evolving studio space: help with ideas

cstockdale · Post by **cstockdale** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:11 pm

Hello, my first post at this place. I am finally trying to get my basement space to be the best I can get it for recording and mixing,
Here is a diagram of the layout of the space I am using. It is just a rental house, so construction/destruction really aren't options, but some mods are okay, cost is a major issue too. Let me describe more about the space:

Area A and B are the same room, just conceptually divided into "studio" (A) and "control area" (B), area C is the rest of the basement complete with workbench and all sorts of odds and ends, hot water tank, laundry, furnace etc. Width of area A (measuring from outer edge of bed platform) to wall 2 is 14 feet. Area B is ~18' wide. Front edge of desk in area B is 15' from wall 1, back edge is about 15 feet from wall 3 (wall 2 is about 32 feet long)

Wall 4 divides the basement into these two sides, and wall 4 is a thin MDF over 2*4 framing, no insulation in it, just MDF over both sides.

Walls 1,2 and 3 are all walls to the outside. From the floor, there is 3 feet of bare concrete (painted), and then the rest of the walls (on the inside) have been framed, have pink fibreglass insulation installed, and have clear plastic over the framing/insulation (not drywalled).

Window on wall 1 is at a height of about 4 feet, and is 2*2 feet, and has a draw-blind over it at the moment.

Window on wall 2 is same height, and is 2' high by 4' wide, covered in cotton curtains, similar fabric as dish towels.

The closet in the upper left corner of area A is open, do door, and I keep my guitars hanging on the wall in there.

The bed platform is 2" off the floor, has boxes stored underneath it, and there is an additional 5' of headroom above it.

The ceiling in most of the area is at a height of 8', except over the bed platform, extending back towards wall 3 (see the 3 solid black squares, these are support beams, and it is between these support beams and wall 4 where the ceiling is 1 foot lower.

The ceiling over area A is like the upper part of the walls: the joists have been filled with pink isnulation and clear heavy plastic is stapled over it all.

The ceiling over area B is open-joists (no insulation or plastic).

I have the desk centred between walls 2 and 4, with the monitors facing towards wall 3, and dual video monitors on the desk too. On the right hand side of the desk is my rack with my mixer etc.

Somethign like Auralex foam is a long way off in terms of affordability,a nd I doubt I will be living in this house that long, so for the time being, I am not considering it.

The floor is concrete with indoor/outdoor carpeting on it. This layout is the result of a great deal of negotiating with other household members and much trial and error to get a space that people enjoy playing in (a comfortable place to play and entice people to give a good performance is critical). Studio must be in area A to have minimal bleed of other household noises into mics as I record (if it was in area B, all I would record is the sound of babies crying, and people upstairs)

End of "description" of the area.

QUESTIONS:

How bad is the concrete lower wall influence on acoustics?
How bad is the covered-with-plastic insulation stuffed joists both on ceiling and upper walls?

IDEAS:
I think i should strive to make the room acoustically dead for recording: are these good ideas?

1) I am thinking of covering the walls in area A with cotton sheets stapled to the joists, ditto with ceiling.

2) Hang a heavy curtain along to cover in the bed platform (it is built in and not removable),a nd I can use the space to store my mic stands, cases etc.

3) Hang a curtain from wall 4-wall 2 in front of the control desk to essentially isolate Area A and B from each other.

cstockdale · Post by **cstockdale** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:13 pm

forgot to add to the diagram: the grey hashmarks in the middle are stairs with the bottom of the stairs comign to wall 3, up is towards wall 1

Post by **John Sayers** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 6:42 pm

As it's a rented property I would suggest you build a series of portable gobos (room dividers) that can either be put against the wall for treatment or moved into the room to break up the different areas.

cheers
john

cstockdale · Post by **cstockdale** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 3:34 am

Thanks, I will see what I can do

Post by **John Sayers** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:22 am

Maaaate! - I can understand your dissappointment - renting is shits eh! I fully understand, but hang with me mate - I'm currently designing a portable system (gobos) which came about because of a friend who's in a similar situation.

I'll have it worked out in a week or so, so keep an eye out

I'll post it for you and everyone in a similar situation.

cheers
John