Personal Studio Space

Hi All, Once again Great Site!This is the space I have to work with and I'm wondering about treatment monitor placement etc....It's in a house in Europe and the wall are made of brick covered in smooth plaster (not gyp rock).As they're brick, moving the walls isn't really an option (I know the parallels are very bad),however I can do construction around them for treatment, traps etc....The window looking into the tracking room can be angled to minimize reflections.The drawing isn't to scale (not that good at the program yet) but I've put in the measurements which are in meters.I'm sure I'm forgetting alot of needed info,so let me know what and I'll fill it in. Thanks in advance for any help...being in Eastern Europe it's a bit hard to come by acoustics experts. Cheers, Chris

Chris - looks like you have a good sized area - a 6m control room is great. I've drawn it to scale and the door measurement doesn't work, could you check it. BTW - my ex came from Warsaw - she jumped ship back in 82 into Berlin and was granted Australian citizenship. cheers john

Chris - looks like you have a good sized area - a 6m control room is great. I've drawn it to scale and the door measurement doesn't work, could you check it. BTW - my ex came from Warsaw - she jumped ship back in 82 into Berlin and was granted Australian citizenship. cheers john

Thanks for the reply John,I'll double check the measurements....but I'm not sure what exactly you mean?The measurement from the back of the control to the door seems off or...?Sorry I'm not following.I'm sure your ex must be easy on the eyes as that seems to be the trend of woman of here.Not that it makes any difference but I'm actually a Canadian living over here...just a little background. Thanks for your help. Chris

Ahh ....nevermind I follow ya.The 4.41 and 1.20 measurements are correct (my late night math is off) So I don't have a great 6m control room.... I have a hopefully almost as great 5.61m control room. Cheers, Chris

Hi Again, Just one more thing that's probably of importance.The desk I have in the picture is a custom made procontrol/compter monitors stand as well as racks.It is 2.30m wide by 1.30m deep,I figure this is important as the 2.30 width doesn't leave a lot of room on either side for treatments (75 cm per side I guess).I also would prefer to be able to get around the back of it which will also mean squeezing through one of the sides.Hope this makes sense. Chris

Chris - what are you intending to record - do you need a big tracking room?? could you take say 3/4 of the large room and put a control room there and use the other 1/4 as a booth and your existing control room as a tracking room?? That would solve your room/console width problem. cheers john

Well I do mainly pop rock stuff (mostly overdubs,not tracked with many players at once) but I need a fair size room for drums and my piano.How much room do I need width wise to do it right? I can maybe move the wall between the control and tracking rooms a bit. Cheers, Chris

I was thinking along this line; the console is 2.3m wide to scale. The drum kit is 8 feet (2.4m) wide also cheers john

Hmm...I think that would be a little small for my tracking room.I've got a grand piano as well as the drum kit.What do you think about moving the wall between the tracking and control room a bit and (because it's getting moved ) angling it also to break up a bit of the parallels a bit?Honestly I was also hoping not to build as many walls but use treatment to make things at least workable.I am interested in soffit mounting my moniters mind you. I appreciate your help. Chris

If it's being moved take the wall out completely - the only new walls are the two between the control room and the studio. The rest is acoustic treatment such as the soffit mount etc. You could always build small booth into the right bottom corner. cheers John

I'm not really concerned with a vocal booth the vocals are never done with another player playing so I usually just do them in the bigger room with some gobos if needed (and because it's in a house I do have access to another small room that could be a booth if really needed).About the wall... where would you put it to make just two rooms like it is now?Maybe like your last design minus the booth to make a bigger tracking space? Thanks, Chris

Maybe like your last design minus the booth to make a bigger tracking space?

exactly - decent sized control room and a good sized studio. :wink: cheers john

Ok I'll have to check a few things and then I think I'll go this route.How long would you suggest as a minimum for the tracking room? Thanks John, Chris

I'd aim for a 6m control room leaving a 5.4m studio. The minimum control room length would be 5.4m with a 6m studio. cheers john

Hi John, Things may have suddenly changed for the better (as in a little larger space)....When I know for sure I'll fill you in with the details.So hold that thought! Thanks so much for the input thus far. CHris

Hi John, A quick question for ya...in a big garage (peak roof)type scenario if you had an option, would you make the ceiling in the tracking room go up to the peak?I'm thinking something like the Carriage house studio on your site. Thanks, Chris

Yes mate - use all the height you can get - in most basement studios the ceiling is the closest wall :):) cheers john

Hi John, Ok here's the new space...I did quick drawing to get your opinion (I think it's kind of to scale).The main things I want to try and do is have a good size control room, as large as possible tracking room, a vocal/drum booth (only for use as drum booth when I need the isolation... which isn't too often as most stuff i do is overdubs,drums will usually be in the big room),and a bathroom/storage area. Can you let me know if I'm kind of on the right track?I know the angles are probably not right (not sure how to do that) but it's a start. Thanks, Chris

Now that's a nice space mate- similar to this space at Left Bank:) cheers john

Yes it's a nice size....I did notice the similar dimensions to left bank but for my uses I would rather keep a larger recording space and not take up the room with that many booths and a lounge etc... I'm kind of a one man show (producer/engineer) and it's not a commercial facility, mostly just me and when I need some players I get them but rarely is there more than one player recording at a time.My current place is just a control room and tracking room and it's works geat for my needs, however I thought one booth would be handy for the rare time I want to track a piano player and drummer at the same time. So for my needs what do you think of the use of space?I'd love to hear you input. Cheers, Chris

SO for that RARE occassion you would track a piano and a drummer, you sacrifice isolation for all the bleed you will get when you record that piano and drummer in the SAME room?? Bryan Giles Even being a one man show, I'd build the Left Bank plan if I had the space. Never know what can happen. Better to be prepared than to regret it later.

Thanks Bryan :D :D I'll get a recording off Armeril next tuesday when I'm at the studio of - piano, drums, bass and the singer all in the piano room together - sounds cool :wink: Chris - the lounge area won't fit on your plan, in left bank it's a store room for gear and the odd sax player who wants to sit in. cheers John

"SO for that RARE occassion you would track a piano and a drummer, you sacrifice isolation for all the bleed you will get when you record that piano and drummer in the SAME room??" I think you misunderstood me....Currently I'm working without a drumbooth,however in this new plan I do want to put one in, a drum booth that can double as a vocal booth (piano will be in the big room).I just don't need to do a lounge or to have a seperate vocal booth as well as drum booth is what I meant.I agree with you about being prepared...but I thought quite alot about it and I really enjoy having the large tracking room, (as I've had now for the last 4 years) it's great for drums and strings that I do quite frequently.I will probably also build some amp closets so I could do a live band with a guitar or two if need be,(bass is usually done in the control room direct and reamped later).Again it will never be used as a commercial studio. Just wanted to clarify....I do really appreciate the input. Cheers, Chris

You're right about the lounge John he's got about an extra meter than me.I think my entrance needs work as it would be better to have larger doors for load ins.Back to the drawing board... Chris