Drum Room Construction

[beeros05]

How loud was it inside the room while your friend was playing? It would be very useful to know that, to get a rough idea of how much isolation you are getting.

I am a heavy hitter, but not for 2 hours...my average measurement where maximum 100db

My snare reaches 110db

But these numbers are average. I am around 90+ db

[Soundman2020]

OK, so assuming your buddy was playing typically, and your snare hits 110, then lets' call his level 110 (conservatively).

So, 110 inside, 43 outside.... That's 67 dB of isolation! Stand up and take a bow! That's pretty darn good, in anyone's book. Better than I expected.

Even assuming that the iPhone app is very inaccurate, and off by 10 dB, 57 dB is still really, really good, and something to be proud of.

Remember way back here, on page 3, you said you wanted 70 dB but didn't think you could get it, and I said that it was possible if you worked very carefully, but that even 60 would be more reasonable?

http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 3&start=23

Looks like you got your wish, and beat my expectations!

In fact, you have achieved the "holy grail" of home studio building: effectively isolating a drum kit, in a small room, and it still sounds good inside!

You can't hear it, but I'm applauding! When you have finished the final details of the room and posted the photos of that, I'm going to ask John to make this thread into a "sticky", as it is a shining example of the correct way to build a drum room.


- Stuart -

[beeros05]

Even assuming that the iPhone app is very inaccurate, and off by 10 dB, 57 dB is still really, really good, and something to be proud of.

Why are iPhone apps inaccurate? Because they are "apps" or because of the built in mic? There are apps that you can use external mic. So maybe I should find a way to connect a mic with my iPhone, what type of mic should i use?

In fact, you have achieved the "holy grail" of home studio building: effectively isolating a drum kit, in a small room, and it still sounds good inside!

Yeap, sth like this... I have noticed since I installed the doors that the bass drums sound MUCH better! Why is that happening?

I'm going to ask John to make this thread into a "sticky", as it is a shining example of the correct way to build a drum room.

Good idea, and thats because this "case study" is not only "what to do" but also "what NOT to do"

You cant see me, but Im laughing I recall one year ago these days...I was so unhappy and disappointed and now I can play 24/7 !!!

And here comes the BEST part...

I bought a Zoom R16 Recorder / USB Interface and a used MacBook with Logic Pro and a set of budget mics.
The interface is pretty good, value for money product, but still doesnt have very good preamps. The mics are also "budget"

I have started recording and mixing 2 months now, I am very newbie. I called some friends, sound engineers, to hear some mixings of mine. FLAT, no EQ, compressions etc. They couldnt believe what they were hearing! One of them told me to use my room for his drum recordings

When I find a job and get some money I'll buy better mics and a MOTU Interface...

[Soundman2020]

Why are iPhone apps inaccurate? Because they are "apps" or because of the built in mic?

The mic is not an omni with flat response from 20 Hz up to 8kHz, it cannot handle very loud sounds without clipping, and the pre-amp is not meant for acoustic work either. It is a very cheap mic on a very cheap pre-amp.

There are apps that you can use external mic. So maybe I should find a way to connect a mic with my iPhone, what type of mic should i use?

Well, you could do that, yes, with an external mic and pre-amp..... but you'd spend more money than by just buying a meter on e-bay or Amazon.com! A decent meter costs around US$ 75 - 100 (don't go for the ultra-cheap US$ 25 Chinese junk), and that is NEW! You can often find used ones for about US$ 50 or so.

I have noticed since I installed the doors that the bass drums sound MUCH better! Why is that happening?

I'm not 100% sure, and just guessing here mainly, but I suspect that it's because the room is now air-tight with the doors closed, so that is keeping the very low frequency pressure in: so the room is "pumping" now, with the low frequency over-pressure from each kick hit, instead of that over-pressure being able to "leak" out through the doors. Just a guess...

Do you have both heads on the kick? Does the front head have a hole in it, for the mic? In general, I find that in small rooms, drums sound better with the front head removed, or at least with a decent sized hole for mic'ing.

Also, how are you mic'ing the kick? It depends on the mic and the sound you are looking for, but I find that a good place for the mic is about 2" away from the back head, a bit below the spot where beater hits the head, and pointing right at that spot. That's where I normally start with mic'ing the kick, then move it around a bit to see if I can improve on that. Mic'ing drums is part science, part art.... Everyone has their own technique!

I bought a Zoom R16 Recorder / USB Interface and a used MacBook with Logic Pro and a set of budget mics. The interface is pretty good, value for money product, but still doesn't have very good preamps. The mics are also "budget"

Is that what you used to record the You-Tube track? If so, that's not too bad at all. Sounds quite decent, actually.

- Stuart -

[Antonios]

Beeros have you finished the overall construction?

Can you upload some pictures for us?

[Soundman2020]

You guys did a great job! But I'm just wondering: What is the purpose of this build? Do you need to isolate the room so that your drums can't be heard outside? Or are you trying to keep out some noise from the outside?

Read the thread from the start: it's all explained in the posts.

- Stuart -

[beeros05]

Hi there!!! Looong time!! I finished the studio and installed electrics, ventilation and air-condition!!

[Soundman2020]

Congratulations!!!!

A long hard road, but you finally got there! I'm glad we were able to help you out a bit along the way.

This is actually one of my favorite threads!!!!


- Stuart -

[Soundman2020]

I just realized that I had forgotten to make this thread a "sticky"! So I just fixed that: it is now a sticky, which it deserves to be!

Are you still smiling, Beeros? I sure hope you are now enjoying your completed room, and playing LOTS of drums in there... 24/7!


- Stuart -

[xSpace]

Good to see that you have such a great place to work in Beeros. You deserve the credit since you made all the right decisions. And now this thread may stand for a long time and be read by many, many others and you can teach them with your efforts.

Good luck,

[mtcapri]

VERY INSPIRING!
memorised everything i need to do, and not do.
saving this for later, thanks for the experience!

[beeros05]

Congratulations!!!!

A long hard road, but you finally got there! I'm glad we were able to help you out a bit along the way.

This is actually one of my favorite threads!!!!

- Stuart -

Good to see that you have such a great place to work in Beeros. You deserve the credit since you made all the right decisions. And now this thread may stand for a long time and be read by many, many others and you can teach them with your efforts.

Good luck,

Thank you everybody, I am so grateful to ALL of you! The credits belong to you guys and the forum.

Here are some more pictures

Drumkit

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Mixer Front

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Mixer Back

[beeros05]

Panoramic Action Cam

20150318_205927.JPG

Side Monitor for Recording Alone

20150318_205939.JPG

Our band sign...Mr. Bones on a bass trap!

20150318_205933.JPG

Now the drum multi-cable... I bought a 24 line Belden multi (the "studio" quality version) stripped it and made my 12Line Multi with heat shrinkable tubes. The extension of the cables from the ends of the tubing until the plugs were put into smaller plastic tubes that are used for the garden automatic watering for extra protections. The rest of the lines were put into plastic tubes and we made extra cables for speakers monitors guitars, pedals etc.

20150318_210036.JPG

20150318_210042.JPG

The Studio

20150318_210220.JPG

[beeros05]

Finally a Video with multitrack recording!

We played with the Canadian Thrashers RAZOR, 2 weeks ago and this video is from our rehearsals preparing for the Gig. It is Live Recording we are rehearsing the song "Breakout" from the band's second album "Raw n Filthy".

Drum Mics are the Senheiser's e-600 Series Pack.

Recorded and mixed with Logic Pro X.

Guitar, Bass and Vox are LINE.

Drums are stripped silenced and I triggered the snare only with Drumagog 5. I used Logic's Preset EQ Rock Toms, Rock Kicks and another EQ Preset for the Overheads.

Guitar Rig "Straight Metal" Preset (sth like that) for the Guitar Line and for the Bass Line the DI Bass Preset also from Guitar Rig

https://youtu.be/EQjwgl7mzXg

[Kevin Young]

Hi,

what I perceive and judge that this room is quite small and difficult to accommodate so many musical equipments inside it...and so far you want perfect isolation and non-reverberation so that a good sound quality can be produced without disturbing the people in surrounding area...as same sort of problem I faced in past and I took help from [SPAM LINK DELETED BY MODERATOR] who made me satisfied and they have very talented and laborious staff who can do anything...however you can take assistance of some good planner or constructor who can sort out this problem completely....