Whats The Best Studio Basement Setup

[chessrock]

My problem with the differnt rooms is that, My living room has very high valted ceilings (which i don't think would be that great) but there is a angle on the ceiling and there is also a balcony next to it...also bad...

Hmmm. High ceilings. Angled, no less. Balcony for placing additional room mics. And this is bad how? ?



Just for future reference, this is the room you'll want to track the drums in, alright? Just trust me on this one.

...should i record the amps off the ground and in the middle of the room or should i face them in a corner?

The former.

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[chestwick91]

More help for studio

Ok this time I made semi-accurate drawings of my basement and living room and attached them to this post to help you, help me. Now that all of you know, I want to get that rock sound I want to know if possible Where in my basement should I place and face my amps when recording them, and where should I place bass traps and all other sound reinforcement for that deep rock sound…(check basement drawings)
And where in my living room should I place/face my drums and also place sound reinforcements for that deep rock sound
*NOTE a few things*
1. I would like my toms/snare to have full balanced sound.
2. I want my bass to be clean and deep. I can add reverb to it later if need be
3. I use my cymbals a lot and like some sustain (but don’t want it to last all day)
4. My basement floor is carpet and all surrounding walls are drywall
5 My living room floors are all whit oak and walls are drywalls
6 Last I am not sure if it matters but all the windows are brand new and double pain
( I am sorry for the lack of terminology and for giving everybody the run-around, so maybe with the drawings I can get my questions answered better
Your all a hugh help thanks
KEEP IN MIND IT MUST ALL BE TEMPORARY

 

[giraffe]

yea, your living room will probably sound much better.
even un-treated.

 

[giraffe]

record in the living room as much as is possible, build yourself some gobos to control the room sound.

store the gobos in the basement.

(click this )

 

[chessrock]

... for that deep rock sound… for that deep rock sound ...

Chest, all this 'deep rock sond' stuff is going to be dependent on the quality, maintainance, and technique of the drums and other instruments. A good, deep-sounding bass will get you a good, deep-sounding bass tone. And good, full-sounding toms played properly will give you a good, full-sounding tom sound. All of that coupled with sound mic'ing technique of course.

Be creative with placement. Generally speaking, you want to get the amps up off the ground, and you probably don't want them facing any walls. Anything goes for the drums ... but generally speaking, I like to move those away from the walls, too. But there are no "rules" for this stuff. Do what sounds and works best for you.

I really think you'll like how the drums sound in your living room. Wood floors, even. It's perfect.

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[chestwick91]

Thats where i'll track my drums then. I always notied a difference up there, just guess i wasent use to it. By the way...whats a gobo?
Should i also get a rug and shit load of pillows and thick blankets and stuff to help sound...and one more thing...i'll experiment with it but which way would you face them?

 

[chestwick91]

Also you think i shoud move the amps upstaris and record them and vocals...or keep those in the basement?

 

[giraffe]

(click this )

a gobo is, very simply put, a movable sound stopping wall.
you can surround your drums with a couple if you want to make the room sound smaller (or more dry) or you can put them in-between a amp and the drums if you are tracking them at the same time, in the same room to reduce bleed.

if you are close micing your git amps, the room you do it in matters only a little bit. so, if you close mic the amps, the basement will be fine....
but if you want some distance, you'll want to do it upstairs because the room will undoubtedly sound better.

vox will be the trick really. i personally like to track vox as dead as possible..... that's just me mind you.
you may want to dead a room, or use the gobo's to isolate a vocalist so that you don't always have that same sound on the vocal, which will stick out if you use a lot of compression. (which is common on vox)

 

[chessrock]

Thats where i'll track my drums then. I always notied a difference up there, just guess i wasent use to it. By the way...whats a gobo?
Should i also get a rug and shit load of pillows and thick blankets and stuff to help sound...and one more thing...i'll experiment with it but which way would you face them?

If I was recording in a nice, open room like your living room area, I'd just let the natural room sound happen. Embrace it. Let it be your friend. Don't kill it with pillows and blankets. Save that for your crappy basement.

And as far as your amp goes ... I would generally face it upside-down to the floor.

Just kidding. Get it off the ground and face the damn thing wherever the heck you want to face it. Flip a coin or something. For vocals, just do what sounds good to you. You're going to have to learn to experiment and to trust your instincts at some point. Trial and error.

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[chestwick91]

Thanks guys....shit isn't that what were all looking for...is a good sounding product