Soundmark Studio Construct March 2006

Happy Memorial Day...back to work. Got the Top of ISO B painted...around the Sonex. Also installed hangers for floor level treatments in ISO B. Got 2 - 8 x 5 2" thick wool carpets setup for hanging in the ISO. Also got a big ol mirror in the bath hung. The lead singers are gonna love that one. And a second coat of paint over the primer in the bath. And 5:00 came so fast it felt like noon.

Daily Planet wrote:

Got 2 - 8 x 5 2" thick wool carpets setup for hanging in the ISO.

Carpets? :shock: I thought hanging carpet was universally rejected around here, due to flammability and hygiene (among other things)... :roll:

Well if you smoke or stink- you arent going in the ISO.

Keith, that's more normal carpets; wool isn't as flammable IIRC, plus a 2" thick carpet should do some serious damage to a wider range of freq's than foam will - Mark, sorry I've not had much time lately, looks like you're churnin' and burnin", and since you've consistently been pretty sure of what you were doing I didn't think you were looking for much help. You've made a few choices differently than I would have; not necessarily wrong, just different - I'll be curious to see what your isolation between rooms is like when doors/seals, etc, are in place... Steve

Glad to have you back Keith...seems like you have been busy mate! The best always are... I don't know about being too sure about knowing what I am doing...the older I get, the less I seem to know. The more I think I know, the more stupid I seem. On the subject of seals & doors, were almost there, but not quite done yet. The ISO treatments are not done either...but I'll get you a full report soon. But I think I have an issue I am going to have to deal with in my control room B...this is the room below. < 13'9" x 16'9" x 12' high > The room sounds pretty good with just a set on nearfields...but my mix position is dead between these two glass sliding patio doors. They are parallel to each other. Bad design flaw on my part. The visablity into the B studio on the left and the B ISO on the right is super. But there is a sonic buildup around 160/540 and a dip between 2k and 7k that goes away when I put 4x8 absorbers in front of the glass on both sides. I am brainstorming a few ideas, but now that I am done with the buildout, I am pretty limited in what I can do. Any ideas? I have thought of spinning my axis in my room to change the parallel - but that has some layout drawbacks... I have thought of various treatments over the glass- even on a track or wheels that could slide out of the way of the doors, while tracking, but that has drawbacks too. I guess all this speed in buildout may have caught up with me, and I regret slapping these in parallel at this juncture, but if you have any thoughts about a solution for this buildup that would not kill my visual communication with the studio & ISO, I'm all ears. I need some good ideas...

'Bout 5 minutes left before work, but here's one thought - http://www.rpginc.com/products/clearsorber/index.htm Have NOT tried these, don't even know how expensive they are, but if you were to put one on each side of the mix position and ANGLED, they should also provide some flutter control... Steve

I told everyone I was going to have to get some clients in before the studio was done. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last three weeks. I setup the Control B room temporarily and stuffed the corners with 4'deep of 703. I tied in Studio A (across the hall) into this control room and have begun recording. Tracked a 17 person orchestra, 5 days of drum kit, guitars, and vocals. No permanent treatments up yet; but I really like the sound of my A studio. I swear I can hear at least an octave - if not more, below what I could hear in my other room. Really helps with the lower instruments in the ensemble. The Drum Kit sounds good in that room...I like it a lot. HVAC is quiet, no electric or ground issues. We are slowly working around the studios to finish things, between sessions. We got the double sliding door up between Studio/Control B. Works pretty well, considering its not finished- at least 45 db separation now and were not finished sealing it yet. Got some drywall patches to do, all the acoustic treatment/fabric installs, Bass traps to build, some electrical, the bathroom fan install, a few more doors, all the threshold and perimeter sound seals on the doors, etc, etc. I'll get some pix up soon.

Wow, must be hard to work in a half-finished construction zone! But, money coming in must be nice. Nice logo! 8) Now make a smaller version and change your avatar to it! :-) (Not that there's anything wrong with the lil' tyke...) --Keith :mrgreen:

Tracking in a studio under construction - well, it was a bit nerve-wracking to start with-unsure-ity, until I developed a trust relationship with the rooms. I was expecting them to be really loose and woofy-BUT the rooms are really cool and dont sound bad at all. Actually-considering I havent done anything yet, I think they sound pretty good. Not "Hidley" good, but a lot better than some castle in the middle of nowhere. ----so now I need to change my name from Daily Planet to "Soundmark"- how do I do that, huh?

I don't know if that's possible. Maybe the mods can do it for you. Otherwise, they maybe can give you a custom title (like mine, "mere mortal"). --Keith :mrgreen:

I dont recommend starting sessions before your studio is done- however it can be fun once you relax a bit. Again a very temporary setup in Control Room B.

I designed the room for 12- 17 showed up. They forgot their chairs too. Recording sounds nice.

I am especially happy with this room with drums. When the room gets properly treated, I am gonna be even happier methinks.

Very cool; 8) Happy is a word we all like to see here... :lol: Steve

I have the door seals on order-should be here soon. Got some more drywall to finish and absorbtion to install and the Ill give you a full report. Great to see you around here Steve!

Look! A studio!!! With PEOPLE! 8) --Keith :mrgreen:

You can take the people out of the studio- But you cant take the studio out of the people.

Be interesting to hear your isolation results. I know looking back at your previous posts there where a few grumblings by people here about some of your construction methods. Can you let us know what the between room isolation is like? Thanks JG

Testing---All in good time...shoot - some people take a few years to get the rock up!

I know what you mean - I spent a year doing my room and it's just about done. There are others on the site that had started there rooms when I joined and are still no where near finishing. Shit takes time when you do it yourself - my rooms tiny and I reckon I have put over 300 hours into it myself!! JG

Hey Daily Planet & John, I was just curious...So far, what has taken the MOST time to do? Also, which item that you've done has been the LEAST desireable?

Everything seems to take time. General rule in building a studio seems to be allow three times as long and three times the money. That's exactly what happened to me!!!JohnG

I guess I've got "hefty" expectations! :shock: I'll be starting on the "little stuff" (checking/sealing up ductwork, wrapping pipes etc etc) in about 2 weeks. The "BIG" stuff starts after that (about 1st-2nd week of August) I'm hoping to be done by Thanksgiving. It will be interesting to see where the biggest holdup will come... Thanx for the info

Stan, If I could rewind and start this again, I might do a few things differently, but what was important for me was having an "operational" facility by mid summer. Now I have that and Im in a construction zone. The triple time/$ measure Peel offered is something serious to consider-hard to swallow-but realistic. But this studio is mine and in a layout workflow that I prefer, and that means a lot to me. However, all this time/ planning /money /and nights away from the family underscores the value of studio time, and if I had half a brain, I'd rent out some awesome studio to produce in, and probably spend less. But if I had a brain, I wouldnt be in audio either. Fast Forward to September 2006 - Construction of Acoustic Shell in Control Room B...2 x 4 "Thermafiber" panels.

Stan, To answer your question about what part I liked the least: Whatever I'm doing right now! First it was the demolition and cleaning out of the building I bought. Then I went on to framing. It was fun for the first three walls of the first room. Drywalling seemed like a god-send until the 3rd or 4th sheet of 5/8th on the ceiling (again, of the first room). Then texturing, then wall painting, then trim work... I think a big part of the distaste I developed at each stage along the way was how long it was taking (I've been building for almost a year now). It seems like I'll never get back to making music. This is especially true with the 2nd layer of drywall (because it looks just like the first), and the trim work/detailing because you spend soooooo much time but can't really see much progress. I think I would argue with the triple time/$ figure. In my case at least, I'd say 4 or 5 times is closer to reality. It's not really the "big" things either (like 2x4x and drywall). It's the little stuff that nickel and dimes you (and your budget to death). len