John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum

I've asked a bunch of questions pertaining to details and isolated aspects of construction. I wanted to have a place where anyone could get a full look at what I've got so far.













Since then I have: tamped ground, dug conduit, vapor barrier, expansion joint (for partition and perimeter of slab), rebar, and poured a 4" slab. Basic electric is in one outlet and electricians return after framing. Roof joists are being cut today.

My plans call for 2x3 framing with RC-2 and a 1" space. Do I also insulate with Roxul Rockboard 60 (my preferred trap insulation)? If so, just the control room or the live room ("storage") too? The gable ends are lumber and I'm doing spray-in on those. I'm thinking double sheet-rock and Green/Quiet Glue on the ceiling.

I also have an opportunity to splay walls and ceiling. Is that worth it? I read it's over-rated, an easy fix.

Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

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Chris Jones
www.circa70.org

Hi there Chris,

I'm not an expert or moderator, just a home studio builder similar to yourself, but I think youl find that it will be easier to keep all your posts to do with your build together so people can get the full story in one post.

Must admit I like the idea of your exterior wall build, I have never seen that method in the UK before.

Apologies...here's the content of the other post. Once I pm the responder Ill ask mods to remove.


Soundman2020 wrote:
Hi Chris, and welcome!

Quote:
My question is about insulating control rooms v. live rooms. Maybe there's no difference in treatment


I'm not sure that I follow what you are saying: you seem to be confusing insulation, isolation, and treatment all in one. They are different things. Insulation can be used as part of your isolation, and also as part of your treatment, but isolation is not treatment, and treatment is not isolation.


Yes, I understand this now. It's my first time tackling all these aspects and I'm getting it straight.

Quote:
So you are saying that you have a concrete slab on the ground, and you have built four walls around the perimeter with these blocks? Is that it? So you now have an empty space inside, measuring 16 x 24, and you want to build a two-room studio in there, with one live room and one control room?

Yes.

Quote:
I didn't get that at all. I think you are saying that your floor slab is divided in two down the middle of this 16x24 space, and there is expansion joint compound in the gap between the two pieces, but I don't get the "wood + space" comment. What does that mean?

The partition wall is to be constructed with double framing and an air-space. If I can find a better design than that I'd do it.

Quote:
OK, so it seems you don't actually need much isolation between the rooms: you are fine with sound bleeding between the rooms, and all you want to do is to treat the rooms?

The control room will have a 9' ceiling. On top of it is a storage loft. The other side is open. I'm looking to isolate both sides from each other.

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you confused me again! It seems like you DO want isolation between the rooms.... If not, then why do you need damping inside the wall cavities?

Yes, I want isolation between the rooms. Does damping mean insulation? I'm doing that to stop wall cavity resonance.

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Yes, that would be useful. It's hard for us to imagine what the place looks like, just based on a brief description. You can see it, but we can't unless you show us!

I will show you plans. My architect has not designed a studio so I am trying to correct them by learning fast

Quote:
Whoaaa!!!! You just said that you plan to use insulation in the wall cavity, but now you say you do NOT want to use insulation in the wall cavity So which is it? Do you need isolation, and therefor plan to damp the cavities with insulation, or do you not need isolation? And if you do not need isolation, then why use RC? Since you are using RC, it seems like you DO need isolation, but then you say you will not damp the cavity with insulation!!!! Sorry, but this is really confusing!

I'm sorry for the confusion. My architect specified no insulation. I am correcting that by adding it. I do want isolation and I do want to pre-treat the room via insulating cavities. My architect has not designed a studio before and I'm trying to fill in the blanks.

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And 2x3 framing will not take the huge weight of what you are trying to do, especially for ceiling joists. Depending on span and other factors, you might need 2x8 or even 2x10 for joists, and certainly at least 2x4 for walls.

Yes, the ceiling joists are 2x10.

Quote:
Maybe you could post a more detailed description of what it is you are trying to accomplish first, then how you are planning to achieve it.

I'm trying to create a control room based on a 9' ceiling using either a 1/1.14/1.39 ratio or 1/1.28/1.54. The entire space available is 14'3" x 22'3". I'm dividing the space into two (2) with a shared wall, effectively two (2) rooms, one live, one control.

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Also, a 1" cavity is way too small to be useful for isolation: The cavity should be at least 4", absolute minimum. But don't confuse the cavity with the gap between the studs: it's not the same thing, unless you are planning to build your walls inside-out.

I believe the gap is just to keep framing off styrofoam, not for any isolation attempt. It's less than 1" it's a 1/2" air gap.

Quote:
Nice work! Those look pretty good, and should work fine, but you didn't label the graph! I'm guessing here: Red is "before" and green is "after"? Also, your placement of those devices seems rather strange: You only shoe three of them in the final position, but they don't seem to be in the places where they would be doing the most good. Is there a reason why you have them where you do? And where are the other three?

Thanks. Yes red = before, green = after. You are seeing only three, there were two at the reflection points on the walls and one was not involved. The center one was probably a mistake as the back wall was very far away. It was not a good shape = basement with 7' ceiling. I will be making some traditional wedge corner traps to use in front corners.

Thanks very much for chiming in. I'm taking all these various hints in. I hope I cleared up any confusion with the initial post.

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Chris Jones
www.circa70.org

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Chris Jones
www.circa70.org

just a thought - this plan will be a challenge on several levels - for one thing you'll need to put in HVAC and if you're looking for a really good control room - i'd make it a single space or shrink the smaller room for purely storage. per the GS conversation - go with fully decoupled 2x4 walls or better yet 2x6 and put an inner ceiling on them so they are decoupled from the roof framing.

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Glenn

So far I'm thinking of a ductless mini-split at 12K BTU. Not sure what side to mount on. I can keep live room door open until the climate is set. I imagine the space will stay cool/warm considering block r-value + wall insulation (r11-19) + plus rock-wooled corners? The control room will be 9' with Sep's 1/1.28/1.54 ratio and the rest would be open (ridge is 13' 5"). I would like total silence in the control room and actual live recordings are only a part of what I do. This argues for HVAC in the TR and just shut off while tracking and hope for a long temp hold. Argue for CR placement is: I spend all day in there. Any thoughts?

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Chris Jones
www.circa70.org

Thought number one is that this project got off the table before it was ready.

Based on what I have read, electrical, HVAC and audio cabling have all been an after thought as to the placement in the structure.

And RC is not the answer to the problem.

You said "I would like total silence in the control room" which is why this project should have been given the proper treatment it deserved rather than hacking away at it like one could "fix it in the mix"...you cannot.

As a cure to some of your money hemorrhaging, a mass/air/mass assembly is decoupled simply because there are two separate wall assemblies. One for the exterior structure and one for the interior.

When you construct an interior wall assembly you do not need to include RC as part of the project since the framed assembly is already decoupled.

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Brien Holcombe
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Sound: You can't stop it, you can only try to contain it.

This question is old. I've gotten professional help. Thanks.

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Chris Jones
www.circa70.org

you needed it...

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Brien Holcombe
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Sound: You can't stop it, you can only try to contain it.

Yes. Cheers and thanks!

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Chris Jones
www.circa70.org