John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hello to all! Back again at trying to prepare plans for a small studio in the back of my house. I have Rod Gervais' book and will mostly take from it to build something that is semi-pro. Right now, I am running my studio in a 7.5'x10.5'x34' room in my basement which includes all the gear and the mixing desk. I manage to do good work in it, so any kind of new building should be an improvement... right?

The studio will be around 22'x29' (limited space in the back of the house), with a control room, a studio space, and a small kitchen/bathroom. Budget around 20,000$ for construction, another 5,000$ for unexpected expenses. Most of the framing, gyproc, plastering, painting, will be done by me, my carpenter friend and my jack-of-all-trade dad, so I will save a lot on the building costs.

Question 1: Is a 1690 cubic feet control room (using ratio of 1, 1.28, 1.54) with 9.5' ceiling good enough for a useable control room (including the treatment)?

Question 2: Is a 2890 cubic feet recording room with 10' ceiling good for drums, piano and just a good sounding recording room in general (with all the treatment needed)?

Last question: Is the space just too small to have a good semi-pro studio?


Thank you for your help!

Matt

The studio will be around 22'x29' (limited space in the back of the house), with a control room, a studio space, and a small kitchen/bathroom. Budget around 20,000$ for construction, another 5,000$ for unexpected expenses.

Have you made a material list? I feel that $25,000 is under budget even if you do everything yourself.

Greg

Gregwor wrote:

The studio will be around 22'x29' (limited space in the back of the house), with a control room, a studio space, and a small kitchen/bathroom. Budget around 20,000$ for construction, another 5,000$ for unexpected expenses.

Have you made a material list? I feel that $25,000 is under budget even if you do everything yourself.

Greg

Not yet. I am trying to figure out if the space is good enough for a semi-pro studio first. Even if I go higher on the expenses, I have the means to do it. After I do the material list, I'll be able to know if it's a 2 year project or a 4 year one. Either way, it's going to happen

Question 1: Is a 1690 cubic feet control room (using ratio of 1, 1.28, 1.54) with 9.5' ceiling good enough for a useable control room (including the treatment)?

That means your room is 177 sq ft. ITU-R BS.1116-3 states that you require a minimum floor size of 215 sq ft. If you've read much on the forum, you'll see some great small control rooms. So I wouldn't say you can't have a great control room, but go into the project realizing the limitations and set your expectations accordingly.

Question 2: Is a 2890 cubic feet recording room with 10' ceiling good for drums, piano and just a good sounding recording room in general (with all the treatment needed)?

This room is also small, but not horrible. I wouldn't expect killer drum and piano sounds to come out of it. But with proper treatment, it would sound decent. The problem with the room is the modal distribution. The Schroeder frequency will be somewhere around 170Hz which means below that frequency you won't have a balanced sound.

Last question: Is the space just too small to have a good semi-pro studio?

No. Look at a fellow Canadian's studio here http://www.audiohouse.ca/

This is a John Sayers designed studio. Very small but amazing.

Even if I go higher on the expenses, I have the means to do it. After I do the material list, I'll be able to know if it's a 2 year project or a 4 year one. Either way, it's going to happen

Excellent! If you determine it to be a 2 year project, it will probably end up taking 4 years

Greg

Would it be better to have my basement room (which is what I use right now - H:8' x W:10.5' x L:34') designed by Mr. Sayers? I am wondering this because I do not need to insulate it from the outside and if the sound would be good in that room I could manage to get it done quicker. The square meter would be approx 355 sq/ft with both the live space and control room space, open concept. I want to know if I could get some comparable quality in that sized room just for my own peace of mind that I do the right thing with the detached studio.

Would it be better to have my basement room (which is what I use right now - H:8' x W:10.5' x L:34') designed by Mr. Sayers?

If you don't want to learn about acoustics and studio design then yes, contact John! Otherwise, read the heck out of this forum and some books (or pdf's). The usual suspect books are posted pretty regularly on the forum but if you want a couple to check out I'll gladly list them here for you.

I want to know if I could get some comparable quality in that sized room just for my own peace of mind that I do the right thing with the detached studio.

That's a better size for sure. Bigger is always going to be better.

Greg

Gregwor wrote:

Would it be better to have my basement room (which is what I use right now - H:8' x W:10.5' x L:34') designed by Mr. Sayers?

If you don't want to learn about acoustics and studio design then yes, contact John! Otherwise, read the heck out of this forum and some books (or pdf's). The usual suspect books are posted pretty regularly on the forum but if you want a couple to check out I'll gladly list them here for you.

I want to know if I could get some comparable quality in that sized room just for my own peace of mind that I do the right thing with the detached studio.

That's a better size for sure. Bigger is always going to be better.

Greg

Thanks Greg! I already have Rod Gervais' book. Which ones should I also get?

And you said the bigger size is better, are refering to the basement room or the backyard studio?

Thanks Greg! I already have Rod Gervais' book. Which ones should I also get?

Read this one. It's awesome.

www.roletech.net/books/HandbookAcoustics.pdf

And you said the bigger size is better, are refering to the basement room or the backyard studio?

Whichever is bigger!

Greg