Building Live Room/Home Studio

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Member Since: Nov 14, 2010

We're converting my drummer's living room into a home studio, mainly because of the noise complaints and his having to go to court for it all. Killing the noise is the biggest concern, but we'd also like it to be a usable studio. I have it all stripped down to the framework now so the sky really is the limit. My main reasons for posting are:

-What is the best layout for doing this (pictures follow)
-How do you install the glass between the live room and control room and should you vacuum seal the air gap between the 2 panes of glass? If so, how do you go about doing that.
-What is the best way to KILL the sound leaking to the outside (more focused on it being a rehersal place)
---We have R19 acoustic insulation to use, but I'm concerned on whether or not that will be sufficient for the exterior walls for the actual HEAT insulating aspect.

Below is the bare layout for what we have right now:


http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/ZEROryan08/basic-2.jpg




And here is an idea we have: my main concern with this particular design is, does the angled wall pose a complication for akward sound reflection?


http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/ZEROryan08/idea1.jpg





*note - the angled lines from the wall signify a door and the way it opens

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Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007


Nov 14, 2010 02:41 am

How large is the original room for starters?

Now, I'm far from any kind of acoustics expert, so take my suggestions with a grain of salt.

I'm not so sure about bi-secting the room from the corner like that. I'm thinking along the lines of creating a new wall straight across from the corner of the small utility room to make two smaller rectangular rooms. I think that would be easier to work with and to treat more appropriately. If you bisect from the corner, you'll be having some large corners that would need a LOT of treatment and limit the usable space you have to work with. If you create two rectangular rooms, one of them can be the control room, and the other can double as both a live room and a vocal booth.

Note: A vocal booth is not a closet, but rather a small room. I think the term "Booth" is somewhat a misnomer. Reason being, the smaller the space you have to work with, the more treatment you would need to get any kind of use out of it. And in a closet-space, you'd need so much treatment that there wouldn't be any room for the singer hehe. So I'd say build a wall across the room, left-to-right in the drawing, and let the live room double as the vocal booth. You can still put up a soundproof wall for the heater, and treat the extra space as a storage closet, or putting in racks for gear if need be. (Might wanna leave a door in to the water heater though, in case you ever need maintenance access to it)

In terms of sound-proofing, I think I've read or someone around here (maybe Dan) recommended putting up two extra layers of drywall/sheetrock on all the walls. Maybe building a room within a room and insulating the space between the interior and exterior walls would be an option. A lot of work and probably a costly option. Also, I'm not sure what kinda insulation would be best. One of my wife's relatives used to work in construction, and he said one of the things they used was to fill the spaces with wet-newspaper pastey stuff (they used some machine to blow it in like filler) into the space between the studs, and that worked really well to soundproof. Worked pretty well as an insulator too I think. Granted thats his words, and I don't know if that's accurate.

Reason I recommend turning it into two rectangles is that it will be a little easier to place acoustic treatment. Bass-traps in the corners, and broad-band trapping strategically placed. in the room along with some diffusion panels to help spread the sound around in a more controlled way.

Anyway, after soundproofing the walls, you can look at placing acoustic treatment, starting with bass-trapping/low-end treatments first.

I think Mr. Scrip might chime in on this thread with some recommendations and critiques as well as questions you probably need to ask yourself.

Member
Since: Nov 14, 2010


Nov 14, 2010 04:21 am

This is the main breakdown of what we're working with.


http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/ZEROryan08/layout.jpg



I think I'm going back later today so I'll get solid measurements for everything. What I didn't put in earlier was the fireplace/chunk of concrete (blue square). We were trying to avoid taking it out, and just raise the floor in the control room to a level flush with the height of the fireplace foundation; But splitting it flush down the center would probably be the easiest, for it would still leave the fireplace section able to be untouched (probably put a TV/Computer moniter on the riser)


Here's another thing, the whole place's electrical layout was rigged and as redneck as you can get, so I stripped out all of the outlets and wiring. We were gonna run 10.3 cable on all of it and run each outlet dependent on it's own breaker (don't want to trip the breaker if we're pulling a lot of power).

One last thing; The place is LINED with windows.


http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q223/ZEROryan08/windows.jpg



(It has more windows than it does walls) Can I take out all of the windows in Area 2? I didn't know if it was against the fire/building code to have a room without windows (Its in a zoned county and they're VERY strict about that kind of stuff).

Thanks for any and all help!

Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007


Nov 14, 2010 06:11 am

On the fire code issue, I'd suggest playing it safe, and leaving at least 1 or 2 windows. You might see about getting some of those gas-filled double-pane windows. That might help with soundproofing as opposed to the standard windows.

Also, check out Ethan Winer's site. He's got some nice detailed info on a lot of different aspects. Much of which is probably over my head, but a lot of the concepts could apply to what you're going to be doing.

www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics Although it's geared more towards treatment and acoustics than construction and soundproofing. Still, some of the concepts there should help give some ideas.

Also, on constructing the center wall, someone can probably correct me, but I'm guessing filling the gaps between the studs with 705 corning mineral-fiber. Like 4" of insulation, an airgap, then another 4". Cover it up with a plywood wall, and then coat each side of the wall with a couple layers of drywall. I THINK that should create a decent amount of soundproofing. Hopefully someone else can verify that.

Also, I think in constructing it that way you might also figure out how to install the double-window for the control room. I really don't know whether having air trapped or vacuum-sealing it would be the way to go. Someone else can probably answer that one though.

Also, here's a place where you can order the 705 stuff.
www.acoustimac.com/index....n-material.html (I have it bookmarked for someday when I'm not in a tiny apartment and can finally have a room I can start treating)

MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Nov 14, 2010 11:51 am

On the sound transmission -- Your smartest dollars are going to be going to an acoustics expert. If you're having "going to court" issues with sound transmission as it is now, you're looking at fairly substantial construction to stop it. Having an expert -- I mean someone who knows what he's talking about -- Not just a standard construction guy, will be well worth whatever you're paying him for a couple hours.

It could very easily come to building a room inside the existing room, floating the floor and double-studding the ceiling to get to where you're going to need to be.

Not trying to discourage -- Just trying to be realistic.

Member
Since: Nov 14, 2010


Nov 14, 2010 03:56 pm

We were practicing in an uninsulated garage when we got into all of the trouble. We used to practice in his living room about 2 years ago but we didn't want to push it with the cops incase it was ANY bit loud outside. If it does come down to building a roomed room if you will, can I get by with just doing that to the live room side of it? I dont think the control room would have any noise leaking issues, would it?

Member
Since: Apr 26, 2006


Nov 14, 2010 06:58 pm

You may want take a look at a product called Green Glue.It's had some pretty good reviews as a lower cost aid in sound transmission.
The website has a good bit of info.

Member
Since: Nov 14, 2010


Nov 16, 2010 02:07 am

That stuff looks nice... very pricey though!

Member
Since: Nov 14, 2010


Nov 17, 2010 01:59 am

I have read that you want to make sure that the glass you put between the live room and control room shouldnt be parallel.


My question is, which of these layouts is better?

(Key to this little text picture, LR= Live room, CR= control room, and the / \ | represent a pane of glass and the angle)




LR | \ CR

LR \ / CR

LR / \ CR

LR / | CR

(i didnt do every possibility but if i missed the correct way please show me!)

Thanks!

Member
Since: Nov 14, 2010


Nov 17, 2010 11:28 am

One last thing (for now);

I was thinking of leaving the ceiling studs exposed.
Well, not so much exposed, but more so not drywalling it.
The attic space above has a complete plank floo, blown in insulation, and underneath the planks already have insulation/vapor seal. I was thinking of just putting in acoustic insulation too, then just covering it all up with an acoustically invisible fabric. By doing this, each section would kind of be its own diffuser instead of having a flat surface like drywall... Any thoughts?

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