Building a DIY vocal booth

pint07 · 19th June 2009

Bad news: I have a very small budget. As in, as small as I can possibly get to get something decent.

Good news: My dad works for Owens Corning. Which means I have access to discount rates on OC 703 XD

Okay, so i've got a nice square box here. I've got a small waterbed with its side pushed against the window. Where the bed ends I want the vocal booth to begin. It'll be about 6x6ft. I'm thinking of creating a sort of "door frame" mechanism, but I'm not sure if it will work. Basically a row of 3 door frames or so, with no door, but instead foam insulation filling the doorframes, with a comforter or something on one end. My thought was to get OC 703 and fill up the door frames with it somehow, then attack foam to it, with a comforter on one side.

My questions...

1) Should it be rounded, until the walls where it goes to the corner of the room? Or just a triangle?

3) What should I do to the dry wall corner?

4) Which way should the singer face? Using a tube condensor or cardoid condensor?

5) What goes above the booth?

6) Will this work?

Mulmany · 19th June 2009

Attach 4" of 703 to the drywall walls, floor to ceiling. Then make a frame for the last walls. Stuff the frame with 4" of 703. don't put a back on the frame. It will just be the 703 on both sides and wrap it with fabric... burlap etc. If you can get the 703 at the dimensions of the frame it will be rigid enough with out backing to take some moving around. For the ceiling hang a panel from the ceiling at the hight of the frame walls.

This will give you a very controlled dry vocal, which you can manipulate any way you want.

If you are worried about rubbing up on the panels cause its going to be a tight fit, wrap them in polyester batting before you wrap them in fabric. You can buy it at any craft store. They use it for upholstery and quilts etc...

Hope this helps.

Ethan Winer · 19th June 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by pint07

It'll be about 6x6ft.

Square is about the worst shape acoustically. But are you sure you need a booth? See this:

Do I really need a vocal booth?

--Ethan

robmix · 19th June 2009

Ethan, just curious, what do you think the minimum dimensions should be in a booth ? I know the BBC has ideals for recording spaces. Have you run numbers on smaller rooms to see what works and what doesn't ?

Thanks.

pint07 · 20th June 2009

i'm forced to have a booth. i cannot possibly have a control room for another 2 years at least, and I would like to be able to at least get by until then.

Ethan Winer · 20th June 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by robmix

what do you think the minimum dimensions should be in a booth ?

I have no idea. you can make a 3x4 closet work if it's totally packed with insulation. Not that I recommend this.

--Ethan

19th June 2009	#1
pint07 Gear interested Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 12 Thread Starter	Building a DIY vocal booth Bad news: I have a very small budget. As in, as small as I can possibly get to get something decent. Good news: My dad works for Owens Corning. Which means I have access to discount rates on OC 703 XD Okay, so i've got a nice square box here. I've got a small waterbed with its side pushed against the window. Where the bed ends I want the vocal booth to begin. It'll be about 6x6ft. I'm thinking of creating a sort of "door frame" mechanism, but I'm not sure if it will work. Basically a row of 3 door frames or so, with no door, but instead foam insulation filling the doorframes, with a comforter or something on one end. My thought was to get OC 703 and fill up the door frames with it somehow, then attack foam to it, with a comforter on one side. My questions... 1) Should it be rounded, until the walls where it goes to the corner of the room? Or just a triangle? 3) What should I do to the dry wall corner? 4) Which way should the singer face? Using a tube condensor or cardoid condensor? 5) What goes above the booth? 6) Will this work?

19th June 2009	#2
Mulmany Gear addict Joined: May 2008 Location: Delaware Posts: 305	Frames. Attach 4" of 703 to the drywall walls, floor to ceiling. Then make a frame for the last walls. Stuff the frame with 4" of 703. don't put a back on the frame. It will just be the 703 on both sides and wrap it with fabric... burlap etc. If you can get the 703 at the dimensions of the frame it will be rigid enough with out backing to take some moving around. For the ceiling hang a panel from the ceiling at the hight of the frame walls. This will give you a very controlled dry vocal, which you can manipulate any way you want. If you are worried about rubbing up on the panels cause its going to be a tight fit, wrap them in polyester batting before you wrap them in fabric. You can buy it at any craft store. They use it for upholstery and quilts etc... Hope this helps. __________________ Make it safe to do something unusual cause it might sound amazing. Insanity Recordings - Facebook Profile - Mobile Recording, Mixing, Voice Overs, and Audio Post Production. HTAV PROS - Entertainment Simplified - Custom Home Theater, Audio, Video, and Networking. http://www.htavpros.com

19th June 2009	#4
robmix Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,559	Ethan, just curious, what do you think the minimum dimensions should be in a booth ? I know the BBC has ideals for recording spaces. Have you run numbers on smaller rooms to see what works and what doesn't ? Thanks. __________________ Rob Hoffman -------------------------- http://www.elicitmusic.com

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20th June 2009	#5
pint07 Gear interested Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 12 Thread Starter	i'm forced to have a booth. i cannot possibly have a control room for another 2 years at least, and I would like to be able to at least get by until then.