Opinions: Should I bother with this space?

JCBigler wrote:

I'm a little bit confused now by some of your pictures. Some of them have two sloped wall/ceilings with one being quite a bit larger than the other. Some of the pictures only have one sloped wall. What's around the corner from the stairs on the far right of the picture with the curtains? Is that a walkway that goes to other bedrooms or something? A plan view with full dimensions would help to get a better idea of how to orient things, and also a section line view would help as well.

Thanks JC. Sorry for the confusion. The room with the slopes on opposite sides (actual photo) would be the performance space. I was standing at the existing door (actual photo). Is that the one you are referring to with the different slope sizes? Did you see the plan view image? It's in the opening post.

Those silver quilted curtains are not going to give you good acoustic isolation. They're meant for offices to cut down on some of the background noise and talking etc...Not to isolate for music or loud audio and especially won't do anything for low end.

Ok. Maybe better than nothing though?

Here is an updated plan view. Each square represents 1 foot. And man, this 1200 pixel rule is messing me up. :) And disregard all the junk in the room on the right (performance space). I'm just using it as a holding area for stuff I'm drawing.

Oohhh....Now I see the layout better. I thought the area labeled "attic" was the performance space. That's why I was confused. I see the area that you want to put the control room into now. Honestly, any way you arrange it, that's a really, really small control room area. Perhaps close off the hallway to the left of the stairs and turn the control room back facing the booth. then you'll have hard surfaces on both you rleft and right and a big open area behind you. You'll have to match the vertical angles of the left and right walls though. What's up with the big attic area (the one labeled 22'-2"x8'7")? is that usable at all?

I'm with JC on this: That's a very tiny space you have there, allocated to the control room, and not very practical. I can't see that it will be usable for a good control room due to the symmetry issues and treatment locations. Unless you fully enclose it, but then you have the problem that it becomes even tinier. Recommended volume for a control room is a minimum of 1,500 cubic feet, which implies something like 22' x 10' with an 8' ceiling. You can build successful control rooms in smaller spaces, yes, without a doubt (look through some of the builds on the forum to see those), but the smaller you make it, the harder it becomes to treat it. Aren't there any other places in the house where you could put the control room? That area you are thinking of at present would make a decent vocal booth or isolation booth, if enclosed... - Stuart -

Thanks guys. That's what I was afraid of. Just not a good spot. JC, the attic space you refer to is where the roof comes down. In the photo of the "performance space" it is what is to the left of the left knee wall.

I hope I'm not scaring you off! I don't want to be misunderstood, as I'm not saying that you can't use that space if you build walls around it: You certainly CAN use it. It just won't be ideal. As long as you are aware of the limitations, and can live with them, then it could still be used. If that's the only possible place that you have, then it sure is better than no place at all! Also, there may well be ways of enlarging the space: Would it be possible to knock down one or more of the walls around that area, and use all or part of other rooms? Could you extend the room backwards a bit, over the stair well, even if only for part of the height of the room? There are methods and techniques that might be applicable, depending on what your actual goal is here, and also on your budget. - Stuart -

To build on what Stuart said just because it's small, doesn't mean that the control room can't be used. I did a show this past spring, a remote broadcast of a live symphony concert. I was the live engineer, mixing the show in my sound booth in the large concert hall. But the broadcast engineer had a booth in their production truck. He had a space that was about 5 feet deep and 7 feet wide. Wasn't perfect, but they do a lot of work in that space. (Of course, there would have been a lot more space if it were for the giant Yamaha PM4000 analog console :roll: ) Here's a pic (I was literally standing in the doorway to take the picture):

That is indeed a tight space JC. As for walls, I prefer not to put walls up here. The primary function is a house. Studio is secondary. I don't want to make something that would be more undesirable for when I might want to sell the place. But I'm thinking on it. Another, and possibly better option -- if I want to spend the extra money to do it -- is to put a high shed roof over most of that attic space next to the performance space. The ceiling would likely get down to about 6.5 ft at the back, but it would be a space about 18'x8'.

The ceiling would likely get down to about 6.5 ft at the back, but it would be a space about 18'x8'.

That sounds like a much better option, especially if you want to isolate your sound from the rest of the house, so as not to disturb others. - Stuart -

Certainly something to think about. Thanks.

So what are your thoughts on the performance space? It's a bit tight also. No?

So what are your thoughts on the performance space? It's a bit tight also. No?

depends on what you want to do in there! If your performance is one or two musicians on acoustic guitars and vocals, then no problem. If your performance is a concert grand piano, or a string octet, or a ten person rock band, then I'd say you are out of luck. :) It also depends on the instruments, and the type of sound you are trying to capture. If you want to close mic everything, or use only electronic instruments, then once again there's no problem; your limit is as many people as you can fit into the space, with their gear. But if you are using ambient mics, stereo pairs, or looking to capture a rich room sound, then I don't see that happening in your space. For example, I doubt that acoustic drums would sound too good in that room, unless each piece was close mic'd and all the ambiance is added in the mix. But here to, its a matter of: "If that's the only room you have available, then it sure as hell is better than no room at all". It could be used, if you really need a room and that's all you have. It won't be Abbey Road, of course, but it can still be usable, if treated right and used sensibly. - Stuart -

That's what I was thinking too. Thanks very much for the insights guys.

My dad actually used to use that room as a recording studio in the 70's and 80's. He had a baby grand piano by the window, and a little drum booth to the left of the entry door. Wasn't great, but he did a lot of recording there. Slats Recording Studio was the name. The control room space was different, and smaller. He had a 4 track Scully 1/2 tape machine, and 4 Teletronix LA-2A compressors, and a Urei LA-3A also. No mixing desk, he had level control systems for each channel. Oh, and a Presto record lathe.