Fundamentals
This topic gathers the forum's foundational discussions on studio isolation and acoustic treatment, and the physical principles that shape practical decisions. Contributors distinguish isolation, keeping sound from passing between spaces, from treatment, which shapes how sound behaves within a room, a distinction that recurs across the community's introductory guides and terminology threads. Reference posts define basic building-block terms such as wall and frame, and describe resilient-mount and framing options used to reduce sound transmission. Several threads examine mass-air-mass resonance, the physics governing double- and triple-leaf wall assemblies, including debate over whether triple-leaf construction meaningfully improves isolation or wastes money, and whether a non-airtight leaf still functions as part of a mass-air-mass system. Related discussions address room-in-room construction, where an inner structural shell is decoupled from the outer building. Together these threads represent the forum's early attempts to establish shared vocabulary and settled guidance before newcomers post construction questions, and they remain frequently cited starting points for understanding why isolation and treatment call for different solutions.
Introduction drafted with AI assistance from forum posts.
- Start here*** BEFORE YOU POST, YOU MUST READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS ***
- Start hereSome terms defined (added to REFERENCE section)
- Start hereTriple leaf
- Start hereIs a non airtight wall part of an MAM
- Start hereDoes this count as a 'leaf'
- Temporary "FAQ"- (was "Complete Section")
- New Studio in Thessaloniki - Greece
- "Bonus Room" studio, feasible?
- Triple-leaf question for the experts
- Carport to Studio Build
- Looking for some insight regarding my garage build...
- Preliminary Design Considerations-Basement Aspiring to Amaze
- Hybrid Studio - ground up including Monitors and furniture
- HGTV has done the right thing!
- Triple Leaf Effect Test Results
- Paradise Studio - Conversion of a detached garage
- Building Home Studio - concept plan reveiled - feedback?
- Existing wall is already MASS/Air/MASS so the new wall....?
- another garage conversion
- Casaestudio Project
- Building a vocal booth
- Pete's new studio
- Detached shop conversion
- When is a leaf not a leaf?
- So how small is too small?
- Will this design work for me?
- A brand new studio from scratch
- Studio built above garage..?
- designing a studio and would appreciate wisdom :-)
- Room modes
- Making my actual studio more like all these superb ones !
- The cornerless room
- MASS-AIR-MASS Question
- Need feedback on very small studio design in Loft. Thanks!
- Advice needed for small basement studio
- Stages of Soundproofing Enlightenment
- Help with garage space
- Studio trial balloon ... to build above a detached garage?
- Need help building drum risers?
- Starting Barn/Garage Design; Need Control Room Advice
- Please Help - Hole at 105 Hz
- Small music writing and mixingroom
- ISOLATED ROOM-WITHIN-ROOM in NEW YORK, NY
- Building A Room Within A Room!
- Small room acoustics lecture notes available
- starting to design, completely overwhelmed
- tiny voice booth/edit/music production/mixing room
- Thoughts and ideas on an isolation box.
- Soundproofing / wall thickness
- Non parallel double walls (is it good to spread resonances?)
- Drum rehearsal/recording basement studio in Madrid
- starting totally from scratch
- Third leaf or not?
- Home Studio in NYC: In Search of Acoustic Design Consultant
- A few building questions for my specific situation
- new studio
- New Studio, a few questions....
- Small bedroom studio with Big expectations
- Ground Up Music Room in London
- Worst drum room ever?
- Decoupling a mixing room or treatment.
- Floatins studio: Could you help me ???
- Yeah, but what do I really NEED?!
- Newbie here
- New Drum/Live Room Design in Chicago, IL
- completely stuck with design
- First timer, all advice is welcome (includes pictures).
- Newbie needs help with design...
- Small room currently referred to as 'a studio'
- Garden Pool House/Band practice/recording/Cinema/Guest room
- A new soundproof drum room
- "The Dreaded" Third Leaf: Fact or Fiction?
- Small Studio in Isolated Building
- Railway Vibrations
- A Theory Question
- I call my seniors of this forum as sound "gods"-new question
- which room would YOU choose?
- sheetrock/gypsum/drywall
- Muffling lower frequencies of a drum kit in a rehearsal shed
- Modifying (cheapifying) - inside out wall
- Home recording studio Plans for Memphis Tennessee
- concrete+big window drum/rehearsal room to be isolated
- 3 Studios in a Basement
- Isolated drumming booth
- basement practice space
- Room size for natural verb-
- John Sayer's acoustical concept ?
- Room within a Room, Warehouse with loud overhead
- Project studio in residence verses in outbuilding
- Building a studio in Norway
- Voice recording studio in Russia
- Small Drum Studio (11' X 7') in Basement
- NEW EXTENSION ON MY OLD STUDIO
- Please guide, react, criticize, think aloud, or provide link
- Feasibility of Isolating Studio Above Attached Garage
- New Studio in CA - Questions
- got some gear -- now let's face the rooms
- 2x12 Speaker Cab Isolation - Need Advice
- Old vestry, new studio.
- New Mixing Room help
- When does a double-leaf wall become a triple-leaf wall?
- new basement studio
- Help with Isolation
- Need some design advice
- Garage Conversion for isolation
- Sunroom Studio
- Double garage to studio
- All I have is $20,000
- Studio Design - Teen Drop-in Center
- Yet another M-A-M question(s)
- Physics of rubber question
- Room within a room within a room
- Using rubber to soundproof a drum room.
- Three leaf problem, again
- Triple Leaf Effect
- Building entirely underground?
- Basement Drum Room
- Wisconsin basement mix room
- Any suggestions to maximize isolation?
- Small combined studio/control room design
- Room Modes & STC ratings
- Isolated Drum/Vocal Booth?
- Is triple leaf sometimes inevitable?
- Mixing Room
- Questions before starting...
- Room within a room within a shed (advice please)
- STC of Johns room within a room constuction as per SAE
- Did my room-in-room fail the "jump test"???
- Seeking expert advice on whether to build a studio
- Home studio design in China (could really use some help!)
- polystirene slab
- Advices on Rec Studio design in Dominican Republic
- 240 square feet rule
- My Basement Studio- ready to ask questions
- Is this an important problem ?
- How to predict the total TL of a 2-leaf MSM system
- Low frequency soundproof materials???
- Does room geometry matter in an absorptive/dead room?
- Rehearsal room in a garage/basement in Brasil
- Studio Design Steps HELP!!!!
- Warehouse Studio Conundrum
- Help me decide on my studio layout...
- Please check out my drawings
- New House = New Studio
- New Control Room Inside Existing Building
- Carport conversion or build out back
- Building a room in a room
- to what degree do you sepparate control from live rooms?
- Soundproof room so neighbors will not go nuts!
- The Sound Station Studios New Mini Facility
- New Design
- A challenge....
- Question about John Sayers "small studio" post
- Building new studio in the Philippines