Small garden studio & control room

It must be starting to sound a bit different in there by now: first impressions? - Stuart -

Well I cant do anything very technical which I have all ready mentioned before, but in the beginning there was an echo or reverb when you clapped or spoke loudly now nothing, I still have the back wall and another corner bass trap to do, After that I will build a cloud and then cover all the insulation on the walls with fabric, before getting my stepson to come round with the Adam 7X to have a sound check, i will probably still need to make some more wall treatments for the reflection points, On another note band rehearsals continue for my son, with no problems, still no seals on the doors into the live room yet :( how ever he gave his first guitar lessons for 2 primary school students in the studio this week with added bonus of some beginners drum lessons, the youngsters were thrilled and the studio was the main talking point in class the next day as one of the students father is a teacher at the school and my son is also a teachers assistant at the same school, again many thanks for this forum and all the help from viewing of other builds and the moderaters

Have been continuing when I can with the build, below is a photo of the entrance and steps into the control room which have been filled with insulation. http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsc3c0684e.jpg there is the timber treads to put on as yet but I was wondering would it be beneficial for me to drill some holes in the risers say 18mm diameter or so so the steps would end up being something like a broadband absorber of some sorts? http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps9e53f3d7.jpg Also to the left of the doorway in the photo the bottom half will be a cupboard for storage but the upper half i was planning on filling with rockwool again and putting wooden slats over with different size gaps between the slats, can anyone offer some advise please :D I also have to build a hinged corner bass trap that can be swung away from the door when opening and closing the door, any advise or previous builds done anything like that :?:

Does anybody have any thoughts on my last post, I could really do with some help or ideas if any one can help :D

I was wondering would it be beneficial for me to drill some holes in the risers say 18mm diameter or so so the steps would end up being something like a broadband absorber of some sorts?

I would, yes. Fill those cavities with insulation, and drill some holes so they don't act like drums... You could maybe even consider using them as a sort of "perf panel" absorber, by drilling the holes in the right pattern and size to treat issues in your room.... - Stuart -

Many thanks for the comment back Stuart, I will wait untill the room starts getting used before drilling holes in the steps then, Some more progress today, had to come up with a way of moving the corner bass trap where the door into the control room is, http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpse0260fef.jpg here they are fitted, http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsb3bd41b2.jpg They swing out of the way http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps81a96ffa.jpg Filled with Rockwool http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsf5edb891.jpg Finish layer of denser rockwool before material finish http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsabc2dc38.jpg Getting there , still need to hang 2nd door for the control room and then fit all seals and my new threshold seals for all 4 doors

Some more progress 2nd Door hung for control room entrance http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps25bf7411.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpscaf5ed10.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps7cda256d.jpg

Cool idea! Looks like it is working fine, too. And nice work on those steps, too. - Stuart -

Many thanks Stuart I was pleased that it seemed to work well but I have a bit of a health & safety issue that I have to sort out. If someone is in the control room with the bass traps swung in front of the door it is impossible to get in the room as the traps do not push out of the way, :( Just imagine a fire or someone collapsing and being stuck in the room :shock: So I'm going to hang the bass traps on the door, the hinges I have on the door are very high spec but I'm going to add a 4th one as well for a bit more strength with the extra weight, hopefully post some pictures later on.

Hmmmm.... good point: I hadn't noticed that the door swings towards the traps: I was assuming it swung the other way, so yeah, that is an issue. Attaching them to the door sounds like a good solution, but all that extra weight might mean that your seals will need regular inspection, to make sure they are still sealing, and the door isn't sagging. - Stuart -

another update, managed to hang the bass trap on the door. http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps846f4d0d.jpg finished insulation http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsf0ce0fe8.jpg Next to cover with material :D

Strange looking, but it should work. Just be careful not to bang yourself in the head with the bass traps as you pull the door towards you... - Stuart -

Well another update for you, with a holiday day on monday in the UK I worked fairly late and a bit of work tonight here we have some pictures of the control room to date, Red & black material is felt stapled onto battens to cover the insulation and the face timber is cedar cladding, The last picture is the door with the bass traps fixed to it, step risers still need painting and the two cupboards need doors hung http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsbc03c332.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps09dee13a.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps2b6ded7b.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps5b072e43.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps300bbc9f.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps437a0d27.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps184d7dd1.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsb3e18665.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zpsf9804617.jpg

Thought I would post a couple of photos of the mixing room, have been busy decorating in the home so no real progress in the studio, but its had a good tidy up and my step son has moved his gear in, not great photos I know and the home made rack is not pretty, http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps974c5cea.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps1555f255.jpghttp://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps122648b4.jpg everything is set up and working, synths and they sound awesome, pro tools 10 all the rack gear and my stepson says the room is awesome and that he 'knows the room', he has done a track for learning the room and compared to retail music for mix levels and has just had hes first bit of work some jingles for somebody local which my son helped for some vocals. My sons band have started tracking 4 songs, drum tracks are done, next is the bass guitar.

Bass guitar done for the four tracks, guitar tracks started today, http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps18447b35.jpg http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa410/roguejackal/Clinic%20Recording%20Studio/null_zps9457cded.jpg there is still much to do on the build, cloud for the control room, seals on tracking room doors, sliding door on the toilet :oops: floor finishings on entrance hall, paint exterior render, timber cladding on exterior, upvc soffit, plastic guttering an downpipes. Big thankyou again to anyone who has helped with comments, I do believe this will at the least make my step son and sons life more fulfilling, and possibly something better, This forum is amazing and needs to be shouted out from the rooftops, :D

WowWwww Roguejackal!! Just read almost all the thread. Amazing work man!! It has been very inspiring to me for my studio construction. Thank you so much for sharing so many pictures and info. Good luck and go on with the pics! :mrgreen:

Many thanks for the comments, no progress on the build as am still doing stuff around the house, only little bit of progress is outside iv paved the outside of the build around to the back where my aircon units are located. The studio is being regularly used though, my stepson has been remixing and making his own tunes and my son and he's band have started recording a few of there songs, and are recording a local bands e.p for minimum wage as experience,

Just a small update to news regarding the studio, Iv managed to paint the render on the outside of the studio, My son and the bassist in the band have now completed recording a local band for minimum wage just need to finish mixing etc, Also on the strength of there first release which was recorded and mixed in The Clinic Recording Studio and mastered by http://www.audioanimals.co.uk/ with an official video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2ERF44Ki6I which is available on bandcamp they have 2 other bands asking for E.Ps to be recorded at a higher hourly rate than minimum wage, so again good practice. Hopefully by the end of the summer there will be enough confidence and work to start earning a small income out of recordings of other bands from the studio. :D So maybe pay for electric etc :D When I get a little better off financially I will be hitting the donate button as this forum has contributed to my stepson and sons life in a positive manner by enabling me to build a small home studio down the bottom of the garden, what more could a parent ask for in life :D Please mods if this is wrong for me to share the links then delete this post

Please mods if this is wrong for me to share the links then delete this post

No problem at all! It's great to have examples of the final outcome of studios that have been built by forum members. After all, that's what it's all about: Making music!!! - Stuart -

Many thanks Stuart for the comments, some more good news for the studio this week, another enquiry for recording an E.P. from a local young artist with totally different genre of music to the others so this will be 5 E.Ps including my sons bands

Woooohooo!!! So maybe it's time to start expanding the studio already, so you can handle the extra workload? :) :thu: - Stuart -

I know what your saying Stuart but no more space, otherwise it would be a rehearsal space being built :D On another note the website for the studio is up although not completely finished it looks pretty good I think website built my my son, http://www.theclinicstudio.co.uk/ comments and likes would be cool along with the video for 'Make Believe"

Congrats on the studio build you've done a cracking job Website looks good too.

Many thanks for the comments, Studio really has been a good thing, my sons band has started giging and they have just got a gig at a big venue in a city in the next county to ours, its only a support slot but the head lining band have been featured on kerrang so its defiantly a big step up

The 'Recording Engineers' have done the final pull on the ethernet cable into the control room, just the plug ends to be crimped on and a hole to be drilled for entry into the house so the studio to be on broadband internet, the idea being to broadcast once a month a featured band performing an acoustic set. Also an 8 lead xlr snake was pulled through the ducts between the live room and control room as a start to creating a more professional looking studio, :D photos to follow when wall plate is fixed and connected.