building with 2 floors

Hello I'm looking into purchasing a building that has 2 floors. The building structure has steel posts and beams, concrete on the ground floor and wood floors on the second. Ceiling height on the ground floor is 13 feet, 16 feet on the second. As is, sound travels easily between the 2 floors. I'm thinking of using the 2nd floor for myself, rehearsals and recording, and renting out the ground floor for extra revenue. I want to be realistic about my expectations, is it possible to control the sound going to the second floor from the ground floor? Thanks in advance for your help.

would it be possible to rent the 2nd floor. Is there access via a foyer or outer stair case? Building on the 2nd floor is not the best option for music especially timber. It will save you alot of money and head ache if you build your studio on the slab.

I do prefer the concrete slab on the ground floor, but then I wouldn't know what to do with the second floor. It seems to me that if I used the ground floor, that I would have a hard time controlling the sound coming from the second floor. That wooden floor would act as a big resonator, amplifying all the sounds above me. I was thinking of building rehearsal rooms on the ground floor and hoping to control the sound by building rooms that wouldn't go to the ceiling. I don't have any experience with studio contruction but I have read Gervais' book. I know this situation isn't ideal but I've found a nice old wharehouse in a good neighborhood for a reasonable price! all the best

Philip - it's really no big deal. You can operate a recording studio on any floor you like. The only difference between a studio above and one below is the flooring barrier, as you pointed out. Below you can build onto the mass of the concrete as Deanne (lilith) suggested, and above you float above it on a floating floor.

Thanks for your replys to this very general question! I appreciate your input. My concern is the noise leaking into the studio part of the building. Can I realistically control the sound from leaking into a second floor studio if there are bands playing underneath? I guess anything can be done, the question may be at what price! All the best

Yes. It can be done for sure. But if you're on a budget, is cheaper to use the first floor and dont float it. If you achieve a good isolation, it wont pass much sound through the rest of the building, and you won't have to spend extra cash on floating a floor