Remodeling and looking for recording space ideas.

Hey Pix,

  So you are talking about a fairly small studio room then?  I'm doing a 10X16 with a separate control booth, starting the soundproofing in the framing by using 6X header and footers, and staggering the 2X4 studs to the surfaces so that the drywall on each side don't share a common stud. Fiberglass "woven" through that and acoustic foam on the interior surfaces.  Carpet on the floor and acoustic tile above.  The tough issue is HVAC, did a lot of brainstorming with a buddy who was a contractor and has lots of experience dealing with ventilating tight spaces (like server closets).  He recommended high volume low speed ventilation for both heat and cooling.... ducting substantially oversized and additional baffles on the discharge and returns.  Mostly concerned with sound and getting heat out of the confined space.  After an hour shut up in a booth, it can resemble more of a sauna than a work space, and any electrical equipment trapped in there with you just gets too uncomfortable.

  I have two concerns that I have to deal with, sound abatement for the comfort of my neighbors, and a "clean" environment for myself and clients.  A larger area for group instrumentals, and a booth for individual vocals and acoustic instruments.  I gathered up a bunch of soundboard panels (surplus cubicle walls) that I intend to convert into mobile partitions to help dampen any transient echo in the big room, and as needed can do double duty as barriers to any doors and windows.  Speaking of doors, you might as well plan on building your own, as anything pre-fabbed will not have any kind of sound deadening between the skins.

  Electrically, another thing to consider is "power conditioning"  a good sized UPS should do the trick to keep the electrons flowing at a constant rate.  Protect your equipment!

Take Care;
Doug

Hi again Pix,

  Actually a little bit of echo can be desirable, so I wouldn't sweat the 90s much.  Acoustically  you'd like a little presence in the room (why bathrooms are pretty good spaces for recording), and in my case if it gets too much i'll just move in a partition to break up the space and knock it down a little.  Your small room you will want to have pretty "dry", at least all the narrative work I've done has been in that kind of environment with background music and other tracks laid in with the video production.  Software adjusts the tones to suit the advert etc..  But the booth is tight!  heavy felt gasketing the door, quad pane window and all the equipment on the other side where noise is not a factor.  Scripting displays on a screen on the outside, so there's nothing in there except me and the microphone and a good set of muffs on a bar-stool.  After an hour or so you really want to shed layers to cool off. It gets stuffy.

  I'm envisioning spending lots more than one or two hours in there, so the PC monitor and keyboard, mixer, and monitors will all have to have a space within.  All the stuff with moving parts will have to be out of the room and isolated from both recording spaces (I'm considering a hootch outside the building on the shady side).  Mobility issues keep me from wanting to take laps, but if that's not an issue, then you will likely be fanning the door fairly often and not have to pump air in or out.

Keep in touch &
Take Care;
Doug

Pix,

I have a friend that has a really nice setup, he used half of the upper level of his home. The control room is the smaller of the two rooms and if I could I would do it that way, but my little music room is gonna have to work for me . We have a guitar guild and have meetings at his place sometimes. His control room has nice big windows and is about 6x18 and his recording room is around 18x24 and he has it all sound proofed. He has recorded us jamming and it really comes out nice. The first time I played there I was amazed at when we all quit strumming at the same time the notes just kept on ringing it is really a cool setup he has.
His wife plays a upright bass and joins in and plays along with everyone it is just an awesome setup.