Show-Off Your Practice Studio (idea, newb alert...)

[Viking Power]

Hi Fretters,

Thinking about setting up a workstation of some sorts where I can have my laptop for video lessons, tab, etc and still be able to play my guitar, access my amp, etc. (Right now I'm using a cramped little end table and a set of el-cheapo plug in speakers for my laptop---not ideal!)

As a beginner, I have some ideas, but don't know necessarily what works best. Definitely trying to work out the best setup for the least amount of space.....

Anybody want to post a pic or two of their practice area? Thought this might be a good idea both in a practical sense for sharing ideas but also for inspiration, hell even bragging rights if that's what floats your boat.

[WackyT]

Here's my practice set-up.

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/7714a6de60b6253c.jpg

From the left I have:
Powerstrip
Blackheart Little Giant amp (http://www.blackhearteng.com/bh5h.html)
Blackheart 10" cabinet (http://www.blackhearteng.com/bh110.html) w/ Weber Sig10A speaker (https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/asig10.htm)
Fender tuner (http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0239994000)
Partsocaster guitar
Fender MIM Telecaster (http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0145122302) guitar in case

Those are my 2 favorite electrics to practice with.

[tunghaichuan]

Here's mine:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs166.snc1/6209_108168242054_666597054_2312493_132890_n.jpg

Left to right: Warmoth partscaster, Valve Junior head and cabinet, Blackheart Little Giant Head and 1x12" cabinet, Hohner Revelation RTX guitar. In the foreground there are two chorus pedal on the left: a DOD FX65 and Boss CE-5. I use them to run the VJ and BH at the same time, no ground loops. :AOK: Both are very suble choruses and provide some spatial separation when engaged. The DOD has the same chip set as the Boss CE-2, but is stereo out, unlike the CE-2. The Boss CE-5 has a handy high cut and low cut concentric pot which helps dial down some high end. On the left is my beloved MI Audio Tube Zone. Makes the two little 5 watters sound like a Dual Recto stack. :dude:

Note Elvis gazing down benevolently upon my practice space. :dude:

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs186.snc1/6209_108168247054_666597054_2312494_2943591_n.jpg

This is a shot of all of my practice books, magazines, DVDs, etc.

tung

[deeaa]

Ok here's mine:
http://deeaa.pp.fi/deestudio.jpg

[pes_laul]

http://www.box.net/shared/6eezt9b0gg this is really old but this is my room. I dont use those amps anymore due to my crate v18 212 :AOK: but I also have gotten some more stuff

[SuperSwede]

Ok here's mine:


Oh thats a big photo! I thought all finnish studios was equipped with at least one vodka bottle :D

Very nice TM10, I love the sound of those!

[kiteman]

Any corner I can find. :whatever:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/623/s5030612.jpg (http://img156.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s5030612.jpg)

Carvin DC127 with Blackouts to Boss GT-10 pedal to Blackheart Handsome Devil head and 1x12 cab.

Roger Linn Adrenalinn to Fender Rumble 25 bass amp for drums.

[deeaa]

Oh thats a big photo! I thought all finnish studios was equipped with at least one vodka bottle :D

Very nice TM10, I love the sound of those!

I usually just have beercans over there. It's not a studio after all...in studios, often that is the case.

Oh that got me missing the old days when in the studios you could drink and smoke and whatnot...these days they are A/C and strictly very neat&tidy...

Yep, try as I might I can't find a better D/I system than the TM-10 for rock guitars. LOve it!

[Tig]

Mine is just 7 months old, but a good enough start for now. I'm on a tight budget, and a corner in the bedroom has been permitted by Mrs. Tig.

I recycled a rod iron table frame to support the amps and cabinet. On the lower right, the power strip is tied to the frame. A laptop on top for streaming backing tracks, video lessons and music.
Guitar (Reverend Club King 290 or Epi LP Jr) > Budda Budwah wah pedal > Epi Valve Jr (great pre-amp) > Peavey Vypyr (amp models, effects, reverb, delay) > Epi 1x12 cabinet

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254a734e1fccd05.jpg

[ibanezjunkie]

i have a wall of gear in my room, ill post a couple of pics shortly, but i need to get my camera phone to connect properly.

Stupid LG PC Suite downloads are slow!

edit: here they are...

Blackheart, marshall cab, pedalboard and part of ibanez...
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss93/LeadGuitar2009/P010809_2111.jpg

ibanez + harrier
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss93/LeadGuitar2009/P010809_2111_01.jpg

Computer, H&K and part of guitar case (underneath the H&K is a behringer BX600)
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss93/LeadGuitar2009/P010809_2111_02.jpg

:D

[just strum]

Not what one would call a studio, but it is my little space of solitude.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/Guitars/013.jpg

[Plank_Spanker]

My little slice of heaven:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/axepilot/100_2318.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/axepilot/100_2301.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/axepilot/100_2317.jpg

[ibanezjunkie]

have you ever taken the time to add up the value of your gear, Plank?

i bet it would be $20k+. if not more than $30k.

all them gibsons (and fenders), that rather attractive germino and your impressive rack rig.

[Plank_Spanker]

have you ever taken the time to add up the value of your gear, Plank?

i bet it would be $20k+. if not more than $30k.

all them gibsons (and fenders), that rather attractive germino and your impressive rack rig.

Thanks, man. Not all of my gear is pictured and I guess it adds up to a fair sum.

Only the top of that rack in the SKB case is active. The bottom half in the Road Ready case is spare PA gear on standby in case I need it, but my room is the only place to store it.

Some guys smoke crack.....................I just buy gear to play. :D

[ibanezjunkie]

them mesa/boogie cabs cost a packet even compared to ENGL or 1960X cabs, is there really enough of them to justify a price tag of near £1000GBP?

[Tig]

My little slice of heaven:


A tasty slice at that!

I have had to pass up buying 3 different used Telecaster FMT HH's the last year (mo' cash). Someday...

[ibanezjunkie]

Plank, i remember you saying those Germinos were handwired in north carolina, and were expensive. just out of interest, how expensive? :D

[Plank_Spanker]

Tig,

Thanks! That Tele is a great guitar..............sweet neck and it sounds great.


Ibanez,

My Mesa cab is an excellent sounding cab - the only reason I still haul it to gigs.

The Germino - $2300 and a waiting list of 6 months. It rocks. :dude:

[wingsdad]

Here's how I've made the most of a 10'x10' room with a 6'x4' walk-in closet. The pics are from various setups from the past 3 years.

First, I just snapped this one today, since I spent a bit of time playing with my daughter yesterday. It shows the whole studio rig as I now have it re-wired to try to work on an ambitious but ever-stalling project. There's an a/v system/tv tower to its left that can also be patched to & from things. Cool for watching & playing along with videos, since I can hook the audio into the mixing boards, since most of the time, I play at night and have to play through headphones to not disturb my wife, daughter or granddaughters:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Studio%20Shots/IMG_1604.jpg

Here's an older shot, stepping back to get an idea of the whole room; still out of camera-shot to the left, I have a pretty big office desk & chair with my computer, etc. It's close enough to tap to & from the a/v tower:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Studio%20Shots/IMG_0535.jpg

To the right side of the room, guitars hang (the black G&L ASAT on the top right is now cb's that shiner borrows...), the door to the closet and bookcases jammed with books, LP's, cd's videos, tapes...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Studio%20Shots/IMG_0532.jpg

Inside the closet: a room humidifer on the floor with the door to my guitar cabinet and a bunch of toys above it:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Studio%20Shots/GitCloset041407.jpg

...and the 'humidor' guitar cabinet on the back wall of the closet:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/Studio%20Shots/IMG_0531.jpg

[Plank_Spanker]

Now, THAT is making wise use of space! :AOK:

Cool room, wingsdad. :beer:

[Viking Power]

Thanks for posting guys! Very drool inspiring stuff!

[Rampant]

Dudes

Here's my beginners basic setup...

iPod and speakers on the windowsill, lesson folder on music stand, KORG effects gizmo (and capo) on my little 5W tube amp :)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/markhollywood/DSC01060.jpg

[ibanezjunkie]

wings, what make/model is that orange/amber/sunburst tele on the wall?

nice ibanez, Rampant, very cool sounding guitars them AF semi hollows.

[marnold]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OT7l0dXu4To/Snoq3wPBhmI/AAAAAAAAAkI/hQJmuA7uP-o/s800/img_2424.jpg

In fairness, my bass amph is normally not located there (different part of the room) nor is my bass normally perched so precariously in front of it. My guitar, Vox, and pedals are in their usual position. I tried to take this picture from a slightly higher angle so I wouldn't be blinded by the Vox's grill. I ended up washing out a couple of my Jackson's sharkies. Trust me; they're there.

For those of you who check the background closely, let me note that the beer, guitar, and computer books and magazines are mine. The smut books are my wife's.

[sunvalleylaw]

Thanks for explaining about the sharkies Marnold. I thought for a minute you had already worn them off by excessive shredding in open position. ;)






I will have a new practice space soon as part of a remodel we are doing to bring my MIL in to live with us. I will be asking for some help setting it up.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0155.jpg

When this room is finished (it is getting much closer than the pic indicates), this end of the room will have a computer desk in the left corner with the iMac and the toneport. The keyboard will be under the window on the left. One amph may be to the left of that. To the right of the computer desk will be a dresser that will hold books, cables, gear etc, then one or more amphs. In the right corner will be a large TV hutch with initially an ancient tv and my stereo. Speakers will be in the corners, perhaps hung on brackets. I intend on running sound into the stereo as a PA, and will also use it for TV sound, and will have the iMac hub everything. Somewhere on the walls, likely the one directly ahead in the pic, will be guitar hooks. Somewhere in the room also will be a humidifier. Any thoughts, suggestions etc. would be lovely. :D

[sunvalleylaw]

wings, what make/model is that orange/amber/sunburst tele on the wall?

nice ibanez, Rampant, very cool sounding guitars them AF semi hollows.

IJ, that tele is a G&L.

[wingsdad]

Now, THAT is making wise use of space! :AOK:

Cool room, wingsdad. :beer:
Thanks...:) yeah...not much floor space if I open a drawer under the keyboard or pull the amp out from under the mixing desk... :thwap: and almost out of vertical space :whatever:


wings, what make/model is that orange/amber/sunburst tele on the wall?

Here's a link to the thread I posted upon its arrival:

G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy Semi-Hollow (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=6884)

The finish is Cherryburst, on Swamp Ash.

[sumitomo]

[QUOTE=tunghaichuan]Here's mine:


Valve Junior head and cabinet, Blackheart Little Giant Head and 1x12" cabinet,

.
Tung I'm just curious,no home built amps in your studio?What gives your the amp man.Sumi:D:poke:

[tunghaichuan]

Tung I'm just curious,no home built amps in your studio?What gives your the amp man.Sumi:D:poke:

I have plenty of working home brew amps. I never developed and woodworking skills, so most of my amps are still bare chassis. It isn't safe to run amps like this. I've got two nice 18 watters ready and waiting for head cabs.

For right now it is just simpler to buy a $100 Valve Junior and mod it so it sounds good. :AOK:

tung

[just strum]

Dudes

Here's my beginners basic setup...

iPod and speakers on the windowsill, lesson folder on music stand, KORG effects gizmo (and capo) on my little 5W tube amp :)



Rampant, I really like the clean lines of that setup. It is a good practice area and has a touch of art.

I came across a pic when my 10 x 11 room had even less room than now.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/Guitars/Picture243.jpg

[Rampant]

Rampant, I really like the clean lines of that setup. It is a good practice area and has a touch of art.

Thanks strum

Smallest room in the house - and dominated by the wardrobe that stores all my uniforms and makes the space even smaller...
There's just enough space to make it feel not cramped - keeping it uncluttered is a necessity and keeps the space relaxing :) I'm thinking that the next gear purchase will be a Vox VT30 - it's small enough to fit in the space where the Crate sits now. There is a slim gap beside the wardrobe where I stuff books and stuff - my plan is to put four narrow full depth shelves there to store all my books and accesories :)

I also have another practice room... My acoustic hangs on the wall in my bedroom, where I can just grab it and sit on the bed and noodle whenever there's not enough time to settle down and switch on the amp etc...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/markhollywood/DSC01148.jpg

:)

[sunvalleylaw]

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0046.jpg
Main area with computer for recording with Toneport, drawers for storage or music, cables, etc.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0043.jpg
Keyboard and son's amph. Son's amph may move over by mine and be replaced with a guitar rack, or I may put the rack near where my C-30 is sitting. Guitar hangers could go on wall to left or right of keyboard up on the wall, or up above the C-30.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0044.jpg
TV hutch with stereo that I plan to use for playback, and maybe PA work while recording or playing with tracks I am working on.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0045.jpg
Closer view of computer/recording/workstation area.

Yeeeeehaaaahhhhh!!!! Well, here is the work in progress! Pretty much set up, though the speakers up in the corners will get replaced, and I am still figuring out where I am going to store guitars. I may build a rack like the one someone posted recently, or put a couple hangers on the wall, or keep them in the closet on the other side of the room. I would like to have them out, but this room is also, and perhaps mainly, a family rec room during the day, so I am not completely comfortable with them exposed. A rack over between the keyboard and TV hutch might serve. I will put some sort of humidifier in the room as well. Here is another view of the one angle in daylight, just because I like the sunflowers. :AOK:

Hints or suggestions from those more seasoned at setting up such an area would be most appreciated. So far, no undue noise issues, even with lights on.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0042.jpg

[deeaa]

Hey Steve,

Wow that's a really nice looking place, really dig the furniture too, quite stylish. And ample room, not just for the amphs :-) that's gotta be bigger than our practice space for 2 bands.

Thoughts: I'd hang only guitars that have a flat neck joint like Fenders; I'd never hang a tilt-neck guitar. Small as the upward pressure is on the neck, over a long period of time it will have a small effect. Acoustics are OK as they weigh next to nothing, but a heavy LP etc. hung by a neck...would not do constantly.

Also I thought of reflections...looks like a lot of windows there...I'd consider some heavy curtains to remove extra reverberation etc. when wanted.

Mine is in the basement with a tiny window and all surfaces uneven wood, large sofa and soft armchairs, walls full of bookcases etc. and I'd still like to have some curtains there to kill that extra room ambience from my recordings, particularly when doing vocals. Plus a noise screen for my computer...it's mostly passive cooled but still the harddisks whirr etc.

[sunvalleylaw]

Thanks Deeaa! That furniture, except for the chair and TV hutch, is old stuff from my wife's childhood. Works great though and fits the room just fine! Provides lots of storage too. I do not get to use the whole room for music though, just this perimeter. The interior of the room will have a couch and seat, coffee table, maybe a foosball table, and other family things. I had to stand up for my wall space a bit earlier today when some of my wife's girlfriends came over and had ideas for the room. ;) But the perimeter is still a good amount of space, and I can leave my things there now, not have to hide them away as I did when I used a corner of my wife's office area. Her office moved across the house now.

With the windows, and not much furniture in the room yet (we need to save up and find a good cheap couch, etc.), there is sound reflection, and I notice things sound different than they did when the room was smaller. Right now, it is a big box with not much on the walls, or soft furniture to soak up some bouncing sound. Will work on that as I go. Thanks for the suggestions. And speaking of reflections:

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/IMG_0051.jpg

[deeaa]

Yeah sometimes reflections can be good. I once recorded an acoustic piece in the bathroom; very nice lively sense of space. But sometimes you don't want 'em thats for sure :-)

[wingsdad]

steve,
If you're gonna hang 'em, be sure to mount the hangers as far away from the airflow from heat & ac registers as possible, and located so that they're not targets for direct sunlight. Also, soem will advise to try to locate them on interior walls, but that's getting pretty overboard. I have 6 hangers on the exterior wall of my room, but the wall's something like 10" thick and heavily insulated. If the wall doesn't feel cold to the touch in the dead of winter, it's probably just fine.

[just strum]

Steve, is that the new addition?

[deeaa]

steve,
If you're gonna hang 'em, be sure to mount the hangers as far away from the airflow from heat & ac registers as possible, and located so that they're not targets for direct sunlight. Also, soem will advise to try to locate them on interior walls, but that's getting pretty overboard. I have 6 hangers on the exterior wall of my room, but the wall's something like 10" thick and heavily insulated. If the wall doesn't feel cold to the touch in the dead of winter, it's probably just fine.

Man, you have thin walls :-) Mine are almost 20" and every window triple glassed... there's more than 3 inches of wood paneling already, at least 8 inches of two-by four frames in layers, each filled with 4 inches of fiberglass wool insulation...then the windbreakers and the siding supports and then the exterior wall...I think the garage walls however are only about 16 inches though. But it's a cold space.

[sunvalleylaw]

Yes Strum, it is part of the re-model. I am going to trot out some other pics in another thread sometime. I am not sure how thick our exterior walls are, but now I will check as I am curious. It is well insulated, and the glass is all energy efficient standard stuff. I am not sure it is triple pane though. Pretty much all walls in that room are exterior, and there is a lot of sun. So I am leaning against hanging all the guitars, and maybe have just a hook or two for ease of access, on walls that do not get direct sun, and/or get or build a rack like the one some posted about here a few weeks ago. Like I said, it is a multi purpose room.

The closet where I stick my guitars in cases has sliding doors. I may stick a humidifier in there like Wingsdad did. I am not sure about trying to humidify the whole room.

[just strum]

Steve,

The room looks good. The answer may be buried in this thread, but what are the dimensions of the room?

[ibanezjunkie]

SVL, the second pic in your first post...

your wah seems to be going for a walk!

[sunvalleylaw]

Strum, it is about 17' by 24'. 17' across from the desk to the TV corner of the room, then 24' to the north. The north end has an exterior entry and walk way to a "mud" area where we have hooks and cubbies to stow your mittens, hat, gloves, helmets etc. Then moving south, there will be a game table like a foosball table, and a soft tip dart board, then couch chair coffee table etc. in front of the fire place you see a part of, then the southern perimeter that I shot the pics of. We have no basement and did not have a rec room or play room of any kind, other than a landing that is constantly coated in legos, so with my mother in law moving in, it will be a space for a bit of personal freedom. It is separated past the connecting north wall by a hall way and bathroom from any bedrooms so noise won't be too much of an issue that way, and it flows through patio style doors into a dining area, so I can block noise from the rest of the house. Not blocked enough to keep up with a drummer in there and not wake everyone up, but at least play a little. Very exciting!

[rylanmartin]

I have several rooms in my basement that I use for jamming, teaching, and practicing. Here's my man-cave:

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/102344b86ac0153b6a.jpg
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/102344b86ac0144121.jpg
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/102344b86ac013331d.jpg
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/102344b86ac14abbc6.jpg
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/102344b86ac14bbdc0.jpg
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/102344b86ac14cc3ac.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

ugg, uggg, Ally Oop ! That is quite a man cave! :AOK

[mainestratman]

I need a cable rack.. or cable wall... lol

[MAXIFUNK]

I will take a pic of my family room practice space tonight and post it then.

[Tig]

Update of my modest bedroom "studio"...
2 new Squiers and the uber cool and comfy bike frame stool.
http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/92254b86d0fcac87c.jpg

[Katastrophe]

Tig, you gotta show that Reverend some love, man! It looks all neglected, back in the corner and all.

BTW, I love the pickguard on the Strat. Really looks good with the sunburst finish.

[Katastrophe]

Rylan, could you tell me more about the LP Junior lookin' guitar with "Talent" on the headstock? Looks pretty cool, as do all your gitfiddles.

[Monkus]

Cool spaces, great collection of guits. I'll post mine soon !

[kidsmoke]

no doubt, lots of eye candy, but what I love is the rear triangle stool!! THAT is cool:AOK

[rylanmartin]

Rylan, could you tell me more about the LP Junior lookin' guitar with "Talent" on the headstock? Looks pretty cool, as do all your gitfiddles.
It's a Gibson Baldwin Talent Les Paul. If one was to google it, they'd come across this ad:

http://www.overstock.com/Gifts-Flowers/Gibson-Baldwin-Talent-Electric-LP-Guitar/2565795/product.html

I bought it for 20 bucks from the local classifieds. The bridge was bent up and the electronics were useless. I ordered a new bridge, knobs, pots, tuners, a p90 pickup and input jack off of guitar fetish and set out to copy the original Gibson idea.

The frets were pretty bad too, so I filed down the sharp edges and evened out the lay of the whole board and it plays not bad. It looks super cool, feels all right. All in all it was about an $90 investment. I even have a few gold "Gibson" decals sitting around if I felt like a blatant plagiarism.

I've always wanted a LP junior, but never wanted to shell out the money for what was intended by Gibson to be a "student" guitar...so I feel in my case, this one is more authentic to the original purpose.

[mainestratman]

I'll post some pix from this coming Sunday during practice. :-)

[MichaelE]

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/Studio0004.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/Studio0002.jpg

[mainestratman]

LOVE the reel to reel. Very classy.

[sunvalleylaw]

Beautiful room, Michael E!

[MichaelE]

Thanks guys. Don't know how I missed this thread from last year. I just saw it this morning.

The Kurzweil and my floor pedals are out of view, and I have a new Yamaha MM8 coming in another week or so. I just replaced the el-cheapo On-Stage mic stand with a König & Meyer that came yesterday. Talk about tank-like construction.