Building Rehearsal Area for Band.

Tames · #1 09-29-2004, 01:28 PM

I've been thinking about how my band is just too loud for my basement. Although it's the biggest basement we can find, we are seriously too big and too powerful for it. I'm thinking about just going with the band and building a new rehearsal area. Yeah, that's right, building. I have a lot of open land behind the house and am considering a post-frame agricultural style building. Not sure how big to make it. Not barn size at all. I just want about 10 foot ceilings, and have the thing be abouit a 50x30 foot building that I could use for rehearsal, and tracking, heck I might even put in a makeshift control room and up it to a studio one of these days. Does anyone else have experience on their own rehearsal area? I just can't find anywhere big enough that I wouldn't have to pay extreme amounts of rent, and I'd feel safe leaving my band's equipment with. Any other ideas for areas? Anything would be appreciated.

Folmeister · #2 09-29-2004, 01:43 PM

There was another post about this not too long ago. The biggest consideration is noise. Do you feel the need to "sound-proof" the structure? Can you deal with a relative amount of sound leakage? The "sound-proof" thing is a can of worms that will probably astonish you with projected costs. The less you need to contain sound, the cheaper it may be. I will let others now run with this.

The Golden Boy · #3 09-29-2004, 01:51 PM

Quote:

astonish you with projected costs

"astonish" wow, you hit the nail on the head. I was going to do the same in my basement...

http://arts.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/tech_.../teces_14.html

Also, do a search for Will Lee and what he did for his...

Tames · #4 09-29-2004, 01:55 PM

Sound proofing, not a problem, it's back in the middle of nowhere. No louder playing in there (from outside) than it would be to surrounding people while we're in my basement. IF however I do want to build a smaller control room inside, I'd need to sound proof that one. That comes later, though, and isn't important. Sound DEADENING on the other hand, that's the big thing. I don't want a big open echoey sounding place. It'd be kinda cool to get gigs going. I want to treat the thing as if it were a gig. So we can practice running sound, what things sound like through monitors, stage stuff, etc. Recording is completely secondary.

Osama_Spears · #5 09-29-2004, 01:58 PM

here's a cheap option : turn down

xyllion · #6 09-29-2004, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osama_Spears

here's a cheap option : turn down

Can I invite you to my band practices? The other band members do not seem to understand the meaning of that. Even after I put in my ear plugs, they still don't get it.

Folmeister · #7 09-29-2004, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tames

Sound proofing, not a problem, it's back in the middle of nowhere. No louder playing in there (from outside) than it would be to surrounding people while we're in my basement. IF however I do want to build a smaller control room inside, I'd need to sound proof that one. That comes later, though, and isn't important. Sound DEADENING on the other hand, that's the big thing. I don't want a big open echoey sounding place. It'd be kinda cool to get gigs going. I want to treat the thing as if it were a gig. So we can practice running sound, what things sound like through monitors, stage stuff, etc. Recording is completely secondary.

Well, I put "sound-proofing" in quotations because there really is no such thing. Sound deadening is the key idea here. It seems to me that you may want to make the final decision about whether it's going to be a recording studio or rehearsal studio. As far as I know, they are two completely different animals. You may want to look at designs for small theatres if you want to run dress rehearsals for sound and all.

Tames · #8 09-29-2004, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osama_Spears

here's a cheap option : turn down

You can only turn down drums and tube amps so much. Especially with 3 guitars, bass, and drums. Hey, at least we're not "hardcore" music.

Final decision:
Rehearsal space. IF for some reason I need to do live tracking, I can do it. But that way, I can use the current small rehearsal area for overdubbing/mixing. Hell, it would be kind of cool to have a completely remote control room. Have some kind of complex talkback/monitoring system connected about 400 feet away. HA!