I Have to Gut My Studio, and I'm Frickin' HAPPY!

[ch willie]

My studio is getting new carpet. I have to take everything out of it and out of my closet full of cases.

I'm excited about it because I"ve never been totally pleased with the way everything is arranged. When I bought the house 16 years ago, I set it up for playing more than recording. Now I want to optimize the room as a recording room. It requires a different approach, and it'll be fun to start at ground zero.

[OldStrummer]

That is exciting! I have redone my "guitar studio" a couple of times since I bought here three years ago, and it's still more a storage area than a studio. I haven't found the motivation or the plan to do it again. Good luck. Maybe pics when it's finished?

[DanTheBluesMan]

I hope to never have carpet again. The house we're looking at has all hardwood flooring. I'll use area rugs if the room is too lively. I plan to do sound treatment, probably most bass traps in the corners, first point reflection on walls and ceilings by the monitors. Sound cloud above the main amp area for mic'ing. Getting a little ahead of myself but a man can dream.

It has a basement room but I doubt if I'll be allowed to turn it into a studio.

[ch willie]

The biggest problem I have is soundproofing. I can't afford now to do it, maybe never since I've decided to permanently retire.

I've used heavy carpets on walls and doors, but it hasn't been very effective in the past. Is there a cheaper way of soundproofing a room to the point that the neighbors won't hear it? It'd be nice too to be able to mic the amp in there and record from another room. I write songs that are sometimes call for clean, clear guitar, others that need the amp cranked. I want to get the natural sound of my Deluxe and it's beautiful overdrive.

[Keefoman1]

I have always tried to take advantage of the natural sound of a room, instead of making the room "completely dead" if you know what I mean. Experimenting with mic-placements could be just as awarding as spending lots on sound-deadening. Just my 2 cents.

[DanTheBluesMan]

soundproofing and sound deadening are two different kettles of fish. You can have a dead sounding room that leaks like a sieve.

Unfortunately, the only solution for soundproofing is Mass, lots of it and isolation. In the typical suburban home, there is insufficient space for a room within a room construction that has both isolation and mass adequate to soundproof, that isn't a suffocating box. Your only other friend then is distance. A lot of distance, about a quarter mile minimum.

As you can guess, none of that is inexpensive, neither construction nor the acreage you need to get that kind of distance, unless you go way, Way, WAY daphuq outta town.

Now, some people, one of our own in fact, choose an option that is viable for suburban residences. That is to build an amp room or shed, in essence a giant iso-box for their speaker cabinets and their mics, next to their studio/control room. I'm sure it was still fairly expensive but not compared to making a room a whole band can play in with HVAC and soundproofing.

I'm hoping to get a lively room, with bass traps in the corners to control boominess. I won't expect to record with live mics on Saturday mornings during the summer, or during daylight hours during leaf cleanup season. And hopefully I don't get a nearby neighbor with a leafblower fetish. Heck, I may not really get to record with mics much anyway but I sure as heck plan to play with my amps. I just won't be obnoxious about it.

[Keefoman1]

soundproofing and sound deadening are two different kettles of fish. You can have a dead sounding room that leaks like a sieve.

Unfortunately, the only solution for soundproofing is Mass, lots of it and isolation. In the typical suburban home, there is insufficient space for a room within a room construction that has both isolation and mass adequate to soundproof, that isn't a suffocating box. Your only other friend then is distance. A lot of distance, about a quarter mile minimum.

As you can guess, none of that is inexpensive, neither construction nor the acreage you need to get that kind of distance, unless you go way, Way, WAY daphuq outta town.

Now, some people, one of our own in fact, choose an option that is viable for suburban residences. That is to build an amp room or shed, in essence a giant iso-box for their speaker cabinets and their mics, next to their studio/control room. I'm sure it was still fairly expensive but not compared to making a room a whole band can play in with HVAC and soundproofing.

I'm hoping to get a lively room, with bass traps in the corners to control boominess. I won't expect to record with live mics on Saturday mornings during the summer, or during daylight hours during leaf cleanup season. And hopefully I don't get a nearby neighbor with a leafblower fetish. Heck, I may not really get to record with mics much anyway but I sure as heck plan to play with my amps. I just won't be obnoxious about it.

I agree with you there. If you don’t want the rest of your family, or your neighbours to hear what you’re up to, it takes some effort (and cash)!

[dirtdog]

The biggest problem I have is soundproofing. I can't afford now to do it, maybe never since I've decided to permanently retire.

I've used heavy carpets on walls and doors, but it hasn't been very effective in the past. Is there a cheaper way of soundproofing a room to the point that the neighbors won't hear it? It'd be nice too to be able to mic the amp in there and record from another room. I write songs that are sometimes call for clean, clear guitar, others that need the amp cranked. I want to get the natural sound of my Deluxe and it's beautiful overdrive.

Not really. True soundproofing takes isolation and mass. Therefore, money. Lots of it. Think: "room inside of a room". And the inside room wall made up of two layers of drywall. And isolate the HVAC...baffles inside and outside the room. It's the bass frequencies that are toughest to soundproof.

Best us home recording on a budget duffers can do is treat a basic room for reflection and absorption, bass traps and the like. These are the panels you see on studio walls, ceiling and in corners, etc. For the cranked guitar amp, you're probably better off with an isolation box. Like this: https://www.prosoundweb.com/in-the-s...isolation-box/ or go with one of modelling solutions (e.g., Line6 HX Stomp).

[OldStrummer]

Today's (11/8) Stupid Deal of the Day at Musician's Friend is an "Ultimate Acoustics Studio Bundle (18 pc)" for US $59.99, if anybody cares.

[DanTheBluesMan]

Today's (11/8) Stupid Deal of the Day at Musician's Friend is an "Ultimate Acoustics Studio Bundle (18 pc)" for US $59.99, if anybody cares.

thanks for the head's up