"Soundproofing" the garage....

[need4mospd]

I know we can't completly soundproof the garage, but I'd like to try and find out how much it will cost to keep the sound coming out it to a minimum. We like playing at close to full volume, scaled back a little, so we don't have any surprises when it comes time to gig. We've talked to the neighbors to the sides of our house and they were fine with letting us practice whenever, but apparently the neighbors behind us don't care for hearing us from 1-5 on Sunday afternoon.

We've looked into getting a rehearsal space, but we can't find one within a reasonable distance of all of us. So, "soundproofing" the garage looks to be the best option for now. If we could get it down to where it sounds like a loud radio on the outside, I'd be happy, and I'm pretty sure the neighbors would be too. The garage is currently exposed stud walls with an open area near the roof that is completly open to the outside. So sound just streams out like there were no walls at all. We plan on closing the hole up and insulating, plus finishing the inside walls along with the ceiling.

How much would it cost to do what I'm proposing? Is this just a matter of a ton of insulation, caulk, gypsum board, baking some cookies, and turning the volume down a bit more? Or do we need a ton of expensive pads, foams, mats, cement, etc...

FYI
We've got drums, a 100 watt guitar amp through 4x10s, my 450 watt through a 4x10, and a cheapo 80 watt PA for the singer. I play about 5-6/10 volume, guitarist is at 3-4/10, drummer plays pretty much all out.

Other options to solve this would be tips on finding a cheap rehearsal space.

Thanks in advance!

[guy n. cognito]

Fully insulate the walls with acoustic insulation.
Same for ceiling.
Double drywall on floors and ceilings, fully caulking, taping and mudding every joint, crack and gap.
Pad (acoustic) and carpet the floors.
Insulate the garage doors.
Seal off all windows (pack cavities with insulation and seal with plywood and caulk.


I played in a high school band years ago, and we practiced in our drummers garage. His dad was wealthy, and spent a few thousand dollars building us a "sound-proof" room. He paid professionals to do all of the work I listed above. While it did deaden the noise substantially, it was still too loud for the neighbors. We had to turn down substantially to keep the police off our back. The drummer even took to playing with mutes when we practiced in the evenings.

Is there any warehouse or vacant retail space near your home that's currently for rent?. If so, see if the owner might be willing to let you use it on the weekend for a nominal fee.

I must say I can't blame the neighbors. Personally, I wouldn't want a band in my backyard for 4 hours every weekend, either.

[need4mospd]

Well, it seems the drummer has found a "cheap" space for rent with 24 hour access and security that is centrally located. So it looks like I won't be needing any more info on this subject! Thanks guy! The studio just seems like a much better idea the more I think of it.