Why Carpet Really Sucks!!

[brandondrury]

Every idiot on the planet says "You're recording?.... better get some carpet".? ?This is one of those urban legends that's down right full of shit.? It simply pisses me off.? If ANYONE took the time to use their ears, they'd know that this is a terrible idea is almost all cases.?

Here's why:

<a href="http://www.recordingreview.com/begin...sucks.php">Why Carpet Really Sucks!!</a>


Let me know what you think.
Brandon

[earthboundaudio]

I use carpet keep the drum set in place, and if I have foot tappin' guitarist in I tend to put them over carpet so I don't get that shit in the mix.

The other day, I'm going through a mix with a drummer, I'm like, "Why the fuck are playing the snare hit on that downbeat, it sounds like shit!" He's all like, "What the fuck man, I didn't play that" Then I soloed the acoustic guitar and found that the dude was tappin his foot to the beat, and it sounded like a completely shitty ass snare. I called up the guitarist, said "get your ass over here, you're redoing that guitar take,... oh, and bring some beer." He fuckin' redid all right, on the fuckin' carpet.

[brandondrury]

Okay, I guess carpet doesn't totally suck.

Brandon

[guitar junkie]

carpet is nice on the floors but not on the walls...

now i have played in a room that was alll carpet... very dead room withh no sound...

the problem was we also could not hear anything going on...

now i play in a Gyme and we lay carpet rugs on the floor so that the roaring reverb does not kill the drum sound!

even with carpet in the room we still have a 12 second delay going on in there!

[brandondrury]

Generally, the typical apartment is very tough to deal with. Boxiness goes hand in hand with a typical apartment bedroom.

Furniture depends. I've heard that a thick couch can actually be a decent bass trap. I'm not sure how much low end a couch can really absorb, but it does have some size. I don't think a couch would hurt any.

I have an 10'x12' totally bass trapped and it's not good enough. Of course, I built the damn bass traps so that may be the problem.

Brandon

[phangeaux]

Brandon,

I for one, appreciate your dedication and hard work. What are you doing up at this hour? When I was in business it was a 36 hourr a day job, so if that is the case, I understand.

What is inside of those 'bass traps' that you made and what is the thickness? I just commented on those in another topic. (reducing computer noise) Will you reveal the secret formula?

They look nice.

Are you suggesting here that they are not acoustically absorbant enough? (I assume in the desired frequency range). Well, audio science is not my area of expertise but technical stuff overlaps, so like everything else, (problem solving) eventually it gets worked out. I used to be a brainstormer and gifted problem solver but I can't do it anymore due toa cognitive impairement associated with medical stuff.
"I sure hope it don't last all week"- the beloved Lightnin' Hopkins said that in one of his songs about not feeling too good. Coulda been that it lasted alot longer than a week.

Anyhow I have a flash of brilliance from time to time so I might be able to help out now and then. I am sure others will too.

I don't have the composure and concentration at the moment to study 'bass traps'.

As far as recording in the apartment, I guess it will just be a matter of trying different things. Your site is very informative, I have been here over 5 hrs.

I can always record acoustic guitar tracks in a different location since I will have (being shipped) a portable recorder with flash media card.

I have read that there are 2GB flash media cards, so in some respects, or in some cases this may solve the computer noise problem. Perhaps in my circumstances it will.

I have a very quiet environment and am quite reclusive. In fact, the only noise most of the time is from the computer whirring and me on the keyboard. Other than that, what little playing I have been able to do lately, since most of my time for the past 3 months has been spent on-line related to home recording. I will be glad when I can concentrate on music again.

What I wanted to say is that in my otherwise very quiet environment I am very much aware of the noise that the computer makes. It is not very pleasant actually. Sometimers I wonder if it is driving me crazy or somehow has me hypnotized. I am always very happy to get away to my little hideaway and away from the computer. The constant whine of it must have something to do with it, not to mention the constant bambardment of radiation from the monitor. Alot of people may not even notice the computer noise due to their environment and lifestyles, but I have been listening to these whirring sounds many many hours each day for a long time.

I want to have a quiet one :-) and shield the monitor if I can so I am off to research than now.

Again, thanks for your hard work.

phangeaux

[phangeaux]

Brandon,

I attempted to remove the photo I put up by using the post modify function but it wouldn't allow me to do so. I'm removing the photo because I did just intend it to be temporary, to show the sofa, and it takes up unnecessary space, and is out of place actually.

The only way I could do that was to copy the post, then delete it and resubmit it, so here it is again without the photo, and a some spaces down from where it originally was. Oh BTW, that was interesting what you wrote in an article about using an imaginary mirror on walls to determine location of microphones. In that respect acoustics is very much like optics, and may even use some of the same formulas, anyway here is the reprint:
==================================

Very Nice bass traps, billiebob! I mean Brandon

I have to record in an apartment, and I have some very nice looking thrift store furniture that unfortunately is going to suck!

Upholstered furniture is like carpeting, no? Your articles were interesting (I have technical background so I understand that stuff- to a significant degree)

I was wandering about putting down a thin but fairly rigid layer of higher density material over the carpeting and make some bass traps.

I'll be dumpster diving for materials, but hey, you'd be surprised at the quality found at DumpsterMart in a big economically sound city like Seattle. It is unbelieveable!

I will be recording some acoustic guitar tracks, standard and a tricone resonator and I am especially concerned. I'll work it out as I go, I guess.

Songwriting/composing is my objective, but I want to do the best I can for sound quality with the very limited resources $ that I have.

I have usually heard about the carpet use with regard to INSULATING sound transfer to adjacent rooms (or apartments). Not a good idea for recording I agree.

My apartment is gonna look pretty strange- but I really do not want to get rid of the furniture. Right now I am using the bedroom, which is worse- but have not done any recording yet as I am awaiting the arrival of my first recording equipment, which happens to be a BR864 with 2 mics. I wanted something portable that did not need to interface with a computer, (so flash media card is very suitable)- as one of my secret hideaways where I play the best is somewhat remote with no computer (thank goodness).

If anyone has any further ideas about recording in an apartment, have at it :-)

Phangeaux

[brandondrury]

I don't have the composure and concentration at the moment to study 'bass traps'.

Tell me about it.

I need to dedicate an entire article to my bass traps. I'll try to get to it tomorrow morning. The bass trap thing did help, but the room is just too damn small. Room modes are a bitch and even if you could clean up the low end perfectly, the natural reflections of the walls in my case are so quick that things will just sound boxy.

I'll hopefully explain it all to you. I'll be recording in a big room in about one week. This should help a ton. I'll post some audio files of the difference in overheads from my room to a big room.

Brandon

[phangeaux]

You don't have to explain it Brandon, but if you planned on writing the article anyway, then whatever.
Do what's best for you.

You seem very hard working and dedicated and I can't imagine how many priorities you have to juggle.

I hope you find the resources to design and put together a studio in an ideal location just the way you want it.

You don't even have to bother to answer anything I post here unless maybe a direct question and then TAKE YOUR TIME, I don't care if it takes 3 months to reply- if it's that important I'll send you an emailto remind you of it.

Good luck.

[phangeaux]

YO, BRANDON!

Check this out! Right Hand Column, 'Bass Traps' also alot of other good information, I am marking the site to read later:

Acoustic Treatment and Design for
Recording Studios and Listening Rooms

by Ethan Winer
(This page was last updated on September 23, 2005.)

http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

If you have seen this before you may want to check it out again as there have been some updates., but I'm not sure what.