Home studio foam?

[photoweborama]

Ok, let me ask you guys this...
Can you use egg crate mattress pad foam for foam wall acoustic treatment for absorption?

[Gravity Jim]

Sure you can. It won't work as well as foam specially designed for the purpose (Auralex, for example), but it will provide some absorption and diffusion.

If you're using mattress foam, I'd guess you'd probably have to cover more wall to get results than you would using an acoustic foam.

But I should ask you: what problem are you trying to overcome or what sonic result are you hoping to achieve in the room? Is this a "live" room where you play music being recorded, or a mix room where you listen to playback (control kinda thing)?

[Jonnda]

With different material one can cut different frequencies. It all really depends what your needs from the room are.

[photoweborama]

I'm looking to do both, listen and record. I want to be able to use amps and mics, and such. No drums, because I can't play the drums.

This of course hinges on if my mother-in-law moves out, or my daughter. My 18 year old thinks she can move out on a part time job at Boarders....

Also, we are looking to do a similar thing at my office. A small room for recording. I've been reading a lot about this stuff, so I have a lot of theory ideas floating around my head.

I learned a lot from this site: http://arts.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/tech_.../teces_14.html

[Gravity Jim]

photoweb, my man...

I just finished trreating my new room with Auralex foam, placing it pretty much where the guys at Auralex told me too after seeing a detailed floor plan of my space (they do this for free).

I gotta tell ya... with a six-sheet box of this stuff and an electric knife (we're talking $150 or less shipped for the materials... I paid $266 for a box of 12 sheets of the designer series) you could tame almost any small bedroom into a very usuable space. I used 3/4 of a 12-sheet box in my control room, and the results are truly "oh-my-god" inspiring to listen to.

I know you're likely on a budget, but how much are you going to spend on mattress foam? Auralex is truly engineered to provide even broadband absorption, and it really does it.

[Wilko]

Yeah, listen to the real foam so you don't end up sounding like that closet we heard with the amp cranked up, two mics and the "bass" control cranked up :lol

[nabskater]

Haha ok wilko i guess i deserved that one. But hey you learn from your mistakes right? I know i certainly have. Speaking of experiments that ive done, i tried recording outside... that was interesting. I had to wait for the wind to stopand for there to be no bird car etc noises. But it actually sounded interesting when a take had those in the background. I only played for a little so the neighbors wouldnt come attack me tho!

[photoweborama]

Hey, I got a laptop.. I can do it in the backyard!
BTW, at the office, we are going to buy one of those Auralex room kits from Sweetwater.com. That is, when we finally get to it.

[nabskater]

Speaking of laptops does anyone know why theres always a weird noise (like crunching of like feedback buzz ...if that makes sence) when you use the power adapter? Its really weird cause as soon as you unplug it, its fine. I was just wondering if anyone had any bright i deas to stop this?

[JAM]

Speaking of laptops does anyone know why theres always a weird noise (like crunching of like feedback buzz ...if that makes sence) when you use the power adapter? Its really weird cause as soon as you unplug it, its fine. I was just wondering if anyone had any bright i deas to stop this?

Try repositioning the AC adapter farther from the computer. Also try different placements.

[Gravity Jim]

I've seen photos of Led Zeppelin recording outside, working on "Zoso," I think.

BTW, the acid test for the new control room came Friday ngiht, when GravityLisa and I sat down here for an hour. She's not a critical listener, but we spent the hour running through recordings she knew extremely well, and watching her eyes light up every time... most frequently spoken phrase? "I never heard THAT before!"

No kidding... really good broadband absorption (and placement directed by someone who knew what they were doing) resulted in my monitors producing better highs and lows, a bigger and more visible stereo image AND more detail than I've ever heard from them. It's all true! Even your sweetie can hear it right off the bat.....

[photoweborama]

What about the ceiling?

[Wilko]

Is the ceiling giving you trouble?

You can deaden the area above you head to eliminate getting pounded from overhead, but the overall picture needs to be addressed. Soundwaves reflect and do all kinds of things unexpected.

Certain frequencies fit in a room, others will be the same size as the room, some won't fit in the room. all these intersecting frequencies and where they hit and reflect can be "tamed". Of course, too dead sounds like crap.

[guitars247]

I've seen photos of Led Zeppelin recording outside, working on "Zoso," I think.

Black Country Woman was recorded outside (from Physical Graffiti). Starts with the airplane going overhead, you hear the engineer ask Pagey if he wants to cut out the plane sound, Plant says "Nah, it sounds good leave it" right as Jimmy begins the rhythm.

great track

back to the convo at hand........do the auralex, send them the dimensions of your room along with some photos, they will design a custom coverage plan for your room for free.........and as Jim says, the results are amazing. I was lucky enough to be part of that process when our campus radio station moved from an old campus morgue (not fun) to a new state of the art building. The production room had nearly full coverage on the walls because of the long rectangular shape of the room and the placement of the windows. The control room had less coverage, and it was awesome....