Choosing the room

TheJs · 4th February 2011

Hi all,

First GS post here! So I'm hoping some of you who have been in the same boat as I am can chime in here. While I have some degree of musical proficiency I'm certainly a recording n00b. I'm a single guy living alone in a two bedroom apartment. I have a spare bedroom but unfortunately I also have neighbors. So my situation doesn't lend itself well to miking an amp or bellowing out some vocals when I get off work at 11PM...or at all, really. So soon, I'll be looking for a house to rent.

The kind of music ranges but basically falls along the hard rock spectrum. What I'm looking for is a place with a bedroom (or basement or attic, I suppose) for studio use. Of course, it'd be great if there were a den, basement or somewhere with room to play with a band but that's another topic. Primarily I'll need a studio.

What I'm curious about is what to look for in a house or specifically, in a room. I know enough to know I don't want a small room but I'm not sure how big to go either (which may be a luxury I won't have to deal with due to budgetary constraints). I suppose criteria such as ceilings, floors, windows, etc. is what I'm curious most about. I know any room is treatable to an extent but I want to get started on the right foot to begin with. I hope this isn't too generic of a question. Can't wait to get a place, get the gear, treat the room and get cranking!

TheJs · 5th February 2011

Check, check... anyone?

PaulP · 5th February 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJs

Check, check... anyone?

You may already be doing so but I suggest you spend a lot of time reading the threads here and in the bass traps forum. Treating a small room involves a bunch of compromises and only you can decide the mix you want. The basics are repeated here several times a day so it shouldn't take too much reading before you get a vague idea of what you need to think about.

jasound · 5th February 2011

I think the best answer to this question is get the biggest room you can with tall ceilings, make sure it's comfortable (heating and AC), and just get started. I've worked in studios with less than ideal ceiling height and it really hasn't been that big of a deal but climate control is a must unless you live in LA or something. Unfinished basements, garages, or attics can be a total drag. Remember you're gonna be spending a lot of time in there. If you're just getting started recording I would recommend not getting too concerned about acoustic nuances. To really properly treat a space is gonna take time, effort, and money. Just get in there and start making noise. When things get more serious you can worry about all that stuff.

SörenHjalmarsson · 5th February 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJs

What I'm curious about is what to look for in a house or specifically, in a room.

I hope this isn't too generic of a question.

Hi TheJs,

No, it is not a too generic of a question, it is a very relevant and important one.

The short answer is: You should be looking for a room with a minimum volume of 1500 cubic feet that also has a close to 'ideal' room ratio.

Q: Why? A: To obtain good modal distribution.

Q: Could you expand on that please? A: Sure, If a room shape is such that it's modes are all bunched together, then at some frequencies there will be a big lift in what you hear, while at others, there will be a big dip and you will barely hear it at all. When the shape of a room is favorable (in size and ratio) then the modes will be perfectly spaced, and the low-frequency response will be as smooth as possible.

And how do i know when a room has a good modal distribution? A: Besides calculating the cubic room volume (like you learned in high school

) you also need a good room mode calculator to help you determine some favorable room dimensions, or to help you predict the low frequency behavior of an existing room.

Q: Where can i learn more about this? And where can i find one of those room Mode calculators you are talking about? A: Here:

JH Brandt - Studio Design News, Issue 1
RealTraps - ModeCalc

Keep those questions coming!!

Good Luck,

jhbrandt · 6th February 2011

+1

What more can I say??

Cheers,
John

TheJs · 7th February 2011

Well I didn't think I was one of the guys who asked a question I could've found by searching but I guess, to a degree, I'm one of "them".

Ack! Actually I did search but "cubic feet" was a big miss on my part. Jasound,
yeah tall ceilings makes sense to me and I'd certainly like to get a larger room. My background is in video production and after putting together a few studios, I know that it pays to plan for the future. So while I don't
plan on stressing TOO much about it, I do want to get as close to ideal as possible. You can only pick the room once. Well, until I move anyway.

And yes, climate control for sure... as long as I'm avoiding huge
wall-mounted heaters, right?

As far as unfinished basements and garages, I've seen a lot of studios in the "show me your studio" threads. Many people seem to have utililzed these spaces but it's nice to get
confirmation that it's not terribly ideal. Thanks!

So 1500 cubic feet is the magic number then... well, minimum number. Thanks, SörenHjalmarsson. It doesn't seem like 1500 cubic feet shouldn't be too hard to achieve really. My budget is small (and I'm spoiled by
getting a great deal on where I am now) but that sounds very doable. I'm checking out those links now.

Thanks for all the info, guys!

4th February 2011	#1
TheJs Gear interested Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Morgantown, WV Posts: 3 Thread Starter	Choosing the room Hi all, First GS post here! So I'm hoping some of you who have been in the same boat as I am can chime in here. While I have some degree of musical proficiency I'm certainly a recording n00b. I'm a single guy living alone in a two bedroom apartment. I have a spare bedroom but unfortunately I also have neighbors. So my situation doesn't lend itself well to miking an amp or bellowing out some vocals when I get off work at 11PM...or at all, really. So soon, I'll be looking for a house to rent. The kind of music ranges but basically falls along the hard rock spectrum. What I'm looking for is a place with a bedroom (or basement or attic, I suppose) for studio use. Of course, it'd be great if there were a den, basement or somewhere with room to play with a band but that's another topic. Primarily I'll need a studio. What I'm curious about is what to look for in a house or specifically, in a room. I know enough to know I don't want a small room but I'm not sure how big to go either (which may be a luxury I won't have to deal with due to budgetary constraints). I suppose criteria such as ceilings, floors, windows, etc. is what I'm curious most about. I know any room is treatable to an extent but I want to get started on the right foot to begin with. I hope this isn't too generic of a question. Can't wait to get a place, get the gear, treat the room and get cranking!

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5th February 2011	#2
TheJs Gear interested Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Morgantown, WV Posts: 3 Thread Starter	Check, check... anyone?

5th February 2011	#4
jasound Gear Head Joined: Mar 2008 Location: Nashville TN Posts: 61	I think the best answer to this question is get the biggest room you can with tall ceilings, make sure it's comfortable (heating and AC), and just get started. I've worked in studios with less than ideal ceiling height and it really hasn't been that big of a deal but climate control is a must unless you live in LA or something. Unfinished basements, garages, or attics can be a total drag. Remember you're gonna be spending a lot of time in there. If you're just getting started recording I would recommend not getting too concerned about acoustic nuances. To really properly treat a space is gonna take time, effort, and money. Just get in there and start making noise. When things get more serious you can worry about all that stuff.

6th February 2011	#6
jhbrandt Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2009 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Posts: 2,715	+1 What more can I say?? Cheers, John

7th February 2011	#7
TheJs Gear interested Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Morgantown, WV Posts: 3 Thread Starter	Well I didn't think I was one of the guys who asked a question I could've found by searching but I guess, to a degree, I'm one of "them". Ack! Actually I did search but "cubic feet" was a big miss on my part. Jasound, yeah tall ceilings makes sense to me and I'd certainly like to get a larger room. My background is in video production and after putting together a few studios, I know that it pays to plan for the future. So while I don't plan on stressing TOO much about it, I do want to get as close to ideal as possible. You can only pick the room once. Well, until I move anyway. And yes, climate control for sure... as long as I'm avoiding huge wall-mounted heaters, right? As far as unfinished basements and garages, I've seen a lot of studios in the "show me your studio" threads. Many people seem to have utililzed these spaces but it's nice to get confirmation that it's not terribly ideal. Thanks! So 1500 cubic feet is the magic number then... well, minimum number. Thanks, SörenHjalmarsson. It doesn't seem like 1500 cubic feet shouldn't be too hard to achieve really. My budget is small (and I'm spoiled by getting a great deal on where I am now) but that sounds very doable. I'm checking out those links now. Thanks for all the info, guys!