Free standing studio on property

Hello all, After lurking here for weeks reading until my brain's on the verge of exploding, I decided to sign up and give some details on my project. Overview, The studio will be a free standing building on the property next to the house. The goal is to record loud modern rock at the latest hours possible. The interstate is about 100 yards from the spot where it will be built, and there is only one neighbor, approximately 40 feet from it. We lucked out with only having one neighbor anywhere close, but they are really close. The budget on this is tricky, since my partner's father is a contractor and has access to a bunch of "overstock" building material. We may be able to squeeze way more than we can really afford into the building process. Cash money, we have about 5 grand we can drop on it. We also have access to enough ceramic tile to do all the floors for free. (this will end up being one of my questions at the bottom.) The largest dimensions the building can occupy will be 22' x 34' with the ceiling height negotiable up to 12'. (these dimensions are total available area for foundation, not interior dimensions. Also, there will more than likely have to be a support beam in the middle of the building. We do not have access to friends in the cement industry, nor the budget, so the foundation will have to be a crawl space. Our preference so far is to do a one room situation with the desk at one end of the room, and get a tonal balance suitable enough for mixing and tracking in the single room. After having the experience working in this type of environment, I'm really enjoying the freedom it brings despite obvious trade offs. Whew, I hope I got everything in compliance here. Now on to the questions I suppose. 1. Will ceramic tile work for the floors? 2. What shape or use of the dimensions available are best to get a good tonal balance between tracking and mixing in the same room? 3. With the one neighbor that close, do we have a prayer with our budget at all? Most of the lumber we'll get for free, so I'm talking insulation, sheetrock, etc. We've already started digging footers for the foundation, but construction will be holding off until planning is final. I don't like to paint myself into corners if I can help it. I hope I've provided enough information to get this thread off on the right start. Thanks in advance for any help in the matter.

Aloha and welcome to the forum,

The goal is to record loud modern rock at the latest hours possible. The interstate is about 100 yards from the spot where it will be built, and there is only one neighbor, approximately 40 feet from it. We lucked out with only having one neighbor anywhere close, but they are really close.

Isolation is what you're looking for here. Perhaps a search on the topic of "m-a-m" (mass-air-mass/mass-spring-mass) or "isolation" would prove fruitful.

The budget on this is tricky, since my partner's father is a contractor and has access to a bunch of "overstock" building material. We may be able to squeeze way more than we can really afford into the building process. Cash money, we have about 5 grand we can drop on it.

That's great! :wink: You will need all the appropriate "overstock" you can get. :shock:

The largest dimensions the building can occupy will be 22' x 34' with the ceiling height negotiable up to 12'. (these dimensions are total available area for foundation, not interior dimensions. Also, there will more than likely have to be a support beam in the middle of the building.

That'll make a nice sized room.

1. Will ceramic tile work for the floors?

It's pretty hard on the feet/legs/back after those long sessions, (don't drop your coffee cup!) and will create a really "live sound." You will need to tame those reflections with acoustic treatments. BTW, most of the treatments described here on the forum call for 2"- 3" semi rigid fiberglass or mineral wool @ 2.5 pcf. (Owens Corning 703, Roxul AFB, or equivalents)

2. What shape or use of the dimensions available are best to get a good tonal balance between tracking and mixing in the same room?

Tough call, as each room/application calls for a different design. (Any possibility of reconsidering a control room/live room/iso room approach? You've got the room...)

3. With the one neighbor that close, do we have a prayer with our budget at all? Most of the lumber we'll get for free, so I'm talking insulation, sheetrock, etc.

If you're taking that approach, here's a few links and diagrams that might be helpful in getting an idea of what your up against. http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2125 http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1168 Don't forget to address the sub floor TL requirements since you're not on a slab, and be sure that your flooring can support the extra weight of multiple layers of materials, as well as musicians, studio equipment, etc.

We've already started digging footers for the foundation, but construction will be holding off until planning is final. I don't like to paint myself into corners if I can help it.

Wise decision. :wink: The fact that you're here now before your studio goes up is definately in your favor. Looking forward to your build. Aloha 8)

Thanks for the reply Kendale, The one room thing is something that I really started to fall in love with when I realized I couldn't trust what was coming out of the monitors during setup unless I played it back. The slight rumble through the walls that is present even slightly lies to me and makes me think I have a much bigger sound that I really do. Since my new rule is "only trust the playback", and the one room seems to give me more freedom and allow me to work faster, I'm pretty keen on this approach. That, and the studio room will also have to double as a rehearsal space for two bands. My logic tells me that a good mixing environment would also be good for tracking heavier styles of music since everything is tracked pretty dry upfront. If I'm being naive about this, feel free to point that out or give me insight. We'll probably scrap the tile idea if you think it would cost more to treat the room that it would to just buy the hardwood. There's no way we can afford a slab, but man I wish we could. The way I'm hoping this will go on the forum is help with each phase of the building. We'll start with the main floor and framing next week or so, so the best way to go about the shell itself would be really helpful. Since it's step one, I want to do it right. Is it fine if the shell is built as a rectangle, and the walls are angled within the room? We're going to go with the double walls, with a leaf on the inside of the room wall and the outside of the exterior wall like in the diagram you gave me. The thing I understand the least so far are ceilings. We're going to slope the ceiling with the lowest part being at the mix position, increasing by about two feet to the rear of the room. Anything I need to watch out for in the initial framing of the outer shell? I suppose despite all the research I'm doing right now for all the fine details, that's my main question as of now. I have to run to dinner with the fiancee right now (not have to, get to), but I'll return later and try and provide some more details of what we're going for. The dad that's helping with the project is actually in a mad hurry to get it done. I'm putting it off the best I can, but I don't want to blow the free help and supplies. He wants to tear down a large shed that's currently being used for a rehearsal space. So I suppose I'm starting to have a deadline enforced on me.