help me with my studio please.

[Bayou_Brawler]

my band mates and i just rented out a studio to practice in. it's about 15'x15'. there are a whole building full of these things all next to each other. basically the sound in there kinda sucks. you have loud bands next you plus there is a lot of reverb (i guess) bouncing around and just making the overall sound kinda crappy.

what can i do to help the sound? i know you can buy studio foam stuff. will hanging a bunch of egg crates help. i don't want to do spend a lot here just something to help out a little.

whatever i buy how do you hang the stuff? do i have to cover the whole wall? put one big one in the middle of the wall? put little pieces spread out over the wall?

please help.

[Josh Ryan]

Originally Posted by Bayou_Brawler

my band mates and i just rented out a studio to practice in. it's about 15'x15'. there are a whole building full of these things all next to each other. basically the sound in there kinda sucks. you have loud bands next you plus there is a lot of reverb (i guess) bouncing around and just making the overall sound kinda crappy.

what can i do to help the sound? i know you can buy studio foam stuff. will hanging a bunch of egg crates help. i don't want to do spend a lot here just something to help out a little.

whatever i buy how do you hang the stuff? do i have to cover the whole wall? put one big one in the middle of the wall? put little pieces spread out over the wall?

please help.

Try big squares in the middle, carpet on the floor and baffling the corners before going for the full Monty. Try foam, egg crates, anything that will absorb and disperse.

[Bard2dbone]

If you know anyone who works in the medical field, those big eggcrat mattress pads are excellent.

The facilities are usually throwing them away, because they are one-patient-use items now. So when someone leaves they can either take it with them or it gets tossed. Get them to give you the thrown away ones. Every one is as big as a twin bed so just a few cover a wall effectively.

[Tim Cole]

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

If you know anyone who works in the medical field, those big eggcrat mattress pads are excellent.

The facilities are usually throwing them away, because they are one-patient-use items now. So when someone leaves they can either take it with them or it gets tossed. Get them to give you the thrown away ones. Every one is as big as a twin bed so just a few cover a wall effectively.

Careful, this sounds like it could turn into Great White at the Station. IMO it is important to check out flamability, and fire codes.

[Bard2dbone]

Well, yeah. They are flammable. But so is the stuff walls and ceilings are made of. Just don't set off pyros under low flammable ceilings and all is good.

[Thor]

The Station reference is a good one. The people who
investigated that fire called that foam 'solid gasoline'.
Once it catches, the video showed peope had about
30 secs to 1 min to get out. At this point you are
fumbling with your bass and cords.

Stay away from the foam, or buy the non-flammable kind.
There are 100 dead club goers families up here that wish someone thought a lot more of the risk in flammable foam soundproofing materials.

Corner baffles can do a lot to improve bass acoustics.
Treena Foster posted this link on design of recording studios.
Much of the info is applicable. If the link doesn't work, please
PM her directly, as I have had major access issues on TB.
http://www.recording.org/users/acoustics/

[Treena Foster]

Originally Posted by Bayou_Brawler

my band mates and i just rented out a studio to practice in. it's about 15'x15'. there are a whole building full of these things all next to each other. basically the sound in there kinda sucks. you have loud bands next you plus there is a lot of reverb (i guess) bouncing around and just making the overall sound kinda crappy.

what can i do to help the sound? i know you can buy studio foam stuff. will hanging a bunch of egg crates help. i don't want to do spend a lot here just something to help out a little.

whatever i buy how do you hang the stuff? do i have to cover the whole wall? put one big one in the middle of the wall? put little pieces spread out over the wall?

please help.

Quick fix......go to home depot, or even u-haul. Purchase a bunch of moving blankets, yes I said moving blankets. Staple these to all bare surfaces/walls ceiling. It will cut down on the slap back you are experiencing and is the chepest fix that I am aware of.

The carpet on the floor, will also help deaden the sound.

(Sounds like an old storage unit complex........ a lot of realtors are purchasing these units and leasing them for rehearsal halls.)

Check also with http://recording.org/forum34.html

Acoustic Treatment and Design for Recording Studios and Listening Rooms


FWIW, I just answered this same post in the Recording/Gear Forum, is cross posting okay here at TB?


Treena

[Thor]

Thanks once again Treena, for contributing
your knowledge and help.

Once again you have shown what a valuable
resource you are!

I would encourage anyone with these kinds of questions
to get to know Treena and use her mentoring skills
to improve your knowledge of the recording fields!

You rock on girl!