Hi Guys,
This is my first post, I have been reading the forum over the last month since I decided I need a studio space which is outside of our home.
I make bass-heavy electronic music (under the name Truth), as well as working on stuff for Film and Games. For the last couple of years I have just used a room in the house, treated very simply with some home-made panels on the walls.
My wife is sick of me using a room in the house for the studio, and we have a second child who is 10 months old, and ready to go into his own room.
I have decided to have a room built by a company who specializes in sleepouts/external offices. Two reasons for this. Local council rules state that I can build a structure with less than a 10m Sq internal footprint without having to get any consents. Also, cost is a factor, and this is the cheapest option, as I'm not so great at actually building stuff. When we eventually sell the house in 5-10 years, the studio will revert to a bedroom or home office.
I was going to do a little more research before posting, but I just got word the company I am using is ready to start framing up this week (I gave them the go-ahead on Friday and anticipated a wait of a few weeks).
I will start off by saying, I realize this is a small space, and I am used to bigger, but this is what I realistically can build with the space available, budget and council rules. My main question here (for now) relates to the ceiling angle, but feel free to chip in with anything else, or just to rip my ides to shreds! I'm not too sure about the fact the back wall is pretty much a wall of glass (Sliding door and opening window as per council rules), I'll obviously have super-thick curtains which I pull in front of this. I was also thinking I could mount a couple of the acoustic panels gobo-style and pull them across behind me when I am working.
So the question is, will the angle of ceiling make much of a difference? At the moment, the standard design has the ceiling starting at 2.2m in front of where I'll sit, and raising to 2.4m at the back. I can customize this to spec if it makes any difference, which I am assuming it will.
I was also thinking of making an angled panel suspended from the ceiling above where I sit, but I'm not too sure about what I'm doing there either.
Inside dimensions:
3.4m x 2.5m
Below are rough sketchups of approximately how I will set things up. All the traps will be removable when we eventually sell the house.
Thanks so much in advance!
Tristan
New Studio - modified sleepout - Question on Ceiling angle
Originally posted at johnlsayers.com, topic 19965.
Hi Tristan,
welcome aboard :D
That's exactly the ceiling you want. good news :D It means the first reflections above you will be bounced over the back of your head. Although, that's where they'll be hitting the glass and coming back at you.....given that it's quite a small room, that will be problematic.So the question is, will the angle of ceiling make much of a difference? At the moment, the standard design has the ceiling starting at 2.2m in front of where I'll sit, and raising to 2.4m at the back. I can customize this to spec if it makes any difference, which I am assuming it will.
I make bass-heavy electronic music
with these two points in mind, you must be aware that you won't be getting very good isolation. Bass heavy music and 'out of the box' construction don't play well together. So as long as your neighbours dig what you do this may not be a problem. As said by Andre: Studio construction is 90% planning and 10% building. It's worth putting the brakes on getting the build done at this point if you require any kind if isolation for your room. There are certain techniques that you'll need your construction company to use that I can guarantee they won't know of (or possibly care about). cheers, SteveI just got word the company I am using is ready to start framing up this week
Thanks Steve! Really appreciate the answer.
Good to hear the ceiling angle is about right. I can ask them to make it steeper, or adjust the height, if it makes any difference. Hopefully if I make some gobo panels to pull behind me while I work, this will mitigate some of the reflections from the back wall.
I'm painfully aware of the issue of isolation. I have been making music here for 2 years, and get on really well with the neighbours, who have never mentioned anything to me. Current room is in a 120 year old house with no insulation. That's a good start, however, the closest neighbour is old and sick, so unfortunately so might not be around too much longer. Maybe I'll get really rich soon and just buy the house off her :p
Currently this is what I have the people constructing the room doing:
Walls and ceiling are to be insulated with Pink Batts Acoustic Batts (2/3 of the way down this list http://www.pinkbatts.co.nz/assets/DataS ... -guide.pdf)
I have also specified that the gib plasterboard be fixed to the framing using metal battens, as in this guide: https://www.gib.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Pa ... ro-103.pdf
There's also a ceiling equivalent, which is on p9 of this brochure: http://www.gib.co.nz/assets/Library/All ... urePR4.pdf
I figured this would be the most effective way to try to isolate the inner leaf from the outer leaf, given my size constraints.
I have specified they must use 2 layers of plasterboard, offset by 600mm.
I have talked to the builder about the need to seal any intrusions, such as power points, to prevent as much sound loss as possible. I probably won't have any lighting installed in the ceiling, rather use lamps, to limit the number of perforations in the plasterboard.
I also appreciate that the above measures will only give me a relatively small reduction in noise transmission. The systems are designed for living spaces, not music studios.
I'm also concerned about sound transmission out through the floor. I have the highest rated insulation going in under the floor space (It's an expol polystyrene sheet). I'm wondering if using extra thick carpet underlay will make any difference (probably not).
I also have a kill pedal for my sub for if I work late, and also use a SubPac (http://thesubpac.com/) for monitoring my sub level when making bass music. Having 2 kids under the age of 5, I'm used to having to reduce the levels after about 5pm.
in those specs they say the 1st layer is unstopped. you'll need them to stop both layers otherwise you'll have the possibility of an air gap in the joi of the first layer.
They're also using a standard plasterboard. If possible and in your budget, gte them to use a 16mm fire rated plaster. Much better. called fyrchek in OZ but I'd think there's a comparatice product in NZ.
For cavity damping you're going to want a fibreglass batt around 30kg/m3 density. That table doesn't mentio weight. You'll want to check that out before proceeding.
Ideally you don't want any perforations in your plaster for power, except for the one mains inlet that is unavoidable. Surface mounting power/lighting is the way to go if possible. Inside out wall construction allows this.I probably won't have any lighting installed in the ceiling, rather use lamps, to limit the number of perforations in the plasterboard.
sounds like it will be an issue. what is the floor constructed from? Look, it sounds like you know that you aren't going to get great isolation from this type of construction. I know what it's like to want to get the build over the line, but with the money you're going to spend on this, you could achieve a better end result by putting the brakes on and doing a bit more homework....and probably not spend a lot more than you're probably about to. all the best, SteveI'm also concerned about sound transmission out through the floor.