind of sound treatments in rooms.

The first are absorbers. These are foams and batts and things like curtains. They control how much sound bounces around the room so you don't sound like you are recording in a small hard room. The second is isolation, which prevents the outside from being heard on your recording. Good isolation requires very special room-within-a-room construction and even moderately good isolation and temporary are never really used in the same sentence. If your budget is in the buy-some-curtains range maybe the better bang for the buck would be to look at seals and weatherstripping for the cracks

 

[hiphopsupamix]

Rooms 101
There are two primary kind of sound treatments in rooms.

The first are absorbers. These are foams and batts and things like curtains. They control how much sound bounces around the room so you don't sound like you are recording in a small hard room. The second is isolation, which prevents the outside from being heard on your recording. Good isolation requires very special room-within-a-room construction and even moderately good isolation and temporary are never really used in the same sentence. If your budget is in the buy-some-curtains range maybe the better bang for the buck would be to look at seals and weatherstripping for the cracks

thanks for the info.

My window is very thin so even if I sealed it, sound would still come through. I'm renting this apartment too so I'm limited to what I can do to the existing structure. I do plan on building a little isolation room/vocal booth like others on here have done, but in the meantime I'm thinking I'd be better with the curtain blanket idea than with nothing... are their special curtains/blankets made for isolation?

thanks again

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

are their special curtains/blankets made for isolation?

Yes, but they are VERY expensive. Limp mass blankets are manufactured by various companys, usually for isolating machinery noise. Some are actually made for the purpose you need, but again, are NOT cheap. Typically, you could build a wall cheaper than a wall of these blankets For treatment, I would save a bit, and buy some rigid fiberglass panels such as Owens Corning 703, which there are gazillion threads here describing how and where to use them. But for isolation, Inno is right. Especially in a rented apartment. Under these circumstances, a booth would seem your only real alternative for isolation. And THEN, a homebuilt booth is somewhat of a "in the ear, eye, and budget" of the builder, as there are very few plans around, although many people here have built them, there is little concensus on the hows and whys. Lots of suggestions have been posted here though. Just do a "search" and you will find some.
fitZ

 

[hiphopsupamix]

Yes, but they are VERY expensive. Limp mass blankets are manufactured by various companys, usually for isolating machinery noise. Some are actually made for the purpose you need, but again, are NOT cheap. Typically, you could build a wall cheaper than a wall of these blankets For treatment, I would save a bit, and buy some rigid fiberglass panels such as Owens Corning 703, which there are gazillion threads here describing how and where to use them. But for isolation, Inno is right. Especially in a rented apartment. Under these circumstances, a booth would seem your only real alternative for isolation. And THEN, a homebuilt booth is somewhat of a "in the ear, eye, and budget" of the builder, as there are very few plans around, although many people here have built them, there is little concensus on the hows and whys. Lots of suggestions have been posted here though. Just do a "search" and you will find some.
fitZ

excellent advice. I've no decided to build a "ghetto" vocal booth sooner rather than later.

something like this;

http://www.hip-hop.com.au/mcin/tips/vocalbooth.htm

 

[DDev]

HH,
That would be better than tyring just blankets in the room but it won't give you exactly what you want (ie. isolation from outside noises). Also, with not having a solid top it pretty much will be wide open to outside noises. The sound of your vocals, though, will probably be decent since it is a pretty dead acoustic zone that you create around the microphone (as long as you put the blanket on top).

Another thing that I just noticed is the dimension of the MDF panels. The plan mentions 180x150 cm which equates to roughly 70x60 inches. In the US, all the MDF I have ever seen comes in 96x48 inch panels (8x4 ft), which is not as wide as the plan requires. Maybe somewhere you can get it in larger sheets, but I've never seen it.

It also looks like a toxic headache in the making. You want to be careful of the materials you use so you don't create an unhealthy environment for your vocalists. MDF panels are made using tons of glue. Add the glue to hold the carpet pad and the pad rubber itself and I can feel the headache from here that I would get. You can take care of the MDF by sealing it and painting it with some interior type paint. Instead of the carpet pad you could pick up some acoustic ceiling tiles that will do just about the same job acoustically (not perfect but OK) and I think it will wind up looking nicer and not be as likely to cause any health problems.

Anyway, my 2 cents worth.

Good luck,
Darryl.....

 

[hiphopsupamix]

^^^^^^^^^

EXCELLENT advice DDev!!!

after a bit more research and discussion I've discovered the problems of MDF and am not going to use it (it sounds horrible). Instead I'm thinking of using plywood, would thuis be fine?

Also, you're right about the dimensions and the booth will most likely be 8 foot high and 4 foot wide, do you think this will be a decent size for a small vocal booth?

 

[steveanthony]

4 x 4 x 8 will work for a vocal booth. It's a tight fit. And it can get toasty in there without ventilation.

What did you discover that turned you off from using MDF?

 

[hiphopsupamix]

4 x 4 x 8 will work for a vocal booth. It's a tight fit. And it can get toasty in there without ventilation.

What did you discover that turned you off from using MDF?

okay thanks, I've measured up my room and 4 x 4 x 8 actually looks perfect for what I want (even though it is a tight fit as you say).

I've been told pretty much the same thing DDev said about MDF - it's toxic and a health hazard. I've been advised to avoid it and I plan to follow that advice.

peace

 

[knightfly]

A lot of MDF and most particle board is made with various aldehyde glues, which are reportely carcinogenic - besides smelling bad and giving you headaches, it's also shortening your life. If you have the option of NOT being in the space for a week or two, it's possible to put a big fan or two in the room and force ventilate the area - another option is a good sealing coat as Darryl mentioned, but this also raises the cost to where you can special order the types of MDF made with NON-carcinogenic binders -

Plywood is OK, but if you're not going to move the booth sheet rock is better - it's about half the price and higher mass, both of which are GOOD things -

Also, if possible you should make your inside dimensions 7' tall by 5' by 4' - this will give much more balanced modal response in the booth, and make it easier to treat for good acoustics... Steve

 

[hiphopsupamix]

A lot of MDF and most particle board is made with various aldehyde glues, which are reportely carcinogenic - besides smelling bad and giving you headaches, it's also shortening your life. If you have the option of NOT being in the space for a week or two, it's possible to put a big fan or two in the room and force ventilate the area - another option is a good sealing coat as Darryl mentioned, but this also raises the cost to where you can special order the types of MDF made with NON-carcinogenic binders -

Plywood is OK, but if you're not going to move the booth sheet rock is better - it's about half the price and higher mass, both of which are GOOD things -

Also, if possible you should make your inside dimensions 7' tall by 5' by 4' - this will give much more balanced modal response in the booth, and make it easier to treat for good acoustics... Steve

thanks for the info. I'm going to look "sheet rock"

 

[Innovations]

thanks for the info. I'm going to look "sheet rock"

Sheetrock is a US Gypsum brand name for gypsum wallboard. You can't just build a box out of it likeyou could with plywood. You would have to build something like stud wall to support it.

 

[knightfly]

Good point, but if you want much isolation you need two separate leaves of mass anyway, so the frame would still be necessary. Upside - better isolation; Downside - more complicated to build... Steve

 

[hiphopsupamix]

^^^^^

thanks again guys. I think I might lean towards Plywood this as it's my first vocal booth and I don't want it to be too complicated. Also, I'm renting my apartment so am unable to make perrmant attachments. I really do appreciate the advice though. If I have any more questions I'll let you know, but in the meantime - THANKYOU!

 

[Michael Jones]

Don't you have a closet that you could just walk into and use as a vocal booth?

 

[VTgreen81]

or a bathroom?

 

[hiphopsupamix]

Don't you have a closet that you could just walk into and use as a vocal booth?

nope

or a bathroom?

I have a bathroom, but not one suitable for recording vocals...

 

[viceversa]

Have a walk in closet that I want to foam up

we just moved and we have a room for recording with a walk in closet. Its a big room and the walk-in closet is about 6 feet long.
Now..I have the opportunity to build my own vocal booth!! yay!! Oh, but I am a renter and we live in a fourplex. I stay downstairs. So, what do you guys recommend. My boyfriend suggest putting up egg crate foam. I told him that i heard of people buying rigid fiberglass. We have lots of recording to do because my band is in the middle of an album. I need something to work quick but efficient. I have two weeks to spare. We mostly just record vocals and once a while record an acoustic guitar and djembe.

Please help with suggestions. I am on a $100 budget. I can spare a bit more if it requires. NO more than $200.

Sarah