Soundproofing a room

[Robert]

I have a room in the basement I would like to turn into my little studio. I understand that "real" soundproofing is expensive and a real acoustic expert may be needed.

However, I'm thinking there must be a way to make it half decent by using some cheaper techniques? All I think I really need is to make it less noisy for the rest of the family and that the sound in the room doesn't bounce around.

I would keep my computer, amps, guitars in there, and I would use a corner of the room to mic my amps and maybe vocals. (I will need to get some decent monitors too for mixing better. I only have headphones at this point...)

Have any of you done anything like this?

[just strum]

I have a room in the basement I would like to turn into my little studio. I understand that "real" soundproofing is expensive and a real acoustic expert may be needed.

However, I'm thinking there must be a way to make it half decent by using some cheaper techniques? All I think I really need is to make it less noisy for the rest of the family and that the sound in the room doesn't bounce around.

I would keep my computer, amps, guitars in there, and I would use a corner of the room to mic my amps and maybe vocals. (I will need to get some decent monitors too for mixing better. I only have headphones at this point...)

Have any of you done anything like this?

Robert, what would you consider expensive? I looked into this at one time just to reduce sound between two rooms with a shared wall. Mudcat sent me a link to a place that sold quality soundproofing material at a very decent price (as compared to some other places of equal product).

I no longer have the link, but maybe I can find Mudcat and hopefully he will have the info.

[wingsdad]

Robert,
k5Koy was looking for sound buffering advice some time ago with this thread, and I described an inexpensive solution:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=8995&highlight=gobo

As for containing or minimizing sound escaping the room to minimize disturbing the family, I used heavy foam rubber weather stripping all around the inside (room side) of the door.

There are a number of good 2-way self-powered bi-amped (sep op amps for the bass & tweeters) desktop monitors with 5"-8" low-freq drivers, for $150-$300USD a pair. I use a set of M-Audio Audiophile BX5a's I got 5 years ago.

[just strum]

Robert,

I'm not sure if this is the site, but they have some good prices.

http://www.foambymail.com/soundproofing.html

[Blaze]

http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/Music_room.htm

[bigoldron]

The egg-crate foam is a good idea. Years ago, we had an egg processing plant around here and the band and chorus room had acquired a lot of the cardboard egg crates and stapled them to the wall. Those held, if I'm not mistaken, 18 eggs, like the ones you can still get a the grocery store. They were cheap, but effective. But, unless you have an egg processor near you, they'd be hard to find in bulk quantities.

[Spudman]

What is right above that room? Is it a bed room, family room, kitchen?

Most of the sound that would bother them is going to go through the basement ceiling so I'd focus on putting foam on the ceiling and carpet on the basement floor will help. If the walls are cement then you might look at hanging blankets or carpet on the cement walls. If you do all this you'll end up with a pretty dead room and that can keep sound from traveling.

There are a bunch of good small powered monitors to use for recording but don't expect to jam along with them with your amph cranking away. Check the KRK line. They'll be best strictly for recording.

You can do a pretty good job of isolation for moderate level recording purposes but if the bedroom is right above your studio you can expect problems from above.

[tjcurtin1]

Whatever you do, don't use flammable materials just cause they're cheap! The Station night club fire disaster occurred not far from here, and it was the fault of flammable sound-proofing (egg-crate type foam, I believe - albeit ignited by pyrotechnics, once it got going it was an instant inferno).

[just strum]

Whatever you do, don't use flammable materials just cause they're cheap! The Station night club fire disaster occurred not far from here, and it was the fault of flammable sound-proofing (egg-crate type foam, I believe - albeit ignited by pyrotechnics, once it got going it was an instant inferno).

I had a real "visual" with that one - Robert playing the Suhr, plugged in to the Marshall and all sorts of pyrotechnics going off. And who says practice can't be fun?

[Algonquin]

Not sure what you have for a ceiling in the basement Rob, but if you have a drop ceiling, you could always throw in some Roxul Safe'n'Sound insulation. Not the end all, but easy and not that expensive.

http://www.roxul.com/sw47802.asp

[Robert]

We have a hanging/drop ceiling, and above is the kitchen. I would like a simple solution that I can do myself. This isn't going to be a pro studio, just a little room for me to do my music in. In terms of how much to spend, I'm thinking under a grand in material. So that means the floor, the ceiling and the walls. The ceiling is the biggest issue.

What about air movement? Will it get hot in such a room? Maybe I need a fan? But then maybe the sound will leak out through it.