John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hi,

I currently have a studio at my house that mainly gets used for vox, guitar, bass, keys, percussion, and other "small" instruments. I have a fairly decent sized (15x25) control room that we do a good bit of mixing in. We also have an iso booth for vox, etc.

I have this spare bedroom that I eventually want to clean out and treat for tracking. I would like to able to record a variety of things in there, including vocals, guitar amps, percussion, and maybe a small drumset occasionally. I've posted a pic below with the dimensions. I know a small room like this will have to be fairly dry, I just don't want it to dead. I am not interested in "room" sound though, but I would like to be able to keep some of the high end and brilliance.

I'm thinking slot resonators on the sides, 703 on the back (opposite the closets and shelves), and some bass traps in the two open corners. It's fine if the window opposite the door gets covered with slot resonators or whatever.

I've been very impressed with the knowledgeable people here. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Jeremy

Sounds like you have a pretty good grasp on things. What you have outlined will work well for you

Bryan Giles

I can't give you a lot of suggestions about design, but as a recording drummer the one bit of advice I can give is this.

The best sounding rooms I have ever recorded in have always had one thing in common, a reflective (most often diffusing) wall directly behind the drummer, and more often than not a reflective floor area close to the kit's snare area.
The reflective back wall seemed to enhance the pop and power of the snare (and the toms to a lesser extent)

Would it be beneficial to put some hangars in the two closets? There's no room to put bass trapping.

Also, does anyone have any ideas as to the actual layout? I want most of the walls to be completely covered. I'm thinking about alternating slanted slats and absorptive panels.

I can't figure out what would sound best. I want the room to sound "tight" while sitll keeping some highs in there. I just don't want a lot of bad reflections or two much "small room" reverb.

Jeremy

Stick with what you came up with on your 1st post. That is an ideal situation for your room barring rebuilding the room.

Hangin bass hangers in the closet is a novel Idea, if the space is unused definitely reclaim it for use with the hangers.

Bryan Giles

I can understand your uncertainty. A lot of people second guess themselves, I was one as well. But like I said before what you have developed is a good way to go.

And adding the bass trapping in the closet is perfect. I would add this as well, what kind of doors do you have over the closet? do they rattle, etc... especially with the SPL of a drummer in there. Test those things out.

Of course, just hanging your winter clothes in there over the summer (or vice versa) will do a lot for bass trapping, too, I'd think. Similar to having a bookshelf. How deep is the closet? 24" to 30"? Like Giles said, as long as it doesn't rattle (possibly take the closet doors off?) that's the best bass trap you could ask for.

And it's the whole wall, too.

If the doors don't rattle, or if you can keep them from doing so, then that makes the closet an adjustable absorber, too. Open the doors to deaden the room, or close them for live-ness.

Not a bad situation, really.

Good luck!

Kase
www.minemusic.net