Question On How To Treat My New Home Studio Room

[Metaltyme]

I'm buying a new house and have already sized up a particular room that I'll make my new home-studio area, for better or for worse.

I've attached an artist rendering (by yours truly) of the room for reference. I know very little about treating rooms for proper acoustics for recording and mixing. So, if anyone can have a look at the picture attached, and can give me pointers on how to go about treating it to the best of your knowledge, I'd really appreciate the help.

Most all recording I intend to do will be "in-the-box." However, I do plan on recording melodic vocals in this room for my album. Other than that, there'll be no other mic'ing happnin' anytime soon. If you have further questions about the room that's not answered in the pic, I'd be happy to elaborate to be a bit more helpful. Thanks in advance for any pointers/comments/helpful hints any of you can muster up.

Also, I'm a little unsure about the placement of my recording/monitoring/mixing desk in this room. Where it lies in the picture was my best guess, to be honest. I'm not exactly sure where it should go in relation to the northwest alcove where the closet and stairs are located. Any ideas?

[TonyB]

Based on your drawing you need to put the desk longways (i.e., against the short wall on the right). see attached pic showing desk positioned "longways" (I know there's a better word for it) from Ethan Winer's site.

You want to reduce the reflections from the back wall. Yes by moving it there you'll need to deal with the reflections off the side walls but that's was broadband absorbers are for.

[Metaltyme]

I may be a bit slow, but do you mean like the way I have repositioned it in the attached pic?

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

I may be a bit slow, but do you mean like the way I have repositioned it in the attached pic?

Yes that's it. When I designed my control room, which is about the size of yours, I had the desk where you originally had it. After a few months I moved it to the adjoining wall and I did notice a difference in what my monitors appeared to put out.

BTW ... you're not slow! I surely could have explained it better!

[Metaltyme]

Yes that's it. When I designed my control room, which is about the size of yours, I had the desk where you originally had it. After a few months I moved it to the adjoining wall and I did notice a difference in what my monitors appeared to put out.

BTW ... you're not slow! I surely could have explained it better!

Thanks a lot TonyB for the pointers...I appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

Thanks a lot TonyB for the pointers...I appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you.

Your next priority should be to tame the low frequencies with bass traps, whether DIY or bought from Real Traps, GIK Acoustics, or ATS.

Put 'em in the corners, from the floor to the ceiling (is your goal; you may to to phase it in as the budget permits.

Broadband absorbers on the side wall will help control the nasty nodes. Figure out where the first reflection points are in the room (usually what your monitors are aiming at).

[Metaltyme]

OK...I'm taking notes now. Say I take care of all that. Then what? Are the tiled floors a problem? Should I have it carpeted, throw down a few rugs, or leave it? What would you recommend?

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

OK...I'm taking notes now. Say I take care of all that. Then what? Are the tiled floors a problem? Should I have it carpeted, throw down a few rugs, or leave it? What would you recommend?

The rule of thumb I always hear is (and I can't guarantee it's true): treat either the floor or ceiling; not both.

What I did in my CR was install carpet. For the ceiling I straddled the ceiling-wall junctions with 2" absorbers (straddling means when you look up, the panels are on an angle). The one straddled up front sort of acts like a "cloud" over the desk (my ceiling is 11 ft high).

So that's for mixing.

For recording, my personal opinion is you don't want a real dead room, so you don't want it all carpeted. I'd have carpet down that you could move around.

When I record a guitar amp I get the amp off the floor and make sure there's carpeting under the amp to reduce reflections from the floor.

I know it's not a solid "yes/no" answer. I'll leave that to others to give you the "do it my way or die" spiel!"

Bottomline:

Desk situation so it's longways,

Bass traps in the corners,

Broadband absorbers on all walls (probably a total of 8 2'x4' panels should do it), and

Some carpet around the room (maybe not the entire room)

should get you going for what you need to do.

[Metaltyme]

Thanks TonyB. That gives me the lowdown I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to help me. Well...looks like I got some work to do then. How exciting!!

Cheers man,

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Metaltyme

Thanks TonyB. That gives me the lowdown I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to help me. Well...looks like I got some work to do then. How exciting!!

Cheers man,

No problem. I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions when I was building my own.

Room treatment is a necessary evil, but it does pay off.