Unsure where to put studio, what to add?

[styphon]

So here is my problem, I have two areas with different difficulties and I am not sure which would be easier, or better to start a small home studio.

 

Basement: 15'6''x15'6''x6'11, two cement walls, two wooden unfinished walls, cement floor, unfinished ceiling with matrix of 4x2s

Attic: Unusual shape. 30'x16'5''x8ft. Slooping angle roof down to 4ft height. Has two areas that stick out 6ftx3ft, both have one window each. Finished white plaster walls, ceiling. Floor is plywood.

 

Budget: 600$-1000$

 

Objective: Acoustical improvement, sound proofing is not critical.

 

Planned Room use: Band practice room/open tracking room; control booth.

 

Music: Rock, blues, metal- fairly loud

 

Usual band setup: Usually just a two guitarists, one on a Mesa 100 watt tube amp, the other on a Fender 100 watt tube amp. For practice, have 600 watt PA system.

 

Recording: Music track recording, want to try both isolating each instrument and recording them seperately, using a "live" guide track and just recording all tracks at the same time.

 

Location: Buffalo, NY, in the city. No loud outside noises.

 

Isolation: No one has complained about our noise level yet.

[styphon]

Here is a rough sketch of the attic =o

 

[IceBryce]

Im not sure I would pick the attic. There are going to be some strange modes with the odd shape of the room.

 

Try them out.

 

Play drums in both see if you get some strange echos also try acoustic guitar.

 

I just think that roof will be really strange if you record up there but it may sound really neat I would experiment.

[veracohr]

Im not sure I would pick the attic. There are going to be some strange modes with the odd shape of the room. Try them out. Play drums in both see if you get some strange echos also try acoustic guitar. I just think that roof will be really strange if you record up there but it may sound really neat I would experiment.

 

Don't odd-shaped rooms generally reduce room modes? Hence why people build studios without parallel walls, etc.

[styphon]

Im not sure I would pick the attic. There are going to be some strange modes with the odd shape of the room. Try them out. Play drums in both see if you get some strange echos also try acoustic guitar. I just think that roof will be really strange if you record up there but it may sound really neat I would experiment.

 

Should have added what instruments I plan on recording/rehearsing with. Two guitars, a bass, and a drum machine. Lead vocals and background vocals.

 

I am going to take my acoustic guitar up there though, see if there are echos as you said. One of the websites I read claim that you can loudly clap, then add foam, and repeat until the echos stop.

[Lee Knight]

I'd go for the attic. More cubic feet of volume. Roughly 3000 vs.1700 cubic feet. Things generally sound better in rooms with more volume. From your sketch it looks like you have 2 dormer-ed windows? Am I interpreting that right? I'd take the upper left dormer hallway and create a bass trap there.

 

Then you have a cutout in the lower right of your sketch. Do the same in that corner. Then orient you monitors on the right shooting leftward down the long dimension.

 

4" of 703 on the ceiling above your monitor set up. That would get you started.

[jackcheez]

I would set my band up and play in both rooms, then pick the one that sounds/feels better to start with.

[styphon]

One of the workers at GIK acoustics suggested I close off the lower right corner into one closet, then split the large area into two rooms, one for practicing/mixing, the other for isolation booths.

[Weasel9992]

Don't odd-shaped rooms generally reduce room modes? Hence why people build studios without parallel walls, etc.

 

Well, yes, but there's a trade off in terms of loss of volume. In this case there are indeed fewer parallel surfaces, but the volume is so small that it creates other problems that are just as bad.

 

Frank

[styphon]

People have brought up the concern to me that the peaked ceiling peaks at 6'6. My basement has a 6'11 height.

 

 

 

I also have a guest room on my second floor. It is 14x7'10 with a 8'5 height. This room is carpeted and has finished walls and ceiling. It also has a closet. PROBLEM: I have a small table and a futon bed/couch in this room.

 

 

 

So: Will the 6'6 height in the attic be a problem? Should I change my location to the guest room for its height? Or the basement for its size even though it has cement unfinished walls/floor?

[offramp]

I'd say basement. But then, I'm 6'6", so I'm biased.