Help Wanted/New Plans/HVAC.

The attached will be built in a stand alone garage in a house I just bought. This is my 5th effort. (The 1st was 4 track tape in 1984) I record Gospel to Metal and stay pretty busy doing demos. I am a drummer in a Country/Rock band. I've studied this forum as well as other resources extensively. These are the best plans I've come up with so far. My main issue right now is the HVAC. Probably don't need much heat but have to come up with some cheap quiet cooling. The simple soulution could be to use a window unit sitting away from the bldg. and duct it in along with an exaust fan. Sound too crazy? This whole project will be pay as I go. I'm comfortable with the construction aspects. Any advice on how the room might sound would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Steve

The simple soulution could be to use a window unit sitting away from the bldg. and duct it in along with an exaust fan. Sound too crazy?

not at all - that's the simplest way.

also, here's a rough approximation of your plan with dimensions (hopefully) to scale. i think the bath room needs some tweaking as well as general work-flow but hopefully the overall dimensions are now correct.

Thanks, John. Could it be that you have the words "inside" and "outside" reversed? Are you suggesting that the unit be "in" the bldg.? Also, what BTU for 600 S.F. ? Steve

Cool layout. Thanks. The reason I have the main /control so large is that my typical project is 2 guitars, 1 bass, 1 singer and a drummer. I can put all 3 pickers in the main room and isolate the amps and do a quick scratch track and hopefully get some keepers as well. My drawing is very elementary and will probably change many times. (Usually when the nails start flying is when my best engineering takes place.) Based on the size, 17' x 18', and shape of the room, how do think it will sound? I intend to angle the upper corners in most places. Can't do that much to the ceiling because it's only about 7 1/2 ft.

in that case I'd extend the control room to encompass the entire back space and leave the drum and vox booth on either side. or turn things on the side... if your ceiling space is only 7'6" a good room ratio for the CR is approx 12'x17' 5" - Sepmeyer 1 7.5 1.6 12 2.33 17.475 but there are others - and with angled walls and such becomes an approximation that also has to include how you want to use the space. in the attached sketch I've turned your space on its side. you'd still have enough space in the CR for people plus a big live room if that was more useful - we'd have to play with room ratios/angles and doors/windows a bit but this is the idea.

Interesting alternative. I'm uploading my original design with a few more measurements and details. Here's some explainations of wants / requirements, etc. 1. I want a dedicated drum room. Always had one, is that wrong? (Got about 8x10 now, it serves me well.) 2. My present vocal is a closet, 2 1/2'x 5', it works. Kind of shooting for about 5x6 in the new one. 3. Hoping to have enough room in the main/control for 2 - 3 guitarist to move around in. My logic here is that if I can get the whole band playing at once, with visual contact, they're in and out faster. 4. The office. My wife is a promoter. The bands that record here are usually offered local booking asssistance, photo packages and such. Having her involved makes it much easier to justify those $1,000 microphone purchases. (The office is hers.) I'm obviously trying to pack a lot into 600 S. F. I've only seen a couple of big studios. These ideas are an evolution trial and error. The studio does make a little money though. BUT, if I seem to be going in the wrong direction with anything now's the time to re-think it. Thanks for getting involved. I'll photo - document the whole process. This forum is the greatest thing on the web!