Hey everyone! I'm trying to build a two room studio in my basement, consisting of a control room and a live room/isolation room. This plan will be awkward because of a stair case and a sub pump. And that steel beam might give me a problem with the ceiling.
Recently, I have been putting my console and computer and such out on the porch, and running a snake into the basement, so I get isolation between the two points. This is just too much of a hassle. So I've decided to build a small studio in the basement.
Here are pictures...
I'd lake to stay under $2500.
My ceiling is 7 foot 4 inches tall, but under that steel beam, my ceiling is 6 foot 7 inches.
I live in a duplex, so it would be nice to record at all hours and not disturb the neighbors. But my minimum requirement is to isolate the sounds enough to be able to have a drummer play in one room, and be able to mix in the other room with the two worlds interfering with each other at a bare minimum.
I have mostly recorded rock bands. Pop Rock to Hardcore/Metal. I just need the ability to record a group that has a drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and keyboard player.
you might want to read Sharward's thread in the construction forum. isolation for drums with close neighbors is very difficult, and expensive.
A first step would be to do some testing to see how much isolation you need. get a sound level meter and some cooperation from the neighbors and have some one do some hammer (metal and rubber) tapping around while listening for open or flanking tranmission paths, then play some loud bass/drum music in your room and measure in the room and all around to get a sense for how much (or little) isolation you have at lower frequencies (which are typically the hardest to solve).
Alright, I have a decibel meter. I am going to measure the sound levels around my home, and from my neighbors home while having the drums being played. Then I will post the results!
Thanks for your help so far! :D
remember to check for flanking paths as well - solid or air conduction of sound - shared vents, flooring, etc can all make isolation difficult to achieve. if you have some bass guitar that will help too...
nice stack! gotta get an 18" sub too!
for a few outdoor gigs I used a pair of Cerwin Vega 18" subs with a pair of 2 12" 1 8" and 1 horn cabinets - powered with 1000 watts and fed from my tube pre. you could feel the bass about 300 yards away.... (basically the PA rig for my covers band but useful for guest appearances... ;-))
once i added another 500w and a pair of Altec-Lansing 15" voice of the theaters... people about 1/2 mile away thought Whipping Post never sounded so good :shock: