Unfinished Room help - another consultation

[soundslikejoe]

I'm buying a house with an unfinished bonus room I plan to convert to a production studio. I don't want sonic perfection (impossible here) but I'd like to create a great mixing space.

FACTS -

The room is like a rectangle with side walls that raise about 4 feet and then angle to the ceiling. This removes right angles between the side walls and ceiling but might create some strange modes.

The room is about 14x12x8.

There is a door (obviously) and an exterior window opposite this door. These are located center in Length walls (long ways).

The room is prewired with electrical, cable, network, and phone. The room also has HVAC vent and return. Behind the wall studs are roof supports that angle upward. (Width or side walls)

The floor is plywood. (OSB or gypsum)

I have a good bit of square Auralex and a few Auralex traps.

I'm working on a Google Sketch but I'm a noob and this isn't moving quickly.

QUESTIONS -

Where is the best monitor placement? Firing room length (14') from window to door or width (12') using the ceiling angles to reduce direct reflections.

What materials should I use to finish the room? I'm considering 1/2" Homasote #440 instead of regular sheetrock. Should I consider other materials? (Quietrock)

What about the floor? Carpet or Wood? Floating? (probably not... I can't afford to do it right)


Thanks in advance for you time and comments.

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by joenovice

QUESTIONS -
Where is the best monitor placement? Firing room length (14') from window to door or width (12') using the ceiling angles to reduce direct reflections.

Lengthwise, facing the window, firing toward the door. You'll need to trap the peak of the ceiling and you'll need treatment on the angles in exactly the same way you'd treat first reflection points. Look here for more set up help.

Originally Posted by joenovice

What materials should I use to finish the room? I'm considering 1/2" Homasote #440 instead of regular sheetrock. Should I consider other materials? (Quietrock)

You can probably accomplish the same thing with multiple layers of regular ol' sheet rock with a layer of Green Glue in between. Quiet rock is not a great value. Not sure what to tell you on the Homasote.

Originally Posted by joenovice

What about the floor? Carpet or Wood? Floating? (probably not... I can't afford to do it right)

I'm a fan of wood...you can always put some area rugs down to soften the reflections a bit if you have to.

Frank

[johndykstra]

How noisy can you be without complaint, and conversely, how much sound leakage are you worried about leaking into the space?

Are you planning on tracking anything in the room, or just production.

Have fun with google sketch, it's an increadible program. Feel free to ask questions on it if needed.

[soundslikejoe]

Kudos... good link...

I am concerned about audio pollution into other rooms of the house. (My newborn's room will likely be directly underneath the studio.) Any tracking that happens will be very minor (single instrument) and during daytime.

I've thought about using SoundBarrier by Audio Seal on the floor but that's a bit pricey. I also considered neoprene pucks surrounded by wool with sheetrock and tongue and groove hardwood floor. Which would be better isolation? Less acoustic problems?

[avare]

Originally Posted by joenovice

I've thought about using SoundBarrier by Audio Seal on the floor but that's a bit pricey. I also considered neoprene pucks surrounded by wool with sheetrock and tongue and groove hardwood floor. Which would be better isolation? Less acoustic problems?

Neither. Buy Rod's book Home Recording Studio: Build It Like The Pros, read it through at least once and then absorb the sections on sound isolation.

Andre

[soundslikejoe]

Originally Posted by avare

Neither. Buy Rod's book Home Recording Studio: Build It Like The Pros, read it through at least once and then absorb the sections on sound isolation.

Andre

That seems like a good book and I've been thinking about getting something like that but I'm not sure I can really dig into a book right now.

If this goes down, I have to finish closing on the house, move in, and build it quickly. I'm in the middle of working on a trailer, a title theme, a commerical, and teaching.

If you have any other thoughts or 'quick n' dirty' recommendations (macro level), I'd be interested to hear more.

[avare]

Originally Posted by joenovice

If this goes down, I have to finish closing on the house, move in, and build it quickly. I'm in the middle of working on a trailer, a title theme, a commerical, and teaching.

If you have any other thoughts or 'quick n' dirty' recommendations (macro level), I'd be interested to hear more.

So you have the time to rebuild it? tutt

Detail EVERYTHING about the construction of the floor/ceiling, HVAC ducts, hallway layout, windows for the rooms. As one source of sound gets reduced, another one becomes dominant. Floors are to easy to mess up.

Speed up your sketchup learning.

Order the book and have it as a reference while going through your project.

Andre

[spencerc]

Studio design is 90% planning, and 10% actual construction. I suggest you plan everything out like avare said before you begin anything - you don't want the risk wasting money by having to redo stuff over again when you realize you did it wrong the first time.

[soundslikejoe]

My sketchup skills are weak but I was able to get this after a few attempts. It's nearly exact but may have a discrepancy or two.

The triangular areas behind each wall are where roof supports (2x4) meet the floor. Once sheetrock is in place these could be used for a small storage area (see door) or stuffed with something for added mass/absorbtion/isolation. Would it provide any isolation benefit to fill these areas with something? If I fill one, should I fill both or would a storage section be better use of space?



http://www.soundslikejoe.com/studio.skp