Small Composing studio build (basement)

Hi all! This is my first post on the forum :). I decided to move my (currently) hobby composing and daily job environment to a dedicated place. (I usually create orchestral/choir /world/film music with my HQ samples. ) This would be a basement with solid brick walls, unique layout and a 1meter ferro concrete cube (with small iron door) in the top of the corner. -> picture1 I would like to ask your opinion about the ceiling height, and the acoustic treatments mostly, but every single idea or suggestion welcomed! The basement is will be rented from September/October. I just want a little reconditioning (some restoration, painting). The walls are brick walls and I will put Vinyl Flooring and only acoustic treatment. (isolation not requied). My budget only for this no more than $1200. (the equipments, computers has other budget and will build/buy september) As you can see in the pictures, the ”MainAREA” would be a 3,91m Long and 2,47m wide place in the center of the basement and the speakers will be placed into the ”setback”, which has different length side walls. Would be useful to extend the left shorter side wall to will be to equal length (1,48m) of the right side wall? What do you think? (All sizes on the picture2) The basement total Height is 3,1m. I would like to down this a bit above the MainAREA. (In other areas I will add materials (canvas) casually as ceiling. I don’t know what would be the best height because the RoomRatio calcs and other stuffs isn’t work very well in this case. So what do you think, the 2,6m should work well or little lower/higher? The ceiling will be drywall above the MainAREA. Other important question is the acoustic Treatment. I know this place never gives me flat response and MIXstudio quality but I would like a good sounding place as possible. I add virtually Bass traps and absorption panels into the front wall and the setback side and absorption panels to the back wall. However, it’s possible that I will have more problem on the rear wall with Bass? So maybe should change the absorptions to Bass traps, or each is useful? (see picture3) Of course a little absorption would be necessary outside the MainAREA to the first reflection points!? Suddenly, that’s it. Of course once the works begins the real pictures will coming. Until then I will be excitedly looking forward your ideas and comments! :) Thank you! Yours Sincerely BrianHaja

I'm still looking forward your tips and ideas about my future studio. We will start to work on it next week, so until then I would like to know that what do you think about the ceiling height and the (main area) Left wall extension and of course every single idea welcomed! Thanks in advance! BrianHaja

Hi Brian, and welcome to the forum! :) Sorry about the delay in respond: lots of stuff going on at present! So just a few brief comments on your thread:

and a 1meter ferro concrete cube (with small iron door)

What is that thing?? Do you need access to it once the studio is finished, or can it be covered over?

and the speakers will be placed into the ”setback”, which has different length side walls.

That's not a good idea at all. Symmetry is very important for an accurate stereo image, good sound-stage, and identical response on left and right speakers. With that layout, you'd also have first reflection issues, diffraction on wall edges, no space for treatment, etc. I think your best option is to rotate the room layout 90° to the right, so you are facing the "cube", and then work out some way of fixing up that front wall so it is basically a single flat surface. Maybe a simple wood frame with some drywall on it. That still won't be ideal for symmetry, but will be better than the "setback" alcove idea.

Would be useful to extend the left shorter side wall to will be to equal length (1,48m) of the right side wall? What do you think?

Yes, but with the new layout rotate 90°: Extend the left wall back a bit there, to improve symmetry in the front half of the room.

So what do you think, the 2,6m should work well or little lower/higher?

I don't have time to work out the best height right now, but if you rotate the room as I outlined above then I think it will be close enough to rectangular that you can use any good room mode calculator to figure out roughly what would work. It won't be accurate, of course, but will get you to a reasonable solution.

Other important question is the acoustic Treatment.

I would go with the "standard" treatment: diagonal bass traps across the front corners, treatment on first reflection points and also between the speakers and the front wall, a cloud overhead, thick absorption across the entire rear wall, spaced away from the wall, etc. That would be my basic plan. - Stuart -