Nice Clean Studio Space (NOT!)

[tothemax]

Everyone has their own priorities, my 12'x16' shed studio hovers between organized and mild disarray. If I get back from a late practice gear goes in the door and put away the next time I'm in the studio - after a gig everything (gear and PA) will most likely get the same treatment. My electronics / guitar "bench" is in the studio and usually has something in progress on it. I can honestly say that it never reaches a Silky Smooth level of order, but he is actually running a pro studio so it's not apples to apples (still - ENVY, ENVY, ENVY ).

Though it was with mixed emotions that I bought the shed and felt as though I had been deported from the house, it has turned out to be a blessing having a dedicated music space. Insulated with heat and AC, it has supported many practice and recording sessions. When I had my gear set up in a corner of my home office it was usually a functional pile.

More power to the OP, it's no fun isolating a cable or connection in a wad of wires... We all do whatever we can to keep our musical passion going...

Cheers

 

[silky smoove]

I can honestly say that it never reaches a Silky Smooth level of order, but he is actually running a pro studio so it's not apples to apples (still - ENVY, ENVY, ENVY ).

Funny timing on this. I posted this “aftermath” photo from a horn tracking session on Instagram yesterday, and the one below it is the scene right now. Maybe I am a little obsessive about organization, haha.

 

[tothemax]

And I rest my case... still jealous
It's works fine for two or three, above that it gets tight. At some point I'd like to build a mic'd dead box with at least a 1x12 cab. But it does what I need... The peaked ceiling allowed for loft style storage, works perfect for lighting and case storage. That old VOX VT series amp really works great as an acoustic amp, so glad I hung on to it.

eDrums and backline

Keys and console

Console PA Cab

The bench

 

[silky smoove]

@tothemax it looks like a very usable space. Don't be jelly!

 

[J-Mags]

A lot of that clutter serves the important acoustical purposes of absorption and diffusion. No right angles, you say? No problem! Recording engineers say to put a big couch behind the desk. Home recording people point out that a bed in a corner is a bass trap, etc.

 

[silky smoove]

Home recording people point out that a bed in a corner is a bass trap, etc.

If they do they're likely wrong. Most beds are of insufficient density to serve as a bass trap. A broadband absorber perhaps, but a bed isn't likely to do anything in bass trap territory.

EDIT: Thinking about this further. A water bed would be an interesting one to measure. They use a large rubber bladder to contain the water. If filled to full capacity and without any bedding on top of the bladder I wonder if it would function like a Helmholz resonator.

 

[J-Mags]

If they do they're likely wrong. Most beds are of insufficient density to serve as a bass trap. A broadband absorber perhaps, but a bed isn't likely to do anything in bass trap territory.

EDIT: Thinking about this further. A water bed would be an interesting one to measure. They use a large rubber bladder to contain the water. If filled to full capacity and without any bedding on top of the bladder I wonder if it would function like a Helmholz resonator.

Many mattresses nowadays are that heavy duty memory foam. I wouldn't be surprised if a 10" mattress could trap a bit of bass. After all, a full or queen bed would be the size of a whole bunch of 24" x 48" bass traps, so even if it were inefficient, you might get something. Anecdotal evidence from the internets shows that it sometimes cuts a DB or two sub-100 hz and sometimes doesn't, possibly based on placement, and the construction of the mattress.

 

[silky smoove]

Many mattresses nowadays are that heavy duty memory foam.

Have you looked at how memory foam mattresses are constructed? They're generally a memory foam topper, a transitional layer and then a pretty conventional interior which is mostly airspace. It's not cost-effective or sufficiently firm/supportive for manufacturer's to construct entirely out of memory foam.

I wouldn't be surprised if a 10" mattress could trap a bit of bass.

Even if you achieved 10" of foam, you would need to calculate the density and air permissivity of the material to know for certain. Assuming it performs as well as other open-cell types of foam you'd likely be surprised by how poorly it performs at treating anything below the midrange.

After all, a full or queen bed would be the size of a whole bunch of 24" x 48" bass traps

Perhaps dimensionally, but as shown above; the dimensions tell an insufficient amount of the story to provide any real answer. Without any form of testing I would happily wager a large sum of money that the described scenario would not function adequately as a bass trap and would instead be largely a broadband absorber treating frequencies above the upper bass band.

To further this; How many beds are left with just the memory foam exposed? Most are covered in blankets, sheets, quilts, etc. Effective bass trapping has high air permissivity and high density. Those are two attributes that are hard to find in a single product. There's a reason that paper-backed insulation has to be oriented correctly in order for a bass trap to function properly despite the paper being super thin and incapable of dealing with bass frequencies on its own. I suspect all of the "stuff" on top of a typical bed would further reduce a bed's effectiveness as a bass trap.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I'm with @silky smoove on this one.

My space, from another messiest studio thread: Messiest Office/Studio/Practice Room Contest

 

[RhythmJunky]

Don't confuse messy with clean. It is all relative: In my day job I have to be cleaner than probably any and all of you. I run a research group that works in a Class 10,000 nanofab clean room that I built.
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I have no wish to engage in a cleanroom arms race, but do feel that the gauntlet has been thrown down !

I've spent most of my working life in and around high end semiconductor fabs, doing various levels of engineering geekery so feel your pain. I think my latest gig is class 1, and it's as big as a small country ( and probably has a bigger GDP).

However my practice space bears a close similarity to yours...

 

[Basslice]

I have no wish to engage in a cleanroom arms race, but do feel that the gauntlet has been thrown down !

I've spent most of my working life in and around high end semiconductor fabs, doing various levels of engineering geekery so feel your pain. I think my latest gig is class 1, and it's as big as a small country ( and probably has a bigger GDP).

However my practice space bears a close similarity to yours...

Awesome! Mine is research space and probably pales in comparison to your situation. I take yield and take the knee.

I have done some work in a couple of big fabs in the past. Much kudos to you! And yes, most people don't know that a modern fab costs more than most under-developed countries and more than some pretty advanced one too. I have a chart somewhere...

 

[RhythmJunky]

Awesome! Mine is research space and probably pales in comparison to your situation. I take yield and take the knee.

I have done some work in a couple of big fabs in the past. Much kudos to you! And yes, most people don't know that a modern fab costs more than most under-developed countries and more than some pretty advanced one too. I have a chart somewhere...

Thank you for such a gracious reply. I was very conscious that it could have come across as one upmanship, which was absolutely not my intention. It was just interesting to see another cleanroom.

The money involved is truly mind-blowing, we have one toolset that costs close to $200 million each (and we need quite a few).

However I'd say your application is far more interesting and varied.

 

[byacey]

Total nods to the pros and semi-pros on TB, but heck to you all. You post nice pretty pics of your spaces. Mine almost never looks like that.

Challenge: Post your real space during work. I dare ya! Here's mine.

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What do you use the HP oscillator for?