This room is way too dead!

[michaelrosas]

I have a tracking room that is about 700 sq ft. with no parallel walls. It was really well designed in the early eighties, but acoustically it is too dead and dry for our needs. The ceiling and walls are cloth covered, except for the front wall with the control room window, which is wood covered. The floor is concrete with some kind of coating (probably to deaden it?). Drummers hate playing in the room because they can't "feel" the sound, and getting a nice natural room ambience is nearly impossible because there isn't any! I am looking for advice on ways to make the room more natural and reflective, like a nice warm living room in a house, or like a classic 60s/70s room ala Sunset Sound or Sound City. (or as close as I can get to that!)

I am focusing, mostly, on two areas:

1. Floor - Any thoughts on Linoleum versus Wood? I've noticed a lot of the rooms that I like have Linoleum floors, but I have a friend that can lay a nice Maple wood floor for a good price.

2. Walls - The walls are covered with cloth right now. Should I remove the cloth completely and rebuild the surface with a more reflective material? Or should I apply some sort of panels instead?

As for the ceiling.. I have read that it is better to leave it 100% absorbent, so I might leave it as it is for now. I don't have much of a budget, but I want to maintain acoustic accuracy while keeping it nice and professional looking.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Ethan Winer]

Michael,

> Any thoughts on Linoleum versus Wood? <

I can't imagine one will sound much different from the other since they're both reflective.

> As for the ceiling.. I have read that it is better to leave it 100% absorbent, so I might leave it as it is for now. <

You can always cover portions with cardboard or heavy paper, especially around the room's perimeter. Bass goes right through paper, but mids and highs will be reflected. Especially if you paint it with shellac or some other highly reflective coating.

--Ethan