John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum

I have a very small area. ( it's the only area I have)
My room is small.
height = 6ft 4
W= 7ft
L = 9ft

2 wall brick.
2 walls plaster board( 3 layers on one main wall)
plaster board ceiling. The room is quiet enough to record in.

I almost ordered some bass traps from an aussie company but thought I'd hold off and post here ( I just found it)
I tried recording and the bass notes from acoustic guitar do very strange things. ( I record my own material, Instrumental)
Unusable strange bass note flutters etc.
By ear it's fine, with condenser mics it's horrible

HSB 3 60mm either 510mm or 450mm x 15m I was thinking of using. should I use double layer here? so it's 120mm thick ( I can just put them in a frame, with material covering them)
I've been told I can fix the bass for recording but to master in the room will always be a problem. If it records well, that will be fine enough
space is a problem, I was thinking , ceiling and some corners and small ones on walls. with the height, the door even is close to the ceiling.

Some acoustic foam panels can be added also.

yes I know, a tiny room, but it's the only space I have.

I have found these at bunnings http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_product_r30-insulation-batts-earthwool-145x430-pk-23_3057.aspx

Well, as we say here, "if that's all you have, then that's what it will be"! We just have to help you figure out how to make the best of it. It turns out that the ratio of that room isn't too bad at all, but your biggest problem is the height: 6'4 is really low. But it is what it is.

First, we need to know what the purpose of the room is. Just to practice acoustic guitar? Record acoustic guitar? Record other stuff? Record an entire rock band? Mix? Master? Do you need to isolate the room ("soundproof"), or just to treat it?

You did mention recording and thinking that it wont work for mastering (very likely correct!), and you didn't mention mixing, so let's assume that this is just going to be a simple practice and tracking room, and work on that as the basis.

First, it is a small room, so it will need lots of bass trapping. You don't say what your budget it is, but let's assume that it is low, so I'd start by treating the vertical corners with as much rock wool or fiberglass as you can afford. If your budget can afford it, I would go with at least two superchunks, and hopefully all four. If you can't stretch the budget for that, then at least put 4" of 703 or equivalent diagonally across those corners.

Next, you say that you have flutter echo problems, which is very likely, so you could make up some large panels of 703 (or something similar) to put on the walls. Probably one panel of 2" 703 on each wall will help, offset so that each panel faces bare wall on the other side of the room. You don't want to kill the room too dead!

You didn't say what is on the floor or ceiling, so I'm assuming bare concrete floor and joists overhead, with the floor above on top. If there is something else on the floor, like carpet, then you might want to consider getting rid of that: it isn't helping he acoustics, and is most likely harming. Keep your floor hard, and put insulation in the ceiling, in the space between the joists. Cover it with plastic to not kill the highs too much, and to keep the fibers from filtering down on you, your equipment, and your instruments. Cover it with cloth too, if you want, for aesthetics.

That would probably be about as much as you can do on a small budget for a small tracking / practice room. If you also want to mix in there, then you will need more than that. If so, then please give us more info about the room, and about what you plan to do in it. Photos would help a LOT too!


- Stuart -

_________________
I want this studio to amaze people. "That'll do" doesn't amaze people.

Thanks very much for the reply.

It will be used for recording solo acoustic guitar. Mastering in most cases will be elsewhere. I want to treat it, not soundproof it
http://www.reverbnation.com/petermiller

moulded bass traps are expensive in Australia and it seems I would not have to buy them if I build some myself.

I was thinking of treating the corners with 4" or 6" home made bas traps.
I will have to be careful of the width as the table with monitors on it might not fit in so well.
Then a couple more bass traps on the ceiling.
I could do smaller bass traps for some walls as well.

I am not sure what to buy as an equivalent for 703 in Australia ( that is easily obtainable at least).
Be great to find an alternative at one of our hardware stores here.

At one end of the room (behind where I sit) I was thinking of buying some acoustic panels to stop reflection off the back wall ( these are cheap compared to bass traps), I don't want the room totally dead though, some reflection is good,

the ceiling is plasterboard and the floor is cement, i usually put a carpet down here.

I can't see (once I source all the materials) why I wouldn't be able to build them in a day and be up and recording.

Product Thickness NRC
rolls
HSB 3 65mm 0.5
HSB 4 75mm 0.6
HSB 5 85mm 0.75


batts
PACB 32/50 50mm 0.82
PACB 20/85 85mm 0.92
PACB 32/100 100mm 0.98

Above is some info i just received form a local supplier and they seem to know about sound issues.
I'm guessing it's similar to corning 703 , however they are polyester