New here...new project/design

Greetings all...I've been lurking on and off for a long time (best site on the web), finally joined as I am realizing one of my longtime dreams- to build a perm. studio/rehearsal spot in my free standing 2-car garage. I've been reading everyone's posts and great advice + the stickies, etc., and am looking for some input on my lilttle project. PROJECT: Freestanding 2-car garage conversion to recording/rehearsal space BUDGET: Rolling...$2000 to get structure secured (walling up garage door with cinderblock + 2 windows) and drywalled, then, rolling as needed...we plan on it taking a while... MEDIA: DAW- Mac G5 running Digital Performer 4 (4.6 soon) with Motu outgear, various pre-amps, etc. Also have a few Powerbooks with Reason, synths, etc. STRUCTURE: Concrete block/cement skin inside + outside...concrete floor...wood roof w/ asphalt shingle... DIMENSIONS: 20x20 box...roof starts @ 10 feet and pitches to a point @ 18ft- not A frame, the 4 sided variety... CONSTRUCTION/SOUNDPROOFING: We'll be attempting the room within a room technique. Double hung drywall with RC between it and the concrete walls of the structure. Bass traps, possibly, for 30 degree angled corners in live room. Rigid insulation, most likely, in walls... POWER: Recently put on it's own panel w/ 120 from the house. Home runs are going to light boxes hanging from celing beams + the 5 or so 4-gang outlet boxes... HEAT/COOL: We'll be adding an external heat/pump unit that is self contained, like the ones for mobile homes- where no return is needed inside, etc. We plan on running a few overhead ducts- 2 or 3- nothing intrusive... FLOORING: Will be looking at methods to get a subfloor of the ground a bit- mostly for moisture- not really concerned about noise pass through. Main room will get laminate floor - iso room will get carpet. MUSIC: (the important part!) We're basically a 5-piece rock band- Zappa meets the Pixies and the Beachboys. We're loud with big half stacks and three-part harmonies, but, go to soft and quiet w/ keys and electronica at times. That aside, the way we rehearse and record will be very similar in the new space- in-ear monitors for everyone, so, rehearsals will be relatively quiet...we usually record w/ PODs and headphones, keeping only the drums and a scratch guitar/vocal. ROUGH, ROUGH, ROUGH FLOOR PLAN: So...the reason for the big live room and iso room w/ amps in it (+ for vocals) is: we will be performing live with in-ears, thus, rehearsing that way. The 3 guitar rigs will go in the iso room and get mic's/line-out to a mixer, etc. Same with the bass, keys, vocals. Drummer will not have to play as loud and we'll all save our old, beaten down ears. We'll keep the same basic set-up for tracking- we all play physically in the live room, the noise is just in the iso room, save for the drums and bass. Once we start tracking, drums get broken down, DAW system will get moved to face North in the center of room bewteen the 2 30 degree walls. We're pretty set on the iso room for amps/vocal tracking w/ big live room containing the DAW set-up, but, of course, we are anxious to get feedback and suggestions...! Thanks in advance! - Al

baltimore_al wrote:

. . . I am realizing one of my longtime dreams- to build a perm. studio/rehearsal spot in my free standing 2-car garage.

Thanks for sharing your dream with us! We will now proceed to shatter it piece by piece. :lol: Naw, jus' kiddin'... ;)

Concrete block/cement skin inside + outside...

Do you know if the blocks are filled? (I would imagine they are not.)

wood roof w/ asphalt shingle...

Do you have a finished ceiling? Do you have pictures of the existing space, inside and out?

We'll be attempting the room within a room technique. Double hung drywall with RC between it and the concrete walls of the structure.

With live drums, and all your square footage, why not consider separate frames for your inner leaf? :? The performance, especially at low end, will be far superior to hanging drywall on RC. Lots.

We'll be adding an external heat/pump unit that is self contained, like the ones for mobile homes- where no return is needed inside, etc.

I think code will require a fresh air intake. :roll:

Will be looking at methods to get a subfloor of the ground a bit- mostly for moisture- not really concerned about noise pass through. Main room will get laminate floor - iso room will get carpet.

I would think you wouldn't need an actual air gap to achieve this -- a floor seal would probably do the job. Then you wouldn't end up with a thin resonating inner leaf floor. :evil: That's all I have at this point. I'm sure others will have comments on these areas and others that I passed. :) --Keith

Excellent...thanks for the reply! 1) Do you know if the blocks are filled? I have yet to purchase them- I'll be doing the wall-up myself- it is replacing the garage door. So, I can fill them with sand if that is recommded for my situation + I can seal them on either side w/ paint/moisture sealant, etc... 2) Do you have a finished ceiling? The ceiling is unfinished- all options are open. We like the aspect of a high ceiling, but, acoustics take top priority... 3) Do you have pictures of the existing space, inside and out? I shall take some tonight/tomorrow...at present, the inside is FILLED w/ junk, however... 4) Why not consider separate frames for your inner leaf? I'm not that well versed (read: not at all) on how to accomplish that. Would that entail using rubber pucks between the inner drywall walls and the concrete walls of the building, or, just making the inner walls sit 2-4 inches away from the concrete walls? 5) I think code will require a fresh air intake. I don't believe that mine does for outbuildings...my electrician friend is checking on that. If it does, we'll move the unit to the front of the building, right of the door and have the intake inside where the utility closet is. 6) I would think you wouldn't need an actual air gap to achieve this -- a floor seal would probably do the job. Awesome...makes sense and is cheaper. I am a total newb at this type of construction and really appreciate yours and the rest of the folks here's expert opinions. - Al