Need help in Chicago studio with acoustical treatment

[Rednose]

Hello, I have some rooms that I need semi-permanent treatment for.
The rooms are built pretty solid, isolation is not a problem.
I'm looking for someone on this board that I can pay an hourly rate to help me determine where to place the auralex and ATS baffles I am buying.
If you have acoustic design experience, please PM me, or email me at:
mattmercado@comcast.net to discuss prices.
Thanks,
Matt

[Bassmankr]

Took at look at your webpage with pics of your control room. It looked to me like your main moniters were too close to the large center video screen so that you would be getting a first reflection off the sides of the video moniter from the tweeters. Move your video screen back and/or your main moniters farther out to the sides and then angle them to your head position. I've seen alot of guys not have a clear path from their moniters to where they sit with a video screen blocking or reflecting sound. You should also see what it sounds like with the tweeters on the outside (just switch your right and left moniter) if that helps. I see alot of foam on the front wall and ceiling, many guys here and on the acoustics forums don't like to use it as it tends to suck out too much of the highs only, instead they use dense fiberglass (703/705) or rockwool panels. Lots of free stuff here and other forums on DIY, so with some reading and experimenting with your rooms you will save some money plus learn what your rooms are really doing which will help you get better mixes out of them. Looks like a home setup with 8 foot ceilings and maybe down in a basement so I'd read up on bass trapping the corners. Frankly most of this stuff is an educated guess with alot of trial and error. I'd save your cash, do some reading, pick up some 703/705 or rockwool, invite a friend over to help hang, move panels around, and play some instruments, then use your ears. Lastly remember it's very easy to add too much treatment and kill the room. Good luck tuning the rooms

[Rednose]

Thanks Bassman!
I took care of the monitor problem, got a flat screen.
I think I have too much foam too, going for the panels.
I've been doing alot of research and quite frankly I'm more confused now than before I started.
The mixes in the room are coming out great, so I guess I'm just used to it.
I need to treat a room 12 feet by 32 feet, without making an anechoic chamber.
Thanks for the tips.

[Bassmankr]

I'd begin with treating some corners and then start removing foam until you have a nice balance (not too dead or too live). A simple thing to do is clap your hands and listen for the decay (try this in other rooms with no treatment to hear what "very Live" sounds like and especially listen to the sound right after the hit of the hands), if there is no decay at all then the room is too dead. As for placing panels in the control room, put on a track that you know like the back of your hand that you think has good balance/recorded well (some guys have at least one Steely Dan track as a reference LOL), with your amp/monitering chain set flat. Then it's time to experiment. In your other rooms have some acoustic instruments playing in them instead of tracks. Drums where you will tracking drums- A vocalist where you will be tracking vocals - acoustic guitar - etc., you get the idea, if the voice/instrument sounds good in the room then it will that much easier to track it with a mic there plus you will bet better performances from the musicians not wearing headphones when recording . Trial and error is all about trying something and deciding if it sounds better or worse, if it is better than leave it that way and try the next thing. Given that all your rooms are already built and have their fixed dimensions your best way to improve them now is just trial and error with treatment. Know that rooms will have certain problem frequencies by the nature of their dimensions/construction that treatment may have little effect on (more so with small rooms). If you know those problems in your rooms through your trial and error process with treatment then at least you will be able to do some compensation for them in the recording process, ie a low mid bump at 350Hz in your vocal booth - then cut some 350Hz when you track in there. Make sure to take breaks while you are experimenting so your ears stay fresh

[Rednose]

Thanks again!
I will take down some of the foam in the control room and use it for the other rooms.
I will have to paint now, getting the roller ready!
Matt

Originally Posted by Bassmankr

I'd begin with treating some corners and then start removing foam until you have a nice balance (not too dead or too live). A simple thing to do is clap your hands and listen for the decay (try this in other rooms with no treatment to hear what "very Live" sounds like and especially listen to the sound right after the hit of the hands), if there is no decay at all then the room is too dead. As for placing panels in the control room, put on a track that you know like the back of your hand that you think has good balance/recorded well (some guys have at least one Steely Dan track as a reference LOL), with your amp/monitering chain set flat. Then it's time to experiment. In your other rooms have some acoustic instruments playing in them instead of tracks. Drums where you will tracking drums- A vocalist where you will be tracking vocals - acoustic guitar - etc., you get the idea, if the voice/instrument sounds good in the room then it will that much easier to track it with a mic there plus you will bet better performances from the musicians not wearing headphones when recording . Trial and error is all about trying something and deciding if it sounds better or worse, if it is better than leave it that way and try the next thing. Given that all your rooms are already built and have their fixed dimensions your best way to improve them now is just trial and error with treatment. Know that rooms will have certain problem frequencies by the nature of their dimensions/construction that treatment may have little effect on (more so with small rooms). If you know those problems in your rooms through your trial and error process with treatment then at least you will be able to do some compensation for them in the recording process, ie a low mid bump at 350Hz in your vocal booth - then cut some 350Hz when you track in there. Make sure to take breaks while you are experimenting so your ears stay fresh

[Rednose]

I made a 3D rendering of my live room.
I just purchased some ATS panels.
Any tips as to where to place them would be appreciated.
In the live room I want to be able to record drums with some distant micing.
Thanks!
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2.../liveroom4.jpg