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Building a Recording / Rehearsal Room

#21
Consider this dual use concept for potential resale in future: one large space for rehearsal which doubles as a home theater, with smaller control room for recording and home theater electronic gear. Glass window in wall between the rehearsal room and control room. I have a similar set-up at home. For the investment you are gonna make, you want to make it as appealing as possible to a wide variety of people. At least get the wiring in the walls and you could do the theater later. You might also get it plumbed for bar and bathroom and get the whole man-cave vibe happening...
 
#23
Thanks guys. Lot's of info there. I've already read Acoustics 101 about a dozen times. I've been to johnslayers but have not jumped in with both feet and registered. The main beam in my basement is wood as are the posts holding it up. the house was built in 1927.

I am really hoping to keep this project under 10k and am hoping to not have to do months of research. One of my constraints is the 12 foot width, along the 35 foot wall when accounting for the sewer line and a 2x4 wall I'm already loosing a foot so I'm down to about 11 feet already, a staggered 2x6 wall on both sides would bring the room to less then 10 feet wide and that would be a problem.

I did a little research thinking I may be able to get away with mineral fiber insulation and quiet rock. And not go to crazy, remember this is a rehearsal room where I can practice and not disturb the family not a recording studio. In any case the quietrock goes for about $90 a sheet so we're talking about $3500 just in sheetrock if I go that route...
 
#24
Ok here is some more info I've been thinking about. Build this project in phases. The rehearsal room on the left will be finished first and allow me a larger budget to do it the right way. The rest of the space will remain unfinished. At a later date I can finish the rest of the project and the rehearsal room can then become a control room and the larger space will be finished as a live room. Any thoughts on that?

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#25
http://www.quietsolution.com/html/quietrock.html

When I built Omar Rodriguez' studio in NYC, this is what we used. It's heavy as heck, but it does a nice job of absorbing the sound. Also, when we framed it, we used staggered stud construction. You want to minimize the transference of sound, and staggering the studs help (there's a wood/steel debate re: studs). However, you lose overall space chasing off every wall with two framed walls--maybe try using 1" 5/8 studs?

Remember--mass and space are your friends!

IMO, I would concentrate on soundproofing the entire area the right way, for one large space. Then you could add a control room/iso booth/whatever later. Also, sand between the concrete floor and your finish floor helps. Sound will reverberate through the concrete (especially when the band uses its Madison Square Garden gear in their basement recording studio. no amount of soundproofing/floating ceiling/floating walls/staggered studs in the world is going to stop that).
 
#26
knigel said:
http://www.quietsolution.com/html/quietrock.html

When I built Omar Rodriguez' studio in NYC, this is what we used. It's heavy as heck, but it does a nice job of absorbing the sound. Also, when we framed it, we used staggered stud construction. You want to minimize the transference of sound, and staggering the studs help (there's a wood/steel debate re: studs). However, you lose overall space chasing off every wall with two framed walls--maybe try using 1" 5/8 studs?

Remember--mass and space are your friends!

IMO, I would concentrate on soundproofing the entire area the right way, for one large space. Then you could add a control room/iso booth/whatever later. Also, sand between the concrete floor and your finish floor helps. Sound will reverberate through the concrete (especially when the band uses its Madison Square Garden gear in their basement recording studio. no amount of soundproofing/floating ceiling/floating walls/staggered studs in the world is going to stop that).
Click to expand...

Which Quiet rock product did you use?

525 5/8" or 545 1 3/8"?

I am warming to the idea of staggered stud construction. Did you use 2x8 base and top plate? Insulated both sides with each side being 16" on center?
 
#27
We used 2 layers of the 5/8s. It was expensive but since I wasn't paying for it....

For framing (now this was a large space, in the basement of a warehouse) we used steel construction. If I did it again, I would possibly do a mix of wood and steel--the more different material the sound has to travel through, the quieter it gets (or so I've been told). First, we framed and rocked the ceilings. Then I framed in two completely separate walls and staggered the studs. So, it went concrete foundation, 3 5/8 steel wall insulated, 6 inch space, second 3 5/8 insulated wall, insulated and staggered, two layers of quiet rock. This is probably overkill for a home studio, but the principles are the same. Mass and space!

Also, we pressure fit the walls, so there was nothing that attached the walls to the ceiling and the floor, and put a rubber strip between them. Also probably overkill--I don't think a couple of Hilti shots/screws would have made much of a difference sound-wise.

I would do two separate walls in a home studio (so the walls don't share the top and bottom plate), but maybe rip down some 2x4s, or use inch and 5 steel. Also, z channel is a great idea.
 
#28
FWIW, my house is 1924. I'm reading this thread with interest. I've pretty much decided that my house is beyond hope as a "real" rehearsal space. It gets used about every three months for a quiet band, but for regular rehearsal it's pretty much out of the question.

Still, if I saw a great solution here I'd jump on it again.

KO
 
#29
Pretty sure I am going to do staggerred stud construction on the smaller of the two rooms. I will use two layers of limp mass barrier on the top and bottom plates. Mineral fiber insulation on both sides of the staggerred studs. Covered with 5/8" quiet rock 525 on the inside.

Still unsure what I will layer between the sub floor and finished floor but I am planning on finishing the floor with an engineered wood and then a large area rug, possibly two layers of a limp mass barrier. Also I will use 2 layers of 4" miner fiber insulation for the ceiling not sure just yet how I will layer inbetween the beams and quietrock.

Given the constraints of my budget on soundproofing the HVAC and doors it doesn't make sense to shoot for an STC above 60 on the rest of the construction.

*The second larger room I will hold off for a future date.
 
#30
kraigo said:
FWIW, my house is 1924. I'm reading this thread with interest. I've pretty much decided that my house is beyond hope as a "real" rehearsal space. It gets used about every three months for a quiet band, but for regular rehearsal it's pretty much out of the question.

Still, if I saw a great solution here I'd jump on it again.

KO
Click to expand...

I don't know about you but for me I want to be able to practice my upright bass with the bow (which can be loud) and practice my electric bass without headphones and not disturb the family. Especially if I want to do this around bed time or early in the morning.

My rehearsals are usually not so loud jazz quartet stuff at home. I've got a large wedding/corp band and I don't plan on rehearsing at the house. If I can do the jazz stuff and my "soundproofing" allows my wife and son not to have to vacate the living room directly above this room I'll be happy. Hopefully they can watch TV without having to crank the volume or read a book.

I'm not expecting to have a rock band rehearsal and be able to hear a pin drop in the rest of the house. The goal is simply to make it reasonable for everyone.
 
#31
hotrodjohn said:
Consider this dual use concept for potential resale in future: one large space for rehearsal which doubles as a home theater, with smaller control room for recording and home theater electronic gear. Glass window in wall between the rehearsal room and control room. I have a similar set-up at home. For the investment you are gonna make, you want to make it as appealing as possible to a wide variety of people. At least get the wiring in the walls and you could do the theater later. You might also get it plumbed for bar and bathroom and get the whole man-cave vibe happening...
Click to expand...

I think my new 2 room layout will allow a nice dual use concept although we do not plan on moving anytime soon.

The "rehearsal room/control room" will function as a home theatre while the live room can function as additional living space or a play room for kids.
 

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