My New Studio Build (perhaps overly detailed)

[silky smoove]

Dimmable LEDs may help.

Dimmable is a must.

Dimmable lights are the highest intensity and most frequent cause of line noise in studio environments due to the way lights are dimmed. The only sure fire way to have noise free dimmers is to use a variac rather than a conventional dimmer or a rheostat. The problem is that not all fixtures work well with variacs. I opted to not bother with dimmers and instead have each pair of lights independently switched such that I can dial in the brightness level by switching off ones that aren't needed, and since it will be a track lighting system I can reposition and adjust the angle of the fixtures themselves to further help. Dimmers are cool visually, but too much of a pain in terms of line noise.

@silky smoove are you planning to install LED lighting for video production inside your studio? This is a good time to play layouts, a potential green screen, etc. LEDs all the way for that proposition!

This isn't a video production space, it's a recording studio, a music production facility, and a sound design studio. If I need to film a promotional video or take photos I can just use my wife's lighting rig that she uses for her business's video and photos.

 

[silky smoove]

Just about four hours until I can work on the last two rows of channel. I'm actually excited to work on this stuff again. It ebbs and flows. Gotta capitalize while I can!

 

[silky smoove]

All of the Whisper Clips and hat channel have been installed on the lid. Next step is to start flying layers of drywall to form the inner leaf.

 

[silky smoove]

In addition to pecking away at the studio each night after work I’m also pecking away at the tunes I need to learn for my new gig. One of them tonight was the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back. I’ve heard that song a million times, but never learned it or paid attention to the bass. That’s a genius little bass part. Very fun once I got the verse lick down.

 

[Microbass]

In addition to pecking away at the studio each night after work I’m also pecking away at the tunes I need to learn for my new gig. One of them tonight was the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back. I’ve heard that song a million times, but never learned it or paid attention to the bass. That’s a genius little bass part. Very fun once I got the verse lick down.

Always been a favourite tune of mine and just recently really paid attention to it - it’s brilliant! Really starting to see the insides come together. Can you forsee a 2018 finish?

 

[J Posega]

In addition to pecking away at the studio each night after work I’m also pecking away at the tunes I need to learn for my new gig. One of them tonight was the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back. I’ve heard that song a million times, but never learned it or paid attention to the bass. That’s a genius little bass part. Very fun once I got the verse lick down.

That riff is deceptively tricky, and a ton of fun. You can hear where the bass player got his inspiration for that descending riff in James Taylor’s ‘Your Smiling Face.’

Do you notice the space getting quieter with each bit of work you get done? I’d probably be checking it constantly, play music outside the building, shut the door, and check how many dB’s are being cut with each layer that was getting added, but I’m weird like that.

 

[guy n. cognito]

In addition to pecking away at the studio each night after work I’m also pecking away at the tunes I need to learn for my new gig. One of them tonight was the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back. I’ve heard that song a million times, but never learned it or paid attention to the bass. That’s a genius little bass part. Very fun once I got the verse lick down.

A great song. Make sure the drummer doesn't rush the tempo.......it kills the groove so fast.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I have the MJ Stripped Mixes album. It allows you to hear the songs in a different way.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I'm wondering about the clustering of the hat channels close to the ridge. Do they explain why the ones with the arrows are required so close to the two peak channels rather than spacing them all out more equally?

 

[peterpalmieri]

I'm wondering about the clustering of the hat channels close to the ridge. Do they explain why the ones with the arrows are required so close to the two peak channels rather than spacing them all out more equally?

View attachment 2996091

You need something on the ends while maintaining a maximum width between Channels.

 

[beans-on-toast]

You need something on the ends while maintaining a maximum width between Channels.

That leaves me wondering why the two channels with the arrows would be required.

 

[silky smoove]

Can you forsee a 2018 finish?

Absolutely. I'm hoping to be done by late summer, but if it stretched into fall/winter I wouldn't be surprised given all of the other unexpected things to crop up over the course of construction.

Do you notice the space getting quieter with each bit of work you get done?

Footfalls across the floor have changed in tone and feel, but otherwise the only acoustic change thus far is that the space is quite a bit more reflective since the middle leaf on the ceiling is installed and the vestibule is fully rocked. It'll need the sound door to complete the isolation perimeter, so I'm still a ways off from being to a point of measurable isolation.

Make sure the drummer doesn't rush the tempo

This gig has backing tracks so everyone is on a click. No chance of rushing. I could see this one turning into a mushy mess if rushed.

I'm wondering about the clustering of the hat channels close to the ridge. Do they explain why the ones with the arrows are required so close to the two peak channels rather than spacing them all out more equally?

The spacing for ceiling installation is a maximum of 3" clear from the edges at the walls and peak, and 24" max spacing through the field. I set the first row at the walls and then worked up in 24" increments towards the peak. After three 24" rows I was 28" out from the peak on each side. I called the manufacturer to see if I should take it down and do a more even distribution to avoid doubling up at the peak. Their recommendation was to leave it and just double up at the peak since the place where people have the most problem getting drywall to line up properly is at the peak of a vaulted ceiling, and having the extra fastener surfaces clustered in the problem area would help reduce those issues.

That leaves me wondering why the two channels with the arrows would be required.

You need something on the ends while maintaining a maximum width between Channels.

@peterpalmieri is exactly right. See my explanation above.

 

[beans-on-toast]

When you mount the drywall, will you start at the peak so that you have full sheets there or does it not matter?

Mitering drywall is interesting. I don't see how this can be done at the peak. It would leave it weakened.

 

[silky smoove]

No, I’ll start at the wall. The width is about 33” after I put in a full 48” piece.

Mitering is unnecessary since all planes require a 1/4” gap on all sides.

 

[TedH]

This is getting good!!

 

[silky smoove]

Decoupling... inner leaf... Progress!

 

[beans-on-toast]

I’m trying to see why the ceiling sheets are being installed before the wall sheets. On the wall, is the plaster board going to be behind the sheet that you installed above or up to it? I assume the latter.

I’m wondering if, in the end with everything in place, the wall or the ceiling surfaces will be exposed to more sound waves. Would one or the other require more isolation or treatment?

 

[silky smoove]

Per the international building code you always install the ceiling first to create a fire block. All of the sound isolation literature says to just follow the IBC’s recommendation. The ceiling extends to within 1/4” of the wall framing. The wall rock extends to within 1/4” of the ceiling rock.

 

[silky smoove]

This was the moment that I realized I was an idiot and bought screws that were too long. The inner leaf is short circuiting into the middle leaf, effectively negating any sound isolation benefits. I now have to tear down all of the inner leaf and start it over with shorter screws.

 

[IconBasser]

aw jeez... well, at least you caught it now rather than at the end.