1st time room design & build- planning phase

[HarrySound]

Hello everyone!
First off I just want to say how amazing this forum is. I built some gobos a few years back, and John gave me the best idea for how to attach casters. The gobos have been working out great for the studio! We have gotten so much voice over work for TV and audio books just because of how the gobos sound!
I have been searching and reading through all sorts of threads on studio design and construction, but I'm sure I've only scratched the surface on what this forum has to offer.
Currently Im in a position where I am looking to design and build a small mix room at my house. I have never been in the design and building phase of a space. I have always gotten involved after the fact, and had to figure out how to treat the rooms.
So its fair to say I am extremely excited, but even more overwhelmed.
I just ordered "Build It Like The Pros 2nd Edition"
I also have a very close friend of mine who is a finish carpenter. He can build anything you put on paper, and is very willing to help me take on this project.
So here is some info, and I will be updating with more info, exact measurements, and pictures. I am just a little excited and typing this all out is actually helping to formulate the ideas.

The Dream-
A small mix room at my house. I will be doing primarily mixing on projects that I work on recording at the studio. I can see myself occasionally recording some scratch vocals, or some direct input recording. But the whole purpose of this room is to be able to have a comfortable, well treated space to mix.
Isolation is extremely important. I don't mix at extreme volumes, but I am in a residential neighborhood, and would really love to be able to mix at night and not piss off my neighbors.

The Space-
On the side of my house, there is an area that it a little awkward, pretty much unused part of the yard. Three sides of this footprint already have objects that are determining the size I'm able to build. I would be tucked between a wood fence, my house, and a cement wall (slightly angled)
The max exterior dimensions are:
10' height
13' length
13' width (max at concrete wall)
10' width (min at concrete wall)

I did say SMALL mix room right?

Based on the max exterior dimensions, and the amount of isolation I need, I'm trying to figure out what a good & realistic interior dimension would be. Also trying to figure out if building along the angle of the wall could be beneficial, or to just take the 10' width and build a straight wall off that.
I already have an idea where the door has to be (just convenience of how the yard and house is laid out) and I am playing with the idea of a window or skylight. Something I have always wanted in a studio is natural sunlight.

[gullfo]

your interior room would like be about 12" smaller than exterior walls if you're going with a room-within-a-room approach. so i would go with a maximum space approach and then adjust to create a good ratio rectangular space. so something like 8' h x 10.5'w x 12'l

Code: Select all

Computed Information:
Room Dimensions: Length=12 ft, Width=10.5 ft, Height=8 ft
Room Ratio: 1 : 1.31 : 1.5
R. Walker BBC 1996:
-   1.1w / h < l / h < ((4.5w / h) - 4): Pass
-   l < 3h & w < 3h: Pass
-   no integer multiple within 5%: Pass
Nearest Known Ratio:
-  "3) L. W. Sepmeyer: 1965" 1 : 1.28 : 1.54
RT60 (IEC/AEC N 12-A standard): 203 ms
-  ą50ms from 200Hz to 3.5kHz = 153 to 253ms
-  ą100ms above 3.5kHz = 103 to 303ms
-  <+300ms at 63hz = 503ms
-  300<RT60<600ms
RT60 (ITU/EBU Control Room Recommended): 164 ms
-  ą50ms from 200Hz to 4kHz = 114 to 214ms
-  <+300ms at 63hz = 464ms
-  200<RT60<400ms
Absorbtion to achieve ITU RT60: 300 sabins
Volume: 1008 ft^3

[DanDan]

Nearest Neighbours? Ambient Nighttime Noise Levels? https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/app.html

[HarrySound]

Great info! Thank you! Still in the planning and designing mode. What are your thoughts on the angled wall? Built it straight or build it on the angle?

your interior room would like be about 12" smaller than exterior walls if you're going with a room-within-a-room approach. so i would go with a maximum space approach and then adjust to create a good ratio rectangular space. so something like 8' h x 10.5'w x 12'l

Code: Select all

Computed Information:
Room Dimensions: Length=12 ft, Width=10.5 ft, Height=8 ft
Room Ratio: 1 : 1.31 : 1.5
R. Walker BBC 1996:
-   1.1w / h < l / h < ((4.5w / h) - 4): Pass
-   l < 3h & w < 3h: Pass
-   no integer multiple within 5%: Pass
Nearest Known Ratio:
-  "3) L. W. Sepmeyer: 1965" 1 : 1.28 : 1.54
RT60 (IEC/AEC N 12-A standard): 203 ms
-  ą50ms from 200Hz to 3.5kHz = 153 to 253ms
-  ą100ms above 3.5kHz = 103 to 303ms
-  <+300ms at 63hz = 503ms
-  300<RT60<600ms
RT60 (ITU/EBU Control Room Recommended): 164 ms
-  ą50ms from 200Hz to 4kHz = 114 to 214ms
-  <+300ms at 63hz = 464ms
-  200<RT60<400ms
Absorbtion to achieve ITU RT60: 300 sabins
Volume: 1008 ft^3

[HarrySound]

Nearest Neighbours? Ambient Nighttime Noise Levels? https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/app.html

Thats a really cool app!
Neighbors are close, and isolation is going to be absolutely crucial for this build.