Planning Phase: Need Help With Home Studio Layout

Hi, I have a walkout basement in a new home that I would like to build a control room and small live room in (say big enough for a drum kit). I would like to reserve a portion of the basement for a bedroom and bathroom. This is new construction. Currently, the outside walls are finished but all of the interior walls are 2" x 4" wood framing. The floor is concrete. I would want sound isolation for the live room and control room so as not to interfere with the bedroom and bath. It will be as loud as live drums and guitar amps for rock music. I think not exceeding 100dB??? I'm not such a wiz at sketchup, but I have provided a 3d layout with dimensions. Wondering if anyone might have some layout suggestions. Budget is $7,500 Thanks!

There is an announcement at the top of the forum about what to do to assure getting as many responses as possible. The announcement leads to this post (click here). Actually, several people, who are experts on this forum, will most likely not reply if you don't do what is written in that post. Many others who are very helpful, will most likely not reply out of respect for the moderators' wishes. - Stuart -

I've read it and I think I've covered everything. If not what am I missing??? -Trever

Hi Trever, Welcome! That's better! Now that you have filled in your location in your profile, we know where you are! Which part of the building in the SketchUp model is the part that is available for your studio? Can you use all of that space, or is some of it already used for something else?

Currently, the outside walls are finished but all of the interior walls are 2" x 4" wood framing.

How are the outside walls built? (materials, thickness, etc.) So right now, you have no inside walls at all: Just stud frames with nothing on them?

I would want sound isolation for the live room and control room so as not to interfere with the bedroom and bath.

Where are the bedroom and bathroom located on the SketchUp mode you did? Obviously,m your comment means that NOT all of the space shown is available for the studio. Please identify what is what on the model.

It will be as loud as live drums and guitar amps for rock music. I think not exceeding 100dB???

A drum kit will normally put out around 115 dB, or even more when played hard. A lot of that energy is in the low end of the spectrum, which is the hardest part to isolate effectively. Isolating high frequencies is easy: isolating low frequencies is not. How quite do you need to be in the "bedroom and bathroom"? In terms of decibels, what level are you aiming to have in those rooms that you mentioned as being critical, while you are tracking live drums in your studio? - Stuart -

:shock: :D :x

Stuart, Thanks for responding to me. I think I'm getting the hang of this. Just getting this whole thing started has felt like such a daunting task. I have made another drawing in sketchup with details for the bathroom and bedroom. Every other inch of this space is fair game for the control room and live room. I'm not really very particular about the shape of the live room but I would like to get as much useable space as possible given the layout. I would like to respond to the specific items you have mentioned:

How are the outside walls built? (materials, thickness, etc.) So right now, you have no inside walls at all: Just stud frames with nothing on them?

Actually all of the walls are 2" x 6" wood stud framing. The exterior of the walls have brick siding and the interior is open stud walls. One of the exterior walls faces the underside of the house, so there is no brick, just open walls. This is noted in the drawing.

Where are the bedroom and bathroom located on the SketchUp mode you did? Obviously,m your comment means that NOT all of the space shown is available for the studio. Please identify what is what on the model.

I have located the bathroom and bedroom on the new sketchup file.

How quiet do you need to be in the "bedroom and bathroom"? In terms of decibels, what level are you aiming to have in those rooms that you mentioned as being critical, while you are tracking live drums in your studio?

I suppose it really isn't very important that it be absolutely silent in the bathroom and bedroom, but I would like to have the noise reduced by say at least 50%. The control room on the other hand should have total sound isolation from the live room. I would like as little leakage as possible. I am standing by to answer any further questions. Thanks so much. -Trever

this one popped in... but i think i'd flip the CR and offset the desk. i'll see if i have to to try the other side of the basement. where is your plumbing? edit: i think i like #2 better - more room overall. that would mean putting the bedroom and bath on the alcove side of the basement (just thinking about utilities, plumbing etc).

These look great! Thanks for the input. -Trever