Help needed for design basement recording studio in Holland

Hi, Sorry for my english...i'm dutch :) I bought a house here in the Netherlands. The house has got a basement under the whole house and is 2.6 meter high. Every thing is concrete. The floor,walls and ceiling. The size are not precise, because it's not my house...yet. ;) The basement is accessible from inside the house and outside. (see pictures) I want to build a recording studio in the whole basement. I currently have a recording setup in a bedroom. Do you guys think it is possible? The middle wall is a wall that has to stay there for construction reasons. Maybe it is possible to make a window in it, but that i have to ask the experts. What i would like to have is a: - control room - drum room - vocal booth - iso/amp booth (may be..advise please) - main recording room - area to enter the studio and store some temp. fligthcases... My budget is around 5000-7000 euro's (may be more if needed) I've got genelec 1029A's and want to add a Genelec sub. Using Digi002R als DAW + 2x 20" TFT I would like to record small jazz/funk/rock band in the future. Do you guys it is possible in this basement? I've tryed to fit the SAE designs in, but not sure what the best desing for the enviroment is because of the middle wall. Thanks a lot guys for your help.

Hi, Is there something i did wrong with my first post? Please say so, than i can give more information if needed. I'm seriously looking for advise how to arrange my basement to make it a semi-prof recording studio. Thanks, Jeroen

G'day I was just having a play with your design, It's not the best will try again soon. Do you know yet if the centre wall is load bearing?

lilith_envy: Thanks for your suggestion!

lilith_envy wrote:

Do you know yet if the centre wall is load bearing?

Not yet i've to get my hands on the drawings, but they are concrete. It looks if they are, but not sure May be it is possible to add another door or add a window. I wil let you know when i know more. Is it possible to make a door or window in a wall that is load bearing? Is it possible to make a drum booth on the place of the sofa? Thanks, Jeroen

flipping lilith_envy's design a bit, if you could add a door into the wall (which is most likely load bearing) you could do something like this. also, if you wanted instead to move the CR front wall forward a meter and put in a glass door (ala John & Kendale). not sure where your utilities are - it would be great if they're in the small closet by the ramp though...

Gulfo: thanks! Something like this is what i also was thinking about in my head. I see that you want to sound isolate all rooms, but not the CR. Correct? Not much treatment (absorbers) needed per room, or is that yet to be designed? Not sure what you mean by utilities (not good at English), like where power is coming in/from? I had the idea that the musician can come in via the outside door. Now they enter directly a recording room, not a problem? I'm a newbee at studios with more than 1 room ;) What is the best place to put on this design the vocal / band / drums? THanks alot !! for helping me to make a good design before i start building. PS. I just ordered Rod's book, think that's a good idea :P and like to support him. Jeroen

by utilities i mean your water heater, boiler, furnace, a/c, electric panel, etc.. things you need for the home :-) its really a quick sketch to think about the rooms in terms of position and workflow. the rooms would need as much treatment and isolation as necessary to meet your isolation objectives, but in the CR I'm assuming you are isolating the other rooms from each other so to keep the space, if you can go to the concrete walls (minus some depth for treatments - maybe an inside out wall with slats), then I'd do that. the far right lower corner booth would work for drums or the one next to the CR. or the main room. depends on the music and how you want to record it. the "booth" by the interior stairs (i'm assuming thats what that ramp inside is) is more of an air lock but could be usable.

Thanks guys for helping me out. Today i had a visit at the place and made some measurements. Also asked some advise about cutting holes in the walls. On the picture the green wall can have a door or window if needed. The red wall need as they are. The house is resting on it. I defined 3 areas where i can do some things. Please can you guys help me figuring out what the best place is for the things i want to do. Is it possible to record a whole band, an accoustic session in one of the areas? As you see i want to be as versatile as i can ;) I alsmost bought the house....if you guys think that a can't convert this basement to a desent record studio (not pro, but semi), please let me know....i still can withdraw. Is 3x4x2.5 not to small for a controll room? Thanks, Jeroen

Did some drawing on Gullfo's ideas... Do you guys think this is going to work? Yes, i know, the band can't see each other, and i have to go via the main studio to get to control room...not ideal... Is this something to go for? Or does anybody got some othere ideas? Regards, Jeroen SketchUp file: http://www.studiowolff.nl/design/kelder-studio-design1.skp

I'd move the entry wall all the way to the bottom of the access stairs/ramp. take advantage of all the space you can. also, if you use doors with windows in them, while not ideal, people can see each other (somewhat) depending on positions in the rooms.

yes, put the entrance to the vocal booth on the other wall so all access to each room is done via the "lounge". It will also help with sound isolation from the street/ punters entrance. Will you keep the window in the CR?

lilith_envy wrote:

Will you keep the window in the CR?

Why do you ask? I did put a window in because it would give some feeling of space for the vocals and so i can check the mouth/mic distance for example. Is it better not to use the window?