Drum Shield/ Studio Foam

Posted on

Ryan
Member Since: Dec 28, 2007

Hey,

I was wondering...since I record in a garage and it is such an open space, soundproofing would be ridiculous. So i was thinking, instead of building a separate recording booth/room, what if I get one or two 5 panel drum shields and apply studio foam to them,would it would improve my recordings?? If you think this wont work please let me know because it would set me back a lotta $$$ if it doesn't make a noticeable change. Thanks again for everyone on heres knowledge! :) haha

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www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005


Mar 19, 2008 12:56 am

Sound is like water.... it would have to be watertight to be able to be soundproof. If I understand what you are talking about then there would be too much leakage to do any good.

Using them as some sort of diffuser could help a bit though if they were placed right.

BTW - drums need room to breathe so I don't think it would work as a drum booth if that is what you are thinking.

Mans reach exceeds his grasp
Member
Since: Oct 23, 2007


Mar 19, 2008 08:59 am

Regardless, here's some cheap studio foam.

www.foambymail.com/soundproofing.html

Don't let the name fool ya, it wont sound "proof" anything, but it'll help. If anything you can make some gobos or something.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Mar 19, 2008 09:02 am

Hmmmm, that is deceptive marketing, isn't it? They say sound deadening on the page, which is what it is, but they call it "sound proofing" which is entirely, 100% misleading...that would not sound "proof" anything.

It is a decent pricepoint for the stuff though...

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Mar 19, 2008 09:40 am

Quote:
would it would improve my recordings??


For this, I'd say yes. My packing blankets hung in my live room cut down a ton of reflections and echo. It really toned it down.

I wouldn't overlook the packing blanket route. If you can pick them up cheap (or free, like I did) then it's certainly worth a trial run. If they work well, like mine did, then you can try the foam route, though I think packing blankets will be denser, and therefore cut lower freq.

http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member
Since: Nov 27, 2007


Mar 19, 2008 10:21 am

I've seen dudes use one of those make shift plasticy gazeebo/pergola type things over the kit. its about the size of 3 man tent but without the floor. you can fit overheads under it too. its works good i heard. cheep cheep too.

Czar of Turd Polish
Member
Since: Jun 20, 2006


Mar 19, 2008 02:08 pm

That is a good price on the foam, how do you figure out how much you need? I know you don't cover the walls with it, wasn't there a cool online calculator for figuring it out?

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Mar 19, 2008 08:39 pm

Find some office dividers at an outlet for office furniture and use them. They work a charm really for helping deaden things up a bit.

Ryan
Member
Since: Dec 28, 2007


Mar 19, 2008 09:52 pm

ok. thanks for all of your input. the office divider and packing blaket route seem awesome. i was wondering as weel, sorry to keep bothering you guys, but i read on the internet that you can go to the back of a grocery store and ask them to give you the foam they use to ship apples and oranges, etc...for free and it works great for studios, but you can't believe everything you read, so any input on that??

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002


Mar 19, 2008 11:58 pm

Wow, this is a tough one.

Sound proofing. That is keeping the noise in or the noise out. i.e. you don't want to bother your neighbors with your drumming and you don't want your drumming full of their boomer cars going by your house.

Sound conditioning is a whole other ball of wax. An art. Changing the accoustics of an environment as it appears to the microphone(s). A garage is just an enharently nasty environment for recording on average. I agree with all above. Blankets are great. I was given a number of "cubie" dividers which stand on their own and are convenient for dampening sounds. Furnature can be great. I often put a drum set in front of my couch. It works great for rear reflections while still giving the set room to "breath" as per Beer Hunter. The egg carton thing is pretty much a myth. Not to say they are usless, just not as effective as other materials. Plastic sheeting like shower curtains can be good for low frequency dampening as they will move with the soundwaves and therefore absorb energy in the process. It really boils down to trying different things placed in different places until the sound is pleasing for most of us.

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