John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

So first, new to forum, new to posting. I read the guidelines....I hope I got them all down here.

I'll start at the beginning. This space is in an old old building basement. Below a record shop, next to a luthier, and under a guitar shop. So the whole building is old, with a crazy vibe, and surrounded by music. The building itself is in Red Lion, PA. It's got problems: low ceilings, below a record shop (noise from people, no problem with band noise we'd generate), the ceiling is squeaky, moisture in the winter if the snow isn't shoveled properly and quickly, etc. It's an old basement in an old factory. I'm trying to look at the benefits: wood and old brick everywhere, and dripping with vibe; it was an old speakeasy. One of if not the first co-ed bars in the area. I'm sure there are stories in those walls... Anyhow it was used as a studio once before. There's an old "control room" that exists but it's getting torn out because well, it's not going to work.

My goals: One live room, and a control room. I want to run 16 channels from the live room into the control room, and create a sort of hybrid environment in the control room for tracking and mixing. I don't plan on doing mastering in this location. Most likely I'll hope to run 2 Pre Sonus Eris E66's and either my Tapco monitors or NS10's for reference. I would like to track groups live in this space, the only soundproofing I really need per se is on the ceiling. However with it being so low I'm worried about the drums/overheads but hey, amazing records have been recorded in crazier locations. But sound from people walking will be a problem.

I'm not sure of how this studio should be laid out, I do know where the stairs are (I need to actuall add the stairs in the model, but I've shown the opening) I want a walled separator (see sketchup dwg) so I have that shown in my drawing. Also on there is this little set back in the front wall, I was thinking of closing it off with corrugated metal to make this wonky echo chamber (bad idea, good idea?)

The Sketchup file is too big so here is a link to a Google Drive folder with the file: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

I'm not sure how to proceed in laying out this studio so I was hoping for some advice. If there is any needed info I can supply but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Thanks!!

-Rick McVick

Hi Rick. Welcome!

the only soundproofing I really need per se is on the ceiling.

Ummmm.... don't look now, but that won't work! I frequently use the following analogy to help hammer home this point. You are basically taking the same approach as a buy who wants to build an aquarium, who says, "the only waterproofing I really need on the front." And then proceed to buy an aquarium frame plus one pane of glass, for just the front.... How well do you think his fish tank will hold water? Yup. That's the exact same amount of isolation you'll get if you try to isolate only the ceiling.

However with it being so low I'm worried about the drums/overheads

Then build your inner-leaf ceiling "inside-out", so you can have the maximum acoustic height for your ceiling. You didn't say what the dimensions of the room are, so it's hard to say if it is even feasible at all to use this room for a studio...

But sound from people walking will be a problem.

Not if you build it properly!

I was thinking of closing it off with corrugated metal to make this wonky echo chamber (bad idea, good idea?)

Bad.

I'm not sure how to proceed in laying out this studio so I was hoping for some advice. If there is any needed info I can supply but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Photos? Budget? Timing? etc.

The Sketchup file is too big

No it is not! : But it is too cluttered with hidden geometry, no organization of parts on layer, and confusing semi-transparent components, so it's hard to follow. I'd suggest cleaning it up and post it again.

- Stuart -





- Stuart -

the only soundproofing I really need per se is on the ceiling.

Ummmm.... don't look now, but that won't work! I frequently use the following analogy to help hammer home this point. You are basically taking the same approach as a buy who wants to build an aquarium, who says, "the only waterproofing I really need on the front." And then proceed to buy an aquarium frame plus one pane of glass, for just the front.... How well do you think his fish tank will hold water? Yup. That's the exact same amount of isolation you'll get if you try to isolate only the ceiling.

I understand and agree, the issue is that this building was a speakeasy in the 20's or so and we hoped to keep the brick arches and stone walls visible.

However with it being so low I'm worried about the drums/overheads

Then build your inner-leaf ceiling "inside-out", so you can have the maximum acoustic height for your ceiling. You didn't say what the dimensions of the room are, so it's hard to say if it is even feasible at all to use this room for a studio...

I have attached a basic floor plan and a drawing of the cement floor to the floor joist. Then 9.5" from the bottom of the joist to the floor.

But sound from people walking will be a problem.

Not if you build it properly!

I was thinking of closing it off with corrugated metal to make this wonky echo chamber (bad idea, good idea?)

Bad.

Good to know!

I'm not sure how to proceed in laying out this studio so I was hoping for some advice. If there is any needed info I can supply but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Photos? Budget? Timing? etc.

I have attached some photos. You'll notice a control room that will be getting torn out. Timing is as long as I need. The budget is harder to come by. Basically I have to come up with a reasonable plan and submit for a budget...

The Sketchup file is too big

No it is not! :

Speakeasy Studios Design-01.skp

I tried uploading it before and the size said it was too big.

But it is too cluttered with hidden geometry, no organization of parts on layer, and confusing semi-transparent components, so it's hard to follow. I'd suggest cleaning it up and post it again.

I have cleaned up the hidden geometry and added layers. Let me know if that helps.

*EDIT* every file I upload it says the max size is 500 KiB so I can't upload anything...

-Rick McVick -

every file I upload it says the max size is 500 KiB so I can't upload anything...

Use DropBox or something similar, and post the link here. And don't forget to "purge" your file before you save it.


- Stuart -