Help design a basement studio

I want to build a simple home studio in my basement for my own enjoyment. I have no plans to do anything commercial or for others - just for myself. My setup is a fairly simple pc based system running Sonar. I am primarily a guitarist/singer and play a little keys. I record guitars and keys direct and use drum samples, so other than maybe for vocals, I don't believe I need a isolation booth. I am not sure I even need a vocal booth? Right now, this area is also a rehearsal room for my band, so I will have amps and drums in there also... but I don't plan on recording the band. that could happen, but I don't want to build for that. I recently moved. My old "studio" was TINY, aprox 9' x 9' !! So anything is going to be a big improvement for me. I want decent room acoustics, but comfort is very important to me. I want this to be a fun relaxing place to get away. Here is a drawing of the space I have available to work with. The red lines are non-existing walls that I thought might be the right thing to do? This will at least give you an idea of what I am thinking. The red rectangle in the middle of the room is aproximatley where I thought my desk would go. This is 1/2 of my basement. The other half is two finished rooms which in this picture would fall below this space. So the bottom wall in this picture is wood studs and sheetrock. The other walls and floor are bare concrete. As you can see there is a furnace and water-heater that I must work around. My goal is to only use about 2/3 of this space and leave a storage/utility room on the other end. I would like to put a wall up dividing the area about where the furnace is, maybe about 20-21' X 14'. I will box in the water heater and furnace and have to work around a drainpipe and a 4" drain in the floor.. The area I call a concrete-closet is an indentation - a sunken place in the wall from having a fireplace directly above it. I thought it might make for a vocal booth or a closet of some kind? The ceiling is aprox 7'10" high and is exposed 2x10' joists. I do have some duct work to work around also. It goes from the furnace along the wall where the double-doors are all the way over to the wall by the fuse-box. It is aprox 3' over from the wall. My current monitor setup is a set of Tannoy Reveals. I notice that in most plans, you have speakers built into the walls. I know nothing about doing that, but am interested in finding out how to do that. I know this will cost some money. I was hoping to spend less than $2000, but I really don't know what a project like this will run. I thought a drop ceiling would make more sense so I can have access to wiring and pipes, etc. is there a reason I don't want to do that? What about flooring? Carpet would give me a warmer cozier feel, but is that the right thing to do? Like I said, I want this to be a decent sounding room for mixing, but also want it to be very comfortable. Is that realistic? Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated!

Sorry, the measurement for the left wall got cutoff. It's 14'. Thanks

Aloha Strat, Perhaps something like this for starters? (acoustic treatments to follow) Aloha 8)

Aloha, Perhaps some of the reasonings "why" might be helpful. In Rod Gervais’ book “Build it Like the Pros,” he points out both L.W.Sepmeyer’s & M.M. Louden’s formulas most widely used in professional studios worldwide. He also notes that the orders listed are (top to bottom) the first to third best ratios in both cases. M.M. Louden Height Width Length 1.00 1.40 1.90 7’10” 10’9” 14’8”

I thought a drop ceiling would make more sense so I can have access to wiring and pipes, etc. is there a reason I don't want to do that?

While offering access to pipes/wiring, drop ceilings have been known to rattle a bit on certain freq's from time to time. They also provide little to no TL benefits. This route would seem to result in wasted time, energy and $$$.

What about flooring? Carpet would give me a warmer cozier feel, but is that the right thing to do? Like I said, I want this to be a decent sounding room for mixing, but also want it to be very comfortable.

Carpets tend to absorb mostly hi-mid to high freqs, resulting in an uneven response. Most of the treatments described here (RSD) would lean towards a hardwood floor with wall/ceiling absorption, which can provide a smoother response overall (provided they're done properly). If needed, area rugs can be put down to further tailor your live to dead ratio. Another couple of benefits are that it's easier for your chair/equipment/racks to roll around on hardwood floors, and it's easier to clean. Hope this helps, Aloha 8)

kendale wrote:

Aloha, Perhaps some of the reasonings "why" might be helpful. In Rod Gervais’ book “Build it Like the Pros,” he points out both L.W.Sepmeyer’s & M.M. Louden’s formulas most widely used in professional studios worldwide. He also notes that the orders listed are (top to bottom) the first to third best ratios in both cases. M.M. Louden Height Width Length 1.00 1.40 1.90 7’10” 10’9” 14’8”

I thought a drop ceiling would make more sense so I can have access to wiring and pipes, etc. is there a reason I don't want to do that?

While offering access to pipes/wiring, drop ceilings have been known to rattle a bit on certain freq's from time to time. They also provide little to no TL benefits. This route would seem to result in wasted time, energy and $$$.

What about flooring? Carpet would give me a warmer cozier feel, but is that the right thing to do? Like I said, I want this to be a decent sounding room for mixing, but also want it to be very comfortable.

Carpets tend to absorb mostly hi-mid to high freqs, resulting in an uneven response. Most of the treatments described here (RSD) would lean towards a hardwood floor with wall/ceiling absorption, which can provide a smoother response overall (provided they're done properly). If needed, area rugs can be put down to further tailor your live to dead ratio. Another couple of benefits are that it's easier for your chair/equipment/racks to roll around on hardwood floors, and it's easier to clean. Hope this helps, Aloha 8)

First let me say a big THANK YOU for taking the time to help me think through this process and offer your guidance! I really do appreciate it. I've read a lot on this site and have no doubts at all that the suggestions here are ones that would get me as close to the perfect setup based on accepted practices and proven designs. One question I have is how much wiggle room do I have to balance the "perfect" design acoustically vs comfort and practicality for my needs? Like I mentioned, I need this space to be available for band rehearsals also. I imagine that poses a real dilema when considering what works best for a mixing enviroment. One thing that concerns me right away is that to get this perfect HWL ratio, I have to cut down my available useable space. I'm not sure I could get my band in that space. If I were able to spin your design around and make it longer and wider to allow more room space, would that throw off the ratios to a point that it would not be controllable acoustically? I was thinking about a 14'x19' WL. Based on your HWL requirements, the height would be way off... That would also mean eliminating the isolation room you designed, but do I really need that given that I plan to record guitars and keys direct and wont be recording live drums? the only signal I will record that needs room treament will be vocals....? Also, I've read lot's of different opinions on whether or not to soffit mount my monitors. I know my Tannoys are not designed for that. Should I use them as nearfield desktop monitors and buy something else to wall mount? When you build the room corners, can that space be used at all for storage? Could it be accessed via a door of somekind? Sorry if these sound like silly questions. I just have a real need to make this space practical and usable. Help me think through this all rationally! Am I crazy to think this room could serve mutiple purposes and still get reasonable results? thanks so much

Also, is the space on the right, behind the wall and between the studio wall and the concrete wall accessable? Could I have a door to access that area for storage and to get to the fuse box??? Thanks!

One more thought.. My band plays a LOT. We rehearse only occassionally to learn new songs. We have been averaging only practicing about once every 2 or 3 months (we often just learn songs on the job..). That said, I think we could work around the studio and just have band practice in the family room and just set up and tear down when we rehearse. So I can just build the studio to be a studio. That said, I would still like to think through whether or not I need an iso room. If not, wouldn't it be best to make the main mixing room as big as possible? Would something more like this be possible (or practical)? It's not symetrical - how crucial is that? thanks

Aloha Strat,

Also, is the space on the right, behind the wall and between the studio wall and the concrete wall accessable? Could I have a door to access that area for storage and to get to the fuse box???

Yes, that can be done.

My band plays a LOT. We rehearse only occassionally to learn new songs. We have been averaging only practicing about once every 2 or 3 months (we often just learn songs on the job..). That said, I think we could work around the studio and just have band practice in the family room and just set up and tear down when we rehearse.

If you eliminate the iso room, would the remaining space be suitable for your rehearsals?

That said, I would still like to think through whether or not I need an iso room. If not, wouldn't it be best to make the main mixing room as big as possible?

Having a large control room does make for a comfortable gathering place, but I wouldn't sacrifice symmetry and the other factors affecting your room response purely for size alone.

Would something more like this be possible (or practical)? It's not symetrical - how crucial is that?

Left/right room symmetry (at least within a foot or two of ear height) is important for good stereo imaging. Perhaps something more like this, then? (acoustic treatments to follow) Aloha 8)

That is more what I was thinking. My band can rehearse in another place in the house, so we dont need to factor that in. I need the other part of the unfinished side of my basement for storage and access to the furnace, etc. One question about soffit mounting speakers.. I'm not sure I want to do that. It sounds like something that needs to be perfect to be more effective than just having my standing nearfields on stands or on my desk? Maybe I can do both, but if I choose to not soffit mount, will that change the design? Would I still want to have the wall angles the same? Also, and this is not a deal-breaker, but it looks like your latest plan would require blocking in one of the double doors? Any way around that? Any creative ideas on how to utilize that "concrete closet" on the back wall - that is the space I described that is below a fireplace and is an indent in the concrete wall. I believe it's about 2'x4'. I could make it a closet or somehow work with it to make a vocal booth. In a room like this, do I need a vocal booth?

Call me fickle, crazy, whatever..... After getting home from work tonight and taking a better look at your original plans, and considering that I only need room for me, not the whole band, I really do like your original plans.. A room that size is probably all I really need. But please help me think through this. Like I said, guitars, keys, bass will all be recorded direct. The only things that would be recorded in an acoustic environment would be vocals and maaybean acoustic guitar track (although I've been pretty happy with my direct sound using the built in condensor mic system built into my acoustic). All that said, do I need an iso booth? I should also mention that the duct work that runs form the furnace to the back wall above the fuse box is about 4 feetwide, so the ceiling will be dropped covering that. I'm not sure how that impacts the ceiling design, but thought I should mention it. Also, the double doors open into the studio space, not out. Here are some pix to give you a better idea of the space....

Aloha,

After getting home from work tonight and taking a better look at your original plans, and considering that I only need room for me, not the whole band, I really do like your original plans.. A room that size is probably all I really need.

Okay, cool.

But please help me think through this. Like I said, guitars, keys, bass will all be recorded direct. The only things that would be recorded in an acoustic environment would be vocals and maaybean acoustic guitar track (although I've been pretty happy with my direct sound using the built in condensor mic system built into my acoustic). All that said, do I need an iso booth?

That's really up to you. If you do decide to include one though, it would be helpful to have a window. :wink:

Also, the double doors open into the studio space, not out.

see attached.

One question about soffit mounting speakers.. I'm not sure I want to do that. It sounds like something that needs to be perfect to be more effective than just having my standing nearfields on stands or on my desk? Maybe I can do both, but if I choose to not soffit mount, will that change the design? Would I still want to have the wall angles the same?

Your nearfields would be better on a set of stands if you chose not to soffit. Be sure to avoid placing them at the mid point of your floor/ceiling measurement. The side walls should be the same (@ 12 degree angles) and your monitors should be angled 30 degrees each, for a total of sixty degrees @ the mix position. Here's an excerpt of an "after-soffit" review - http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... &start=240

Q. I just wanted to know how you like your Mackies soffit mounted. Have you had and issues with them overheating? A. Compared to what they sounded like before soffiting, you could almost say that I love it! (What I would love is a pair each of: Dynaudio Air 6's or 15's, Klein + Hummel 0300D's, Genelec 8040 monitors/7060A sub Wink) - bottom end is tighter - imaging is clearer - drums sound clearer, more defined in mixes - able to hear clearer at lower volumes than before - room sounds quieter without music playing, louder & tighter with less effort when music played - less fatigue/more enjoyment in listening to mixes! - mixdowns have been so much easier - mixdowns with considerably less fatigue than before - mixes transfer room to room much closer than before I have had ZERO problems with them overheating, even after several all day/night sessions. I will mention that the rear of the speakers are not enclosed in a box, and they have lots of air circulation. While it is true that Mackie does not recommend soffit mounting, I will say this though; they definitely sound better than not soffitted. There are also several others here that have also soffitted their Mackies with similar results and have thoroughly enjoyed the improvements to their studios as well. Given the option of soffit or not, and having heard and worked with both, I would definitely choose soffitting.

Aloha 8)

kendale, man, the wealth of knowledge just keeps coming!!! thank you! So... if I decide to tackle the complex project of soffit mounting, where would my work desk sit in this picture? I'm trying to visualize how things would layout. With soffit mounted monitors, does the desk then sit right up against the wall? And if I decide to just have my Tannoys sit on stands, does the room design change - would you eliminate the smaller angled walls that the soffit speakers are in? This may seem like a silly question, but once this is built, how free am I to decorate the room? Will hanging pictures or having my guitar collection hanging on the walls ruin the acoustic design? Like I said, comfort and having a cozy environment is also very important to me as a musician since I will be tracking everything in this room also. I plan on building my workdesk and my keys will sit in that unit, but I will also be recording vocals and guitars in this room.. Is there a balance? Can I have a nicely decorated, cozy room that serves as a recording and mixing room? thanks for your time.

Aloha,

So... if I decide to tackle the complex project of soffit mounting, where would my work desk sit in this picture? I'm trying to visualize how things would layout. With soffit mounted monitors, does the desk then sit right up against the wall?

Depends on the dimensions of your workstation desk. You would set up your mix position (chair, ears) about 38% of the length of the room from the front wall (roughly 5'3") and then position your desk and see where it ends up. It might be prudent to figure this out on paper before buying/building to make sure that everyting fits. :wink:

This may seem like a silly question, but once this is built, how free am I to decorate the room? Will hanging pictures or having my guitar collection hanging on the walls ruin the acoustic design? Like I said, comfort and having a cozy environment is also very important to me as a musician since I will be tracking everything in this room also. I plan on building my workdesk and my keys will sit in that unit, but I will also be recording vocals and guitars in this room. Is there a balance? Can I have a nicely decorated, cozy room that serves as a recording and mixing room?

How you decorate will ultimately be up to you. Hanging pictures or guitars make for a nice "homey" kind of feel, but at certain frequencies and volumes they will rattle & resonate. Whether or not that matters to you is your choice, but it has been suggested otherwise elsewhere in the forum. Hope this helps, Aloha 8)

I go back and forth trying to balance wanting a good room for mixing, and a nice big comfortable room for practice and also not breaking the bank.... Would something like this possibly serve as a multipurpose music room that we could have band rehearsal in and still get decent mixing results? I know there are acoustical flaws, but it might serve my overall needs better (and preserve the resale value of my home?!!?).

Aloha, Have you considered John's wall units as "free standing" treatments? http://www.johnlsayers.com/HR/index1.htm Aloha 8)