Oh no, Another Vocal/iso booth question

[anemicrock]

Hi. I'm very sorry for bringing this topic up as I know it's been covered before but my case is a little different.

I want to build a soundproof booth to record vocals and also use it for putting guitar amps in it as I live in the top floor apartment in my building. The main reason for building this booth is because the only place for my control room is in m living room which is also an open plan type thing with my kitchen. Now you should see my problem. I can't ask a singer to take a break a minute while my girlfriend is cooking or making a cup of coffee or some shit like that and I can't get a decent guitar sound if the volume is on 1. The walls in my building are shit.

So, obviously the more soundproof the better. I have done a lot of research and if I got this right would say the insulation I should use for my would be Mineral Wool along with some Resilient bars and I should also use Sheet Rock instead of wood as it's supposed to be much better for sound.

If I'm wrong please correct me.

The main thing I need help on is design. Can anyone give me a few pointer?

Thanks

[avare]

Sorry, the type of isolation you want requires mass. More than an apartment building floor can hold.

Andre

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by anemicrock

Hi. I'm very sorry for bringing this topic up as I know it's been covered before but my case is a little different.

I want to build a soundproof booth to record vocals and also use it for putting guitar amps in it as I live in the top floor apartment in my building. The main reason for building this booth is because the only place for my control room is in m living room which is also an open plan type thing with my kitchen. Now you should see my problem. I can't ask a singer to take a break a minute while my girlfriend is cooking or making a cup of coffee or some shit like that and I can't get a decent guitar sound if the volume is on 1. The walls in my building are shit.

So, obviously the more soundproof the better. I have done a lot of research and if I got this right would say the insulation I should use for my would be Mineral Wool along with some Resilient bars and I should also use Sheet Rock instead of wood as it's supposed to be much better for sound.

If I'm wrong please correct me.

The main thing I need help on is design. Can anyone give me a few pointer?

Thanks

Yup...Andre's right. You would have to build a pretty massive structure to do what you're wanting it to do, which would be a.) very expensive and, b.) probably more load than the floor was designed to support (remember that you have to calculate for dynamic load here, not static).

Simple stud walls filled with insulation will help some, sure. But they won't get anywhere even close to soundproof. Any other options in terms of space?

Frank

[anemicrock]

Hi guys. Thanks for the help.

I don't have an other space to use. M floors are pretty strong though. Remember I don't need it to be super soundproof just enough so It doesn't leak out of the apartment. I don't mind it leaking into m control room a bit.

I have already built a temporary guitar booth made out of mdf and some rubber and foam for insulation and it's very heavy and my floor is holding fine. Also it soundproofs it enough. With the amp turned up to 7 I cannot hear what's coming out of it when my monitors are on for playback. I can't hear it in the hallway of my building or any other room in my apartment. So I would say building one out of plasterboard, 4 beams and some mineral wool, Acoustic sticky membrane and a few resilient bars is going to be lighter than the current box I am using.

I just need help with design as regards to the actuall structure. I know it can work. Like I said I alread built a smaller version. I just want this one to be better and tall enough for a person.

[spencerc]

I wasn't going to say it, but I will...

How can you know your floor structure isn't already overloaded? Have you checked with a structural engineer to see if the floor will hold the extra weight?

I wouldn't meddle with things like this - what if the whole floor suddenly gives way?

And for that matter, if you did build a "box" just big enough for a singer - where are they supposed to get their air from? It would get pretty stuffy in there for a box just big enough for a person and a mic.


I am currently designing a studio myself, (Avare and Weasel have both helped me out). Their advice is worth gold. There is a lot more to sound isolation than you might think. Do your research and read books. Listen to these guys...its going to save you a wack of money and frustration. I know because I was in the same boat as you once - I built a small project studio, and I wasted tons of money and got next to nothing results.

Get the book: "Home Studio - Build it like the Pros" by Rod Gervais ...it's a must.

Just my 2 cents

[anemicrock]

Well I know what our saying but I also know m floor is concrete underneath. I have a penthouse apartment that I'm renting and it has a huge rooftop garden that has big concrete slabs covering the lot which is directly above the person apartment below me. Now common sense tells me about 500 of those slabs weigh far far more than a bit of plasterboard and foam. Far more.

I have also done tons of research so I know what works and what doesn't. I would also obviously add a proper vent for a singer to breath and do the right research for the best results in still keep sound in with adding one to the booth.

I know ou hus are tring to help but is seems to me our being a bit more discouraging than helpful. Sorry

[anemicrock]

Oh sorry about my spelling mistakes. My keyboard is on the brink