Quote:
Originally Posted by jhill  QUESTION: Could moderate bass trapping (such as suggested below) decrease enough of the standing wave issues to help intelligibility, hopefully allowing him to play more quietly? How much bass trapping is usually needed for a room like this? |
Basically, yes. I would probably stick to simple proven methods, but It would take quite a few panels in a decent sized room. 4"-6" 2'x4' panels of 703 or equivalent straddling corners with no hard back on them. Get some sort of membrane on the front of them (Frk, kraft paper, plastic wrap) Use vertical corners as well as wall to ceiling corners. I would start with 12 of these with the expectation that as much as 24 might be necessary. Check out the sticky on building bass traps in this forum for specifics.
First thing to try is getting the bass amp as well as the guitar amps and pa speakers physically off the floor (a bass re-enforcing boundary) on stands or chairs. Your problem could just as well be other instruments muddying up the room.
These things should help you hear everyone better and maybe turn down those amps, but to provide actual isolation from the rest of the house, beefing up the walls, ceilings, floors, and doors is the only way.