What makes a room "good"

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reich_fan

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Hi everyone,

I compose music in my spare time, and am interested in knowing if it's possible to make good recordings from home. I have recorded before, at home, but only so as to compile the work that I'm doing - my equipment is very basic, and I dont use monitors or anything like that.

The main reason I wish to work from home, and not just head down to my local recording studio, is because I'm a solo musician who likes to layer different instruments on top of each other - this is a creative process for me, and I'd like to have plenty of time to do my recordings, instead of rushing over one whole weekend and getting nothing done.

Anyway, I've scoured these forums and others over the last number of weeks, and I'm pretty confident that I can afford good recording equipment. The other 2 important factors seem to be - experience as an engineer, and the environment I record in. I realise that sound engineering is a profession for those who do it best, but I'm sure over a period of a few years, I could become experienced enough to use the equipment I have, properly. I'll also be recording only a few different instruments, so that should help lower the learning curve a tad. I?d really appreciate some feedback with respect to this ? from both professionals and guys like myself who record as a hobby ? am I kidding myself?

The types of instruments I play include acoustic guitar, marimbas, congas, jew?s-harp and chimes.

What about the recording environment? What would be ideal for the acoustic instruments I?ve listed above? I often see the phrase ?a good sounding room?, but what is this exactly? Is it a room that absorbs every thing, and has no reverberation from it?s walls? I guess it?s a case of acoustics also ? a concert hall for example.
I have one room in my house that I could use for recording in. It is 20ft x 13ft x 9ft. It has a pine floor, and a large mahogany table in the centre ? if that helps in any way. I don?t notice any reverberation when I play in there (if I clap my hand, there?s no echo), but I?m sure a microphone will respond differently.

If it is a case that my recordings will only ever sound O.K. at best in a home studio, then I?ll stick with what I have at the moment. Otherwise, I?d like to give it a shot. Hope you can give me some guidance,
Thanks,
Brian.
 
Hope you can give me some guidance,
Click to expand...
If your screen name refers to "third reich" and or Hitler,
The exit is to your left.
If it refers to a band. Let me know. I've never heard of them.
If the band is a "third reich" skinhead racist band, take a fucking hike pal.
If not, accept my apology for my presumptious attitude. Then I'll be glad to help with what I can. I mean, give me a BREAK. Anybody who uses that for a screen name in the US has got to expect it. So the best guidance I could possibly give you at this point is change it. Let me put it this way. Do you REALLY expect someone to take you serious with that screen name? Maybe if your 12.:rolleyes:
fitz
 
I'm guessing if it was a band then it would be spelled Queensryche so I don't know what it means.
 
What the hell? "Reich" is German for "empire" and ....

>>Anybody who uses that for a screen name in the US has got to expect it

...just happens to be the surname of one of the greatest American composers of all time - never heard of Steve Reich, as in Six Marimbas or Nagoya Marimbas?

Talk about getting carried away....

Wouldn't it have been much easier to put the word “Reich” into a search engine before you accused this guy of being a racist?
 
Getting back to the original acoustic question....

As I understand it, for most recording, you don't want a room that absorbs everything. Darn it! That would be much easier than reality. The problem with such a room is that it is uncomfortable to be in -- makes bad music because the musicians don't like it. It also doesn't sound as good in the microphones.

There are lots of things that go into a good room. Check out this site - with a TON of great information from John Sayers:
http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/index.html

Another good site is http://www.acoustics101.com/
This site is run by Auralex, so it is filled with advertising, but theres good info in there too.

Learn the meanings of the following terms: absorbtion, diffusion, RT60 and you'll be on your way.

For real great recording areas, you want to avoid having walls that are parallel to each other to keep the sound from bouncing back and forth. For many home recordists, that's not an option, so we find ways to reduce the bouncing.

Good luck!!!
-lee-
 
Wouldn't it have been much easier to put the word “Reich” into a search engine before you accused this guy of being a racist?
Click to expand...

Hmmm, if you read my statement, I don't think I accused anybody of being a racist.
What part of "IF" don't you understand?
What part of "If its a band, let me know" don't you understand
What part of "I'll be glad to help" don't you understand?

I still don't see an answer from reich fan" so I can't comment on his name further.

I will sayr this, my dad helped clean up the camps and brought pictures.

Whos tne next well known person associated with the term? I bet 95% of america would not know who your talking about.

I'll apologize if its due. Till then.

fitz
 
You shouldn't be so quick to jump to such conclusions, that all Fitz. With all due respect, how many Nazi sympathizers do you think play the Congas?
 
craz said:

Wouldn't it have been much easier to put the word “Reich” into a search engine before you accused this guy of being a racist?
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I did. But I gotta say, that screen name is a misunderstanding waiting to happen.
 
Well, when I saw "reich_fan", I said - cool, another Steve Reich fan, I never for a minute thought about fascism, thats why I was so shocked to see the posts above. For me, it was as if Fitz was adding 2 and 2 and coming up with 50. I cant therefore speak for those who have never heard of Steve Reich, or for people who only associate Reich with the Third Reich of Germany, but as I have said, Steve Reich is Jewish and if he can handle having the word as his surname, then I think we should all he able to handle it.
 
well anyways, back to the original question

if the poor guy is still around to read the answers...

the couple of links above are good ones... to a very subjective question...

different rooms sound good for different music types, and to different peoples ears.... this isn't gonna be a fixed, do 1, 2 &3 and you'll get a good sounding room.

20 x 13 x 9 sounds like decent size, and good dimensions - there are some folks here who maybe could locate the room nodes calculator... Pine floor is nice, some furniture in the room won't hurt...

a whole lot more is gonna come out of what equipment you do the recording with... you only mention "very basic equipment". That's probably going to be your first area to focus on, so ....

can you make good recordings at home ? - Yes
are you kidding yourself ? - only if you think it's easy, or is the result of a simple formula
will it be a fun, learning experience ? - if you're like the rest of us, Yes

hope that helps

b-h
 
One of my favorites is Steve Reich, too...

But in this fucked up world we live in, being gun-shy is understandable, and tempered with a true modicum of no bias could arguably be considered prudent.


Or not.

Hmmm...

F.D.
 
The truth is, this IS America, and you can like or dislike anything you want, whenever you want. If the guy DID happen to be a skinhead, which I dont think he is, then its none of OUR business if he is at all... its his right to be and he has just as much right to tell YOU to get lost because you ARENT a nazi skinhead.
I agree on one thing though, I doubt many Skins are playing congas and Jewish harp these days :)
 
Hello tubedude, you are absolutly correct. But 1000's of Americans gave their lives so these little pricks have the freedom to sport nazi tattoos etc. Ever seen any soldiers sporting a nazi tattoo? Show me one, and I'll show you one in the brig.
However, I shouldn't have said anything. This is not the place. But I TOO am an american and have freedom of speech and opinion, and having had the chance to view the pics my dad brought home, I couldn't resist. And will not, EVER hold my tongue in this regard. I am among the ranks of Americans who would just LOVE to kick any Americans ass for sporting any emblem that represents genocide. That is not to say reich fan is amongst that group. He opens the door for bias, just by using that name.
Right or wrong. A nazi emblem does the same thing.

So what part of my response don't you understand now?

REICH FAN, you are entitled to use any name you choose. You just happen to use one that is sensitve to people like me. Biased you say. You damn right! And if you had the privy to see what I saw, you would be too. Genocide and murder are NOT an option that MOST Americans will tolerate. And the ones that support a view that it is, are a doomed breed. Problem with people who DO support it, is they have never had a rifle barrel against their head, just because they were born into a certain group.

I will however, go ahead and apologize for my bias towards the name you have chosen. Wear it with trepidation. I am not alone in this regard. Many peoplle have lost
loved ones in the fight against the Nazi's, me included(My dads brother). And now, given the events of 9/11, the bias of choice is has emerged against Muslims, right or wrong. Post the name Mohammad anywhere, and chances are you will see bias raise its ugly head. Do you wonder why?
I will not respond to this further. Your questions have been answered already, but I will subdue my bias here and be a good member by helping you if possible, should you decide to continue the Homerecording quest here. Your name will never be an issue with me again. That is, unless you post a swastica as an Avatar. In that case, it would not be me alone to look out for, as many people hold this same bias dear to their heart. At least in my age group. I look forward to your questions. Not that I can answer all of them though. Good luck.
fitz
 
RICK,

I'm in total agreement with you. My first thought on seeing the nik was one of negativity and revulsion due to the images that word conjures up, however, I did read the post and found it to be intelligent and well worded. Something frequently lacking in a lot of posts here these days.

r-fan,

You can learn a lot from reading John Sayers tutorials (the SAE site) and applying the principles to your own space.

BTW..........HAPPY NEW YEAR

:) :) :)
 
I don't normally get into these conversations but, you all need to lighten up a bit. Jeshhhh. I was in the Army and one of my best friends was a skinhead who was also in the Army. Not really a bad dude once you got to know him. People always gave him shit because he was ahem, different. I either case, I don't think reich_fan is a bad dude either, just freakin chill. Damn, now I've ruined my reputation for not gettin into to this kinda crap:D I guess it's good for the post count.
 
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