Music Studio Setup and Acoustics (Transcript) Modified

Lynda.
com - Music Studio Setup and Acoustics with Bobby Owsinski
Introduction
Welcome
00:00 (Music)
00:03 Hi, I'm Bobby Owsinski.
00:06 No matter how good your recording gear is, chances are you're not getting
00:09 the best possible sound because of
00:11 deficiencies of your recording and listening environment.
00:14 This course will strip away the mystery of what
00:16 makes a great sounding studio and show you how you
00:18 can make a big difference in the sound of
00:20 your room for far less than you thought was possible.
00:23 All it takes is a bit of knowledge
00:25 about some really basic acoustic principles and some time.
00:29 And in most cases, you can improve your studio more than you could have imagined.
00:34 Plus, if you feel like swinging a hammer a little and have a few dollars to spend.
00:38 It's surprising what can be done without employing
00:40 a major acoustic designer and an investment to match.
00:44 In this course you'll learn things like why rooms' dimensions
00:47 are so critical to its sound, the two principles of isolation.
00:53 The three techniques
00:54 for treating your rooms' acoustics.
00:57 How to build your own acoustic panels, base traps and diffusers.
01:02 The best and least expensive acoustic materials to use and where to find it.
01:07 Why some commonly used materials won't help your acoustics much.
01:12 How to determine the best listening position in the room, and
01:16 all about the reflection free zone, the key to an excellent
01:19 sounding room.
01:21 So let's get started as we head down the road to improving the sound of your room.
Collapse this transcript
1. Studio Design Ideas

A typical musician's needs
00:00 Before you begin to swing a hammer, or set your credit card down
00:03 to buy materials, it's a good idea to really analyze your needs first.
00:07 If you're not careful, it's easy to overlook a number of
00:10 critical items that at the very least can bug you later.
00:14 For instance, if you're a band that gets together on
00:16 weekends, and wants to use the studio to record, your
00:19 needs will be quite a bit different from that of
00:20 a keyboard or guitar player who wants a song writing studio.
00:24 Likewise, if you're an engineer
00:26 who wants a studio to record clients,
00:28 you'll most likely proceed in a different manner
00:30 than a musician engineer who wants to set up a studio for him or herself.
00:34 With that idea in mind, here's some suggestions
00:37 on ways you might want to design your space.
00:40 The midy or mixing room.
00:42 Some studios are never meant to do any live recording and are
00:45 built around the dov of choice for mixing, song writing, or creating beats.
00:50 In this case, the most
00:51 important element is based around how many people will
00:53 actually be using the room at the same time.
00:56 If your writing with another person, you want
00:58 to make sure there's plenty of room available
01:00 for both of you to maneuver as well as lots of room for a controller or two.
01:05 Drummers.
01:06 If you're a drummer, you'll most likely want to set up your room so
01:09 that it has a nice ambiance to enhance the quality of your drum recordings.
01:13 For this situation, an all-in-one-room works a lot
01:16 better instead of a separate control room.
01:18 For making your plan for this kind of room, you want to determine how
01:22 to best position your DAW recording gear so you can easily get to it.
01:26 Most DAWs now are capable of remote control from an iPad or tablet computer.
01:30 You can position this remote on a small table or desk next
01:33 to your drums or on a mike stand with a clip mount.
01:36 So, you can easily record without having to
01:38 keep getting up and running over to your DAW.
01:41 With well thought
01:41 out gear positioning, you can effectively do your
01:44 own drum recording session without the need to
01:46 hire an engineer, or have a second person
01:48 on the session just to run the recording gear.
01:51 Guitarists.
01:52 If you're a guitarist, you'll probably want to utilize about
01:55 70% of your space for your control room and DAW setup.
01:58 But, if you don't intend to go direct and use an amp simulator, you'll also
02:02 need a well isolated room for your guitar amp so you won't disturb the neighbors.
02:06 You'll probably also want to have an isolated area where
02:09 you can record an acoustic guitar if you need to.
02:11 The all-in-one room.
02:13 It's now both possible and common to have an all-in-one room with both a
02:17 recording area large enough for a band or rhythm section, and a listening area.
02:21 Keep in mind that if you have an all-in-one room like this, you'll be
02:24 working with headphones instead of speakers for
02:26 most of the time that you'll be tracking.
02:29 This is because you wont be able to use your monitor speakers
02:31 while recording in order to prevent any leakage
02:34 or feedback from the speakers to the open microphones.
02:37 Vocalists.
02:38 If you're engineer or producer who'll be working with singers, it's most likely
02:42 you'll need a small vocal booth so that you can work free of headphones.
02:45 This, of course, takes up some space.
02:47 But, you'll get the added advantage of being able to overdub
02:50 other instruments as well while having the isolation of a commercial facility.
02:54 Voice over artists.
02:56 Voice over artists don't need as much space to set up their home studios
03:00 since they use a vocal mic at close proximity for the majority of their work.
03:04 Many voice over artists have built very comfortable spaces in their homes that
03:08 allow them to engineer and do their voice over at the same time.
03:12 Voice over work requires a fair amount of isolation so that you're not bothered by
03:15 outside noises, which can ultimately be a factor
03:18 in how successful this type of studio is.
03:21 Engineers.
03:22 If you're a recording engineer, wanting to build a room to service your
03:25 music clients, you'll probably want to build
03:27 a separate control room and tracking room.
03:30 In this case, it's important to determine the proportion of space
03:33 that you'll need to be comfortable for long, drawn out sessions.
03:36 If you're going to record drums and full band sessions, you'll
03:39 need a much larger proportion of your space designated just for tracking.
03:43 But, if you'll only be doing vocals and miscellaneous overdubs, you won't
03:46 need your tracking room to be as large.
03:49 If you don't fit into one of these categories, most likely
03:51 you''ll determine your needs if you can answer the following questions.
03:55 Do you need a separate tracking area?
03:57 How important is the sound of your recording area?
04:00 Do you need to control the recording gear remotely while you're playing?
04:04 Do you want to record and mix in the same room?
04:07 Is a vocal or voice-over booth necessary? By being clear on what you're trying to
04:11 achieve, you'll be a lot more satisfied with your studio when you're finished.
Personal studio parameters

00:00 It seems like just about everyone has their own studio these days.
00:04 Usually it starts off with some equipment haphazardly thrown
00:06 into an extra bedroom, office, garage, basement, or living
00:11 room that eventually needs to be turned into a
00:13 room with better playback accuracy than in it's present form.
00:17 Regardless of how the studio started and what you're recording, every studio
00:20 has the same basic perimeters when it comes to improving the sound.
00:24 Let's take a look at them. The
00:25 Size.
00:27 The size of a room matters a great deal in the ultimate acoustic outcome of a room.
00:31 Usually, extra rooms or offices are very small with low ceilings.
00:35 A situation which calls for a lot of
00:37 bass trapping, and that makes the room even smaller.
00:40 In general, the larger the room, the easier it
00:43 is to work with and the better it will sound.
00:46 The Shape.
00:47 The shape of the room also has a bearing on how it sounds.
00:50 The ideal of shape for any listening room is rectangular.
00:53 And as I'll discuss later on in the course,
00:55 there's even a specific formula for the best dimensions.
00:59 That being said, many times, the typical rooms you get converted into
01:02 studios are close to, to a square or even worse a cube.
01:06 Which become very difficult to acoustically treat
01:08 because the dimensions are not sonically friendly.
01:11 The Isolation.
01:13 Determining the amount of isolation that your room needs
01:15 is another major factor in how you approach the acoustic treatment of a room.
01:19 Ask yourself these questions.
01:22 How important is it that you keep the outside noise from leaking in?
01:25 How important is it to keep the sound you're making from leaking outside?
01:30 What kind of material are the walls currently made of?
01:33 Is there a window in the room?
01:35 How good is the seal on the door?
01:38 Isolation is one of the major concerns of most personal
01:40 facilities and unfortunately, it's also one of the most expensive to implement.
01:45 Especially if the structure of the space already exists.
01:48 It's a lot cheaper if you're starting off with just the shell.
01:51 But most personal studios don't have that advantage.
01:54 HVAC, or Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
01:58 Fresh air in a room is very important.
02:01 The more bodies you get in a room, the more
02:03 you need to think about heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
02:06 Or what's known in the construction trade as HVAC.
02:09 The more isolated the room is, the faster it
02:12 will heat up with the musicians' bodies in motion.
02:14 At the very least, you'll have to exchange the air
02:17 in the room frequently to keep everyone from passing out.
02:20 Recording.
02:21 Once upon a time it would have been ludicrous to consider having
02:24 a studio with no wall between the mixing and the tracking areas.
02:28 But through the years, this has been found to be a very acceptable way of recording.
02:32 Many engineers and producers love the instant communication with the players,
02:36 and soon get used to monitoring at low levels or over headphones.
02:40 The problem is that any room gets more complicated if it's meant to serve a
02:43 dual purpose, which in this case means adding
02:46 an area of some sort for live tracking.
02:49 Even if you're only planning on recording vocals, some singer's iron pipes can
02:53 be every bit as annoying to your neighbors as a blasting Marshall stack.
02:57 If you decide you need
02:58 to over-dub loud vocals, guitar amps, horns
03:01 or even certain types of percussion, you
03:03 might consider constructing a vocal booth, or
03:05 even springing for a pre-fab vocal booth.
03:08 Finally, before you commit to any area as your
03:11 studio, be sure to ask yourself the following questions.
03:15 Is the size of the room sufficient for your needs?
03:18 Is the room a rectangle? Does the isolation need improvement.
03:22 What kind
03:23 of recording area is needed?
03:25 What's the maximum number of people or players that the room needs to fit.
03:29 The answers to these questions will determine
03:31 how good your room is going to sound,
03:33 how much money it will cost to improve, and if it's even feasible or not.
2. Soundproofing Basics
What won't work
00:00 Before we look at some accepted ways to improve your
00:02 isolation, let's look at all the things that won't work.
00:06 Here are some materials that you'll often see attached to
00:08 the walls of a space in hopes of increasing the isolation.
00:12 Mattresses, it's true that mattresses are made up
00:15 of a lot of soft material, but they
00:17 won't affect the low frequencies at all, which
00:19 is what causes most of the isolation problems.
00:22 They accumulate mold and moisture, and they make nice homes for rodents and
00:25 unwanted critters.
00:27 Plus it's pretty difficult to get enough of them to cover a room.
00:30 Worst of all they take up so much space for so little benefit in return.
00:35 Egg crates, egg crates are light, porous
00:38 cardboard and do absolutely nothing for sound-proofing.
00:41 They can act as a sound diffuser at high frequencies.
00:44 But the bandwidth is so limited that they're virtually useless there as well.
00:48 Plus, they're highly flammable.
00:51 It's difficult to find enough of them to cover
00:53 a room, but frankly, even using one is too many.
00:56 Carpet, carpet attached to the wall is another
00:59 product that will affect the sound of the
01:01 room, yet do nothing in the way of
01:03 soundproofing since it doesn't affect the low frequencies.
01:06 Which are the ones that you've got to control for good isolation.
01:09 Carpet has exactly the same problem as mattresses
01:11 in that it will begin to smell over time.
01:14 Foam rubber, foam rubber does
01:16 have some acoustical absorption properties, but
01:18 once again, will do very little for
01:20 the low frequencies that will cause all of your problems with your neighbors.
01:24 It can be as expensive as materials with real acoustic control properties,
01:28 degrades over time, and will burn like crazy if given a chance.
01:32 Rubber, floor mats, mouse pads, neoprene, or any other variation of rubber will
01:38 do very little to stop sound from coming or going from your room.
01:41 Once again, it's much cheaper to buy proper acoustic materials that are
01:45 easier to work with, but they won't help your isolation problem either.
01:49 Wall cellulose, pumping cellulose insulation into walls
01:53 can make a slight difference, but it is
01:55 marginal since there are many more effective ways
01:57 to improve the isolation that are much cheaper.
02:00 It can be helpful if you use along with some other
02:02 techniques that we'll cover soon, but it isn't particularly effective by itself.
02:07 Fiberglass insulation, common fiberglass insulation, once again, has little ability
02:13 to stop enough of the low frequencies that bug your neighbors.
02:16 Although, like with blown cellulose, it can
02:18 be useful in conjunction with other techniques.
02:21 Just pinning it to the wall won't help though,
02:23 but it will affect the acoustics of the room.
02:26 It's also a skin and eye irritant, takes up a lot of
02:29 space, and the dust can be hazardous to your lungs when left exposed.
02:33 As you'll soon see, there's a much better way to use
02:35 fiberglass for acoutsic control, although it still won't help your isolation much.
02:40 Plywood panels or particle board.
02:43 It's true that plywood panels provide mass, and
02:46 mass is what's needed to stop sound transmission,
02:48 but the problem is that wood transfers sound
02:51 too well, so the construction technique used is crucial.
02:54 Not only that, if the panels are too thin, they'll resonate and vibrate,
02:58 causing an even bigger problem.
03:01 Bales of hay, unless you live out in the country, it's unlikely
03:05 that hay bales are much of an option, but they actually do work.
03:08 The problem is that they take up a lot of usable space, make
03:11 a nice home for critters, and are once again a major fire hazard.
03:16 Acoustic Foam, acoustic foam is helpful in controlling the acoustics within a
03:20 room, but it does nothing to stop sound transmission, and is expensive
03:24 to boot.
03:25 Acoustic foam doesn't even begin to effect the offending low frequency's,
03:29 and using too much just makes the room seem dead and uncomfortable.
03:32 There are much cheaper ways to achieve a better result.
03:35 Understand that all of these materials will have at
03:37 least some affect on the sound of the room.
03:39 But will do almost nothing by themselves to help improve your isolation.
The two basic isolation principles

00:00 When building almost any kind of a home studio, the first question that the
00:04 owner will ask is, how can I make sure that my neighbors can't hear us.
00:08 There's really no secret to this one although everyone thinks that there is.
00:12 All it think is adhering to the following principles during construction.
00:16 Isolation principle number one, all it takes is mass.
00:21 If you want to increase your isolation, you've got
00:23 to increase the mass of the walls and ceiling
00:25 of the structure that you're in.
00:27 The more mass your walls have between you and your neighbors, the more you'll
00:30 keep the outside sound from getting in and the inside sound from getting out.
00:35 One of the ways that most pro studios accomplish sound proofing.
00:39 Is by building a room within a room, which is done by putting the floor on
00:42 springs or rubber and building double or triple
00:45 walls with air spaces in between, on top.
00:49 Needless to say this gets expensive and
00:51 is impossible to do if you start out with a small
00:53 space that's only ten foot by ten foot to begin with.
00:56 Since you'd be left with no room to work in, in an area that small.
01:00 There are other ways to improve your isolation that can
01:02 be effective, even though they won't provide total sound proofing.
01:05 They can be quite a bit cheaper, as well, that we'll cover later on.
01:09 You probably don't have the time, space, or money
01:12 to build a commercial style room within a room.
01:14 But basically what you need to increase your
01:16 isolation is to add some mass to the walls and ceiling.
01:20 This could be as simple as adding another sheet of dry wall to your existing
01:23 wall, all the way up to building double studded walls with an air gap in between.
01:28 Before you go nailing up another sheet of dry wall and
01:30 expecting total isolation, you must be aware of some acoustic realities.
01:34 Walls are subject to what's known as a mass law, that states that
01:38 every time you double the mass of the entire wall, you get an extra
01:41 6 dB of isolation.
01:43 You can hear this, but it's not a huge difference.
01:46 In fact, you can barely hear three db of isolation.
01:49 But the problem is, you need about 10 dB of
01:52 extra isolation for the sound to subjectively decrease by half.
01:56 This means that you need about four times the mass for the sound to be
01:59 only half as loud, which is not nearly
02:01 enough to isolate something like a rock band.
02:04 To put it another way, if you add another
02:06 sheet of 58th inch drywall to your single-stud wall,
02:09 have a listen and decide it's not nearly enough isolation.
02:12 You have to add six more layers, for a total
02:15 of eight, in order to cut the sound in half.
02:18 And that assumes that there are no leaks in the wall and the
02:20 sound isn't going through another path such
02:22 as a ceiling, floor, sidewall, or window.
02:26 In which case no extra amount of extra drywall will help.
02:29 You can see the limitations of just
02:31 adding more and more drywall.
02:33 First of all, there comes a point in time when
02:36 the wall just gets too heavy for the underlying frame.
02:39 And as you'll see, there are much
02:40 more efficient methods to increase the isolation.
02:43 Unfortunately, there's just no easy or cheap way to isolate a room.
02:47 The easiest way is to use what's known as mass-spring-mass or MSM walls.
02:53 Which means you have a wall, which is the mass, then an airspace,
02:56 which acts like a spring, then another wall, or mass.
03:00 This gives you a double-stud wall, which is essentially a room within
03:03 a room, and still is the best way to get some major isolation.
03:07 This brings us to principle number two. Leave no air gaps.
03:12 Isolation can easily be defeated by air gaps anywhere in the room.
03:16 Think of air like water.
03:18 If you fill the room with water, any space between the construction joint will let
03:21 the water leak out.
03:23 So the idea is to make sure that there are no air leaks.
03:26 Leaks that allow the sound to
03:27 violate the isolation, are called flanking transmission.
03:30 And are a major cause of poor isolation.
03:33 You can have four foot thick concrete and MSM walls.
03:36 But those benefits will be defeated if there
03:38 are any air gaps anywhere in the room.
03:41 This is especially true for doors which are the greatest culprits
03:43 for acoustic leakage but can also be true for windows and seams
03:47 between drywall.
03:48 There can be no air gaps if you want maximum isolation.
03:51 It's as simple as that.
03:53 Sometimes, just eliminating the flanking transmission by filling the air
03:57 gaps can increase the isolation by more than you think.
04:00 So this can be an inexpensive way to improve
04:02 your isolation without having to worry about new construction.
Increasing your isolation by adding mass

00:00 As stated in the previous movie, adding more mass increases your isolation.
00:05 That's all well and good but how do we measure isolation in the first place?
00:09 For that, we need to take a small detour into the world
00:12 of sound transmission measurement to understand
00:14 why some techniques work better than others.
00:17 All materials have what's known as an STC rating, which stands for sound
00:21 transmission class and is the measurement
00:23 of material or partition's ability to block
00:25 sound over a range of 16 different
00:27 frequencies from 125 hertz to four kilohertz.
00:32 The higher the STC rating, the
00:34 more isolation it provides to certain frequencies.
00:37 It should be noted that there is no single material that will block all frequencies.
00:41 And that the STC measurements only go down to 125 hertz.
00:45 Frequencies below 125 hertz, which are the ones that
00:48 usually cause the problems with neighbors, are the most difficult
00:51 to block.
00:52 While the higher ones past one kilohertz are the easiest.
00:55 When a material, wall or partition blocks the sound.
00:59 It's said to have some transmission loss.
01:01 What this really amounts to is how many decibels of sound the partition stops.
01:06 The STC numbers correlate closely to decibels,
01:09 which we can see clearly on this chart.
01:12 As you can see, the STC has to increase by ten for the isolation to double.
01:16 And for the sound to be just half as loud.
01:19 Let's take a look at how STC relates to the real world.
01:23 A single pane glass window has an STC of 26 to 30.
01:27 As a result, sentences spoken in a normal
01:30 voice can be understood clearly on either side.
01:33 A double pane window has an STC of between 30 to 35 which
01:37 means that the same conversation can still be heard but with some straining.
01:42 A typical interior wall with the single layer of half inch drywall on each side
01:46 with no insulation in between will also have an STC of between 30 to 35.
01:51 This means that once again, a conversation in a
01:54 normal voice can still be heard but with some straining.
01:57 If those same walls have a double layer of half inch drywall on each side
02:01 with some single bat insulation in between, now
02:04 the STC increases to between 42 and 45.
02:07 And, only loud talk is somewhat audible,
02:09 but only occasional words can be understood.
02:13 Now if a one inch airspace is added in between the wall by attaching
02:16 each wall to its own frame, the STC increases to around 62 to 65.
02:21 Very loud talk is almost entirely inaudible And music
02:25 can barely be heard, except for some bass notes.
02:28 If we put eight inches of concrete block in between the walls, the STC raises
02:33 to 70, and all but the loudest rock band with their amps on 11 is blocked.
02:37 An STC of 75 or more is almost guaranteed to isolate
02:41 the studio from even particularly annoying
02:43 noise sources as airplanes and helicopters.
02:46 There are a number of takeaways in these examples.
02:49 Loud speech can be understood through a wall rated
02:52 at STC 30, but probably not one that's STC 60.
02:56 You still might at least be aware
02:58 of the loud speech with a wall that's STC 50 however, which is pretty much the
03:02 standard of most office buildings, so you can
03:04 count on music being heard on the other side.
03:07 STC of doors and windows must be equal to that of the walls.
03:11 When soundproofing rooms, the STC of your doors and windows need to be equal
03:15 to or greater than the STC of your walls, in order to maximize the rating.
03:21 Structurally decoupling drywall panels from
03:23 each other can produce an STC rating as high as 63.
03:26 As in the case of a double stud
03:27 wall, and will result in effective low frequency loss.
03:31 This figure, when compared to a normal wall with an STC of
03:34 33 will make most frequencies inaudible, making the room sound 88% quieter.
03:41 Music requires the highest STC ratings.
03:44 In practical terms, a 55 STC rating will prevent a resident living
03:48 in a multifamily home from being bothered by their neighbor's loud music
03:51 from a stereo or a loud playback system, but not a band.
03:56 Studios with live bands require an STC of at least 70.
04:00 Even homes usually require a 50 to 80 STC for sensitive areas.
04:04 Including home theater walls.
04:06 As you can see from the previous examples, STC and
04:10 isolation is highly dependent on the way a wall or partition
04:13 is constructed.
04:15 As a result, it can be increased in three ways: adding mass, adding or increasing an
04:21 air space, adding absorption material like fiberglass inside the partition or wall.
04:26 Remember, the idea is that mass plus mass plus mass equals good isolation.
04:32 This all comes with the cost, be it materials, labor, space and time.
04:38 Unfortunately, there's no easy way around the laws of physics.
Increasing your isolation by decreasing leakage

00:00 Isolation cannot be achieved by mass alone.
00:03 In many ways sound is like water and has to be treated that way.
00:07 If there are any gaps within the room that
00:09 would let water out, so it will with sound too.
00:12 Leakage like this is called flank and transmission.
00:15 Because it flanks or gets around the isolation
00:17 defenses of the room, such as the walls.
00:21 Here are the things that can be done to decrease flanking transmission.
00:24 Make sure that the walls go
00:25 from the floor all the way to the structural ceiling.
00:28 If you have any gaps at all, your isolation has been defeated.
00:33 Make sure that every seam is caulked so that there are no openings.
00:37 Using acoustic sealant that's resilient and non setting like OSI SC-175.
00:43 It's also possible to use rubbery caulk.
00:45 Or bathtub tile sealant that's available at Home
00:48 Depot and other big box stores, but it won't
00:50 work as well.
00:52 Make sure you apply multiple caulk layers
00:54 on partitions where sound isolation is critical.
00:57 This helps ensure that a quality seal is attained by doubling up on the seals.
01:02 If one layer has compromised quality, it's backed up by the other layers.
01:07 Use acoustic putty for all fixtures.
01:10 By far, the worst offenders are things
01:12 like mic panels, AC outlets, light switches,
01:15 lighting fixtures and HVAC openings.
01:18 Use acoustic putty pads or use expanding foam
01:21 on all boxes to eliminate any air leakage.
01:25 Air conditioning ducts, especially, pose some of the worst problems for isolation.
01:29 And can be some of the most expensive to fix,
01:31 since it requires special techniques that aren't used in normal construction.
01:35 Studio isolation is an all or nothing proposition in
01:38 that you have to treat all the walls, the floor,
01:41 the ceiling, the doors, and the windows for it to be effective.
01:45 You can't successfully isolate a room just by adding
01:48 a single sheet of sheet rock on one wall
01:50 Any more than you can build an aquarium by
01:52 putting only one sheet of glass in the frame.
01:55 There's no getting around the fact that isolation costs
01:57 money because of all the material and labour involved.
02:00 Treating the acoustics of your room is another story, as you
02:03 can make some big changes to the sound of your room for
02:06 less than the cost of a single piece of gear, as you'll see later on.
3. Acoustic Control Methods

Room dimensions, standing waves, and modes
00:00 The biggest component in the way a room sounds, is the room itself.
00:04 There are a number of factors that make a huge difference.
00:07 Some that we can control, and some that we can't.
00:10 In order to understand how the rest of the parameters of a room
00:12 effects the sound, You have to understand a little about standing waves, first.
00:17 A standing wave is a frequency below about 300 Hertz
00:20 that is reflected back and forth between two parallel walls.
00:24 As these reflections collide,
00:26 they can combine to re-enforce each other in certain zones in the room.
00:29 Or they can combine out of phase and cancel each
00:32 other out, lowering the amplitude in that zone as a result.
00:35 Obviously, neither case is ideal, as it can cause the frequency to be
00:39 too loud or too quiet depending on where you're standing inside the room.
00:44 As you walk around the room, you'll hear the effect of these standing waves.
00:48 You'll also notice that the bass seems stronger closer to the walls and
00:51 in the corners.
00:52 That's where standing waves tend to collect.
00:55 There are specific types of standing waves known as room modes of vibration, which is
00:59 usually just shortened to room modes that are
01:02 determined by the physical size of the room.
01:05 You can predict the fundamental room modes
01:07 in your studio by using the following formula.
01:10 Room mode equals 1130 feet per second, which is the
01:13 speed of sound, divided by the distance between the parallael
01:16 surfaces, times 2.
01:18 For instance, in a room that's 12 feet long by 10 feet wide By eight
01:23 foot high, we can predict that the first room mode for this length is 47 hertz.
01:27 1130 feet per second divided by 12 foot long times 2 equals 47 hertz.
01:35 If we use the same formula for the width and
01:37 height of the room, these mode frequencies are 57 hertz,
01:41 which is rounded up and 71 hertz. But these aren't the only modes.
01:46 If we multiply each of those numbers by 2 to get the
01:49 second mode, and by 3 to get the third mode of vibration.
01:53 We get the various frequencies that you see on this chart.
01:56 One of the major objectives of controlling the
01:58 room acoustics is to attenuate these room mode peaks.
02:02 This is done with an acoustic control
02:04 element called bass trapping, which we'll cover
02:06 more in depth in another movie.
02:08 If there's enough bass trapping in the room, the room modes will be controlled.
02:13 As a result, the low-end frequency response of
02:15 the room will sound tighter and more predictable.
02:18 There'll also be less change when you move away from the sweet
02:20 spot, which is the place in between the speakers that sounds the best.
02:24 If you were to take frequency measurements of a room before and after
02:28 bass trapping, You'd find that the resonant
02:30 peaks would be of lower amplitude and
02:32 have a wider bandwidth.
02:34 As a result the overall response of the room
02:36 would be much flatter and more pleasing to the ear.
02:40 Another problem with untreated room modes in a tracking
02:42 room is that they can be responsible for extraneous noises.
02:46 Like the dreaded snare buzz that happens
02:47 when certain notes are played by other instruments.
02:50 What happens as a room mode falls close to or at the tuning frequency of a drum?
02:56 That buzz gets worse when that
02:57 frequency is played, because it creates a sympathetic resonance within the drum.
03:02 This is another reason why room modes must be controlled.
03:05 Even in a tracking area, the size of the room.
03:07 The size of the room has everything to do with the way it sounds.
03:13 The smaller the room is, the more difficult it is to accoustically treat.
03:17 This is because the room modes between each wall and floor and ceiling.
03:21 Are so close together in frequency.
03:23 Plus, if a lot of isolation is required,
03:26 the remaining available room volume will decrease accordingly.
03:30 Regardless, the larger the room, the better it will sound.
03:33 The shape of the room. The shape of the room
03:36 determines the low frequency room modes.
03:39 The absolute worst case is a square room with a ceiling as high as the walls.
03:43 In other words, a cube. Sounds like your bedroom.
03:47 Right?
03:48 Let's look at the room modes for a cube shaped room.
03:50 A room that's ten foot by ten foot by ten foot is absolutely the worst
03:55 case scenario because the room modes for the
03:58 length, width, and height are all the same.
04:01 That means
04:01 in this case you'll have tremendous peaks at 57 hertz 114 hertz and 171 hertz.
04:09 As if that wasn't bad enough, the biggest
04:11 problem with the cube shape is that there's
04:13 a zone in the exact center of the
04:15 room where the low end seems to vanish altogether.
04:18 This is because all of the first and third modes meet at that one place.
04:23 Unfortunately, that's usually where your head ends up
04:25 if you're sitting in front of the desk
04:27 with your gear on it.
04:28 You can't completely fix a room like that but you can improve it to an
04:31 acceptable, workable level by adding base trapping and
04:34 moving the listening position out of the center.
04:37 Maybe the best thing you might do is leave the door open
04:40 because under the right circumstances it could act as a large base trap.
04:44 That doesn't do much good for your isolation though.
04:48 Let's go back to our typical room example, and see if there are any problem modes.
04:52 As you can see in this example of a 12 foot
04:54 by 10 foot by 8 foot room, the third mode of
04:57 the length and the second mode of the width are almost
05:00 the same, which is what you want to stay away from.
05:04 Ideally, you want these room mode frequencies to
05:06 be as far apart from one another as possible.
05:09 Which is why a rectangular room like this works so well.
05:12 That being said, there have been a number of
05:14 ideal room dimension ratios that have been determined over
05:17 the years.
05:18 These ratios that you see were developed by acoustician L.
05:22 W.
05:22 Sepmeyer, but there are dimension ratios by
05:24 other acousticians that are similar as well.
05:27 Regardless of the one selected, the general idea is that the
05:31 width of the room is always a little larger than the height.
05:34 And the length is always a little longer than
05:36 the width in order to keep the room modes manageable.
05:39 If we use the first ratio of 1 times 1.14
05:43 times 1.39, it would mean that if our
05:47 ceiling was ten foot high, the idea width would be 11 feet, 5 inches.
05:52 That's 10 feet by 1.14 equals 11.4 feet. And 12 inches times.
05:58 4 equals 4.8 inches. The ideal length would then
06:03 be 13 feet 11 inches, or 10 feet by 1.39
06:08 which equals 13.9 feet.
06:11 That would give us the room modes that you see in this example.
06:15 As you can see, no mode is close to any other, which will mean
06:18 that there will be no large peaks or dips in the response of your room.
06:22 It should be noted that as far as low frequencies are concerned, when a room
06:26 has a suspended tile ceiling, the real height
06:28 is to the solid surface above the tiles.
06:31 Likewise in a basement with exposed
06:33 joist, the true height is to the bottom of
06:36 the floor above, not the bottom of the joist.
The curse of low ceilings

00:00 Low ceilings can be a real problem when it comes to the sound of a room.
00:04 While a ceiling of nine or ten feet isn't that much of a problem in a control
00:07 room, it's a different story when it comes
00:10 to a tracking room for a couple of reasons.
00:12 First of all, the sound from most of the drum kit
00:15 projects upwards and splashes off the ceiling down toward the drums.
00:19 This causes some frequency cancellation, and alters the sound of the drum kit.
00:24 Secondly, a low ceiling
00:26 is a sworn enemy of overhead mics.
00:28 This is because, with the room that has something like a nine foot ceiling,
00:32 you frequently can't get the mics up high enough to capture enough of the kit.
00:36 As a result, the overhead drum mics are relegated to being symbol mics.
00:40 Although this might sound okay under the right
00:42 circumstances, if you raise the mics up near the
00:45 low ceiling, you may capture more of those
00:47 unwanted reflections, thereby altering the sound of the kit.
00:51 Ceilings of at least 12 feet or higher eliminate these problems.
00:55 That's why everyone likes recording in studios that have them that high.
00:59 With the room with the low ceiling, the only choice you have is to
01:02 either deaden the reflections or at least make them sound as good as possible.
The room's reverb time

00:00 You might think that if we could just get rid of
00:02 that natural room ambiance altogether, it would make our recording lives easier.
00:06 But that's not the way our ears like to hear things.
00:09 The ideal listening room needs a touch of reverb to help increase the
00:12 perceived loudness of the monitors, and to
00:14 prevent the room from sounding unnaturally dead.
00:17 Most everyone finds it uncomfortable to work in a dead room.
00:20 Since it isn't anything like the sound of the real world.
00:24 The correct reverb time of
00:25 a room is very important, but what is
00:27 considered acceptable does vary from application to application.
00:31 Usually, a reverb time below point five seconds
00:34 is required if detail and intelligibility is important.
00:38 Control rooms usually have a reverb time between 0.3 and 0.5 seconds.
00:43 While a typical tracking room might be anywhere from 0.5 to 0.8 seconds.
00:48 As a point of reference, the typical
00:50 living room is around 0.5 seconds. A classroom is around 1 second.
00:55 A concert hall is about 1.8 seconds.
00:59 And a church with an organ can be as much as 2.5 seconds.
01:02 These reverb decay times may be a lot longer in some
01:05 cases, but that doesn't necessarily make the room sound any better.
01:09 Even in a concert hall.
01:11 Some way of defining decay time in a repeatable fashion is required.
01:15 So reverb time
01:16 is defined as the time it takes for a
01:17 sound to decay by 60 dB, and is called RT60.
01:22 In a poorly designed room, the RT60 is different at different frequencies.
01:27 Though it's normally okay to have a
01:28 slightly longer decay time at the lower frequencies.
01:31 The whole secret in making the room sound pleasing is
01:34 to get the reverb time even across the entire frequency spectrum.
01:38 In the next movie you'll see why that isn't as easy
01:41 as it sounds.
A look at absorption
00:00 When the sound from a loud speaker encounters the boundaries
00:02 of a room, a very complex series of reflections occur.
00:07 In an untreated room, it's very difficult to isolate the direct sound alone because
00:12 these reflections interact with it and among
00:14 themselves to produce a sort of acoustic distortion.
00:17 The more acoustic distortion is generated, the harder it is for the listener
00:21 to hear all of the detailed
00:22 information the loudspeakers are capable of delivering.
00:26 There are a number of methods to
00:27 tame reflections, harness the room modes, and, therefore,
00:30 lower the decay time, all of which will be needed in an ideal acoustic environment.
00:36 Let's look at them.
00:37 The key to taming reflections is to
00:39 use different absorptive materials inside the room.
00:43 It would be great if there was a single building material that could
00:45 achieve absorption across the entire audio
00:47 bandwidth, but unfortunately, that material doesn't exist.
00:51 Every material has its own absorption response, with most materials being
00:55 very good at mid and high frequencies and weak at low frequencies.
00:59 That's why a different strategy is required to
01:01 take care of high, mid and low frequencies.
01:05 The absorption of a material is measured by an absorption coefficient chart,
01:09 which indicates how much sound the
01:10 material absorbs at different frequency octaves.
01:14 To show you how different materials are at absorbing different frequencies.
01:18 Here's a portion of a standard absorption coefficient chart.
01:21 To read this chart, keep in mind that
01:23 0.50 equals 50% absorption and 1.00 equals 100% asorption.
01:29 Remember that the absorption is greatest as you get close to a coefficient of 1.00.
01:35 You can see the concrete block is the best for absorbing the low frequencies.
01:39 Followed by window glass, sheet rock or common drywall.
01:42 Plywood paneling and Owens Corning 703 rigid fiberglass.
01:48 703 is superior ro everything else from 250 hertz up.
01:51 Which is why it's usually the material
01:53 of choice used for absorption in most studios.
01:56 Take special note on how much better it is than
01:59 the acoustic foam that most people use in their studios.
02:02 There are complex formulas that will calculate the
02:04 total reverb time from these coefficients depending upon
02:07 how much of each material is used.
02:10 But, unfortunately materials never behave
02:12 exactly like their textbook values suggest.
02:15 That's why even the best designers end up
02:17 using their experience and intuition in any acoustic design.
The reflection-free zone

00:00 The most critical part of creating a pleasing listening environment, is
00:03 creating what is known as a reflection free zone, or RFZ.
00:07 This is an area around the listening position that tames the first reflections
00:11 from the output of the speakers, so they don't randomly bounce around the room.
00:15 And is the key to improving the sound of your room.
00:17 The concept is easy.
00:19 Any where that there's a reflection off the
00:21 wall from either speaker, requires absorption to eliminate it.
00:25 That way,
00:25 you'll be hearing more of the direct sound from the
00:27 speakers, and fewer delayed reflections
00:29 that cause frequency cancellations in peaks.
00:32 The RFZ includes a ceiling as well as the
00:34 walls, since the reflections there are just as critical.
00:38 The floor of the RFZ needn't be treated, since the ear uses it
00:42 for familiar cues as to how far away from the ground it is.
00:45 Just by treating this area and creating the reflection
00:47 free zone, you'll improve your room by a surprising amount.
00:51 I'll show you how to determine exactly where the RFZ
00:54 is in your room in another video in this course.
The idea behind acoustic panels

00:00 Acoustic panels are the major way that
00:02 reflections are kept from bouncing around the room.
00:05 This evens out the level fluctuations that can
00:07 happen at different frequencies due to the room modes.
00:10 If your walls are hard and there's
00:12 little absorption, these reflections are going to cancel
00:14 out certain frequencies from the direct sound
00:16 of the monitors because of the standing waves.
00:19 That causes those unwelcome dips and peaks in the room response.
00:23 You can think of an acoustic panel as a very
00:25 large picture frame that has sound
00:27 absorbing material inside instead of a picture.
00:30 Although you could permanently attach the sound absorbing material
00:32 to the wall, like most commercial studios do, using
00:36 a sound panel allows you to move it as
00:37 needed, or even take it with you if you move.
00:40 Since the size of sheets of the typical materials used for absorption in the
00:43 studio are two foot by four foot,
00:46 most panels are created to accommodate that size.
00:49 I'll take a closer look
00:50 at where to purchase these materials and how to
00:52 build your own acoustic panels in some upcoming videos.
Bass trap overview

00:00 Most control rooms use what's know as bass traps to
00:03 control at least some of the low-frequency energy in the room.
00:07 In most rooms, the main problem at low frequencies it due to one
00:10 or more deep nulls or peaks in the range between 40Hz and 200Hz.
00:15 Bass traps reduce the depth of the nulls and attenuate the booming sounding peaks.
00:20 The overall response of the room is flatter as a result.
00:23 Even though your brain intuitively thinks
00:25 that you lose low end by attenuating it,
00:27 the room will actually sound tighter and more predictable.
00:30 It'll also sounds better as you move away from the sweet spot.
00:34 Just like acoustic panels, broadband bass traps are comprised
00:37 of a core absorbent material, a frame and a covering.
00:41 These are called broadband bass traps because
00:43 they work across the entire low-frequency range.
00:45 Not just one particular area of those frequencies.
00:49 The core is made from any absorbent
00:50 material like Owens Corning 703, Rockwill or reven R19 fiberglass
00:56 batting as long as it's at least four inches thick.
01:00 The lower the frequency you want to affect,
01:02 the thicker or larger the core must be.
01:04 Base traps work best in corners because Base tends to collect there.
01:08 But they can also work well spaced off the front and rear walls.
01:11 Since Base frequencies are omni directional, the traps
01:14 don't have to be paired or symmetrically placed.
01:17 The smaller the room though, the more you'll need.
01:20 The most effective ones extend from floor to ceiling.
01:22 If that can't happen, the next most effective method is to
01:22 If that can't happen, the next most effective method is to
01:25 just treat the eight individual corners of the room, top and bottom.
01:25 just treat the eight individual corners of the room, top and bottom.
01:29 Acoustic panels can also be used as bass traps above 100 hertz
01:29 Acoustic panels can also be used as bass traps above 100 hertz
01:33 if they're spaced off the wall by the same amount as their width.
01:33 if they're spaced off the wall by the same amount as their width.
01:36 In other words, if an acoustic panel uses two
01:36 In other words, if an acoustic panel uses two
01:39 inch 703, by placing it two inches off the
01:39 inch 703, by placing it two inches off the
01:42 wall, it will extend its ability to absorb one octave down, from 250 to 125 Hz.
01:42 wall, it will extend its ability to absorb one octave down, from 250 to 125 Hz.
01:49 The reason is that the air molecules from the movement of the
01:49 The reason is that the air molecules from the movement of the
01:51 speaker bounce back like a tennis ball when they hit a solid wall.
01:51 speaker bounce back like a tennis ball when they hit a solid wall.
01:55 Acoustic panels work by turning some sound
01:55 Acoustic panels work by turning some sound
01:57 energy from moving air into heat via friction.
01:57 energy from moving air into heat via friction.
01:59 If you place them right against the wall,
01:59 If you place them right against the wall,
02:02 there's less air movement, so there's less frictional loss.
02:02 there's less air movement, so there's less frictional loss.
02:05 If you move the panel off the wall,
02:05 If you move the panel off the wall,
02:07 the air gaps slows them down first.
02:07 the air gaps slows them down first.
02:09 They then have to move through the absorptive material a second time.
02:09 They then have to move through the absorptive material a second time.
02:13 The base trap described so far work over a wide frequency range, but it's possible
02:13 The base trap described so far work over a wide frequency range, but it's possible
02:17 to build tune traps that suck out energy
02:17 to build tune traps that suck out energy
02:19 from a relatively narrow, quite specific frequency range.
02:19 from a relatively narrow, quite specific frequency range.
02:23 These require a fair amount of mathematical and construction skill.
02:23 These require a fair amount of mathematical and construction skill.
02:26 So we won't go into great detail here.
02:26 So we won't go into great detail here.
02:28 That you can find plenty of information all over the web.
02:28 That you can find plenty of information all over the web.
02:31 Here are
02:31 Here are
02:32 a few places to start.
02:32 a few places to start.
Diffuser overview
00:00 A diffuser scatters sound arriving from any direction to
00:03 reduce the problem of direct reflection from the speakers.
00:06 Diffusers create a more even musical sound without reducing
00:10 the reverb time significantly like an acoustic panel can.
00:13 There are two types of diffusers, 2D and 3D.
00:17 A 2D or two dimensional diffuser scatters the reflections
00:21 in the same single plane that they are received.
00:24 A 3D or three dimensional
00:25 diffuser scatters the reflections in random directions at random times.
00:30 The 3D diffuser is better at scattering
00:32 the reflections, but it's more difficult to build.
00:35 So it's more expensive as a result.
00:37 While diffusers can be used anywhere in the
00:39 room that doesn't already have an acoustic panel.
00:42 A common strategy that's used by many commercial studios
00:44 is to use a diffuser on the rear wall.
00:47 That being said, many room designers feel that the rear wall should
00:50 be absorptive, especially if the room is small.
00:54 That's what you should try first, if you have any doubts about which to use.
4. Constructing the Components

Purchasing general building supplies
00:00 While building the necessary acoustic units for
00:02 your studio does require some specialty building
00:05 materials, there's also a lot of common
00:07 building supplies that can easily be found locally.
00:10 Take lumber, for instance, when it comes to
00:12 building acoustic panels you can choose an inexpensive
00:15 wood like pine since it can be stained,
00:18 covered with a wood trim, or covered with fabric.
00:21 Just remember that when choosing the wood for the frames Be sure to place the pieces
00:25 on the floor, or somewhere flat. Make sure that they're not bowed.
00:29 Always choose the straightest pieces you can find.
00:32 When it comes to plugging up the leaks in a room, you can't beat caulk.
00:37 Caulk for acoustic use is known as acoustic sealant.
00:39 And its different from normal caulk found in most hardware stores
00:43 that its resilient and won't harden for a minimum of ten years.
00:47 There are many manufacturers of acoustic sealant but OSI SC-175
00:52 is the cheapest that really works.
00:55 Your local or commercial hardware and home supply stores probably
00:58 won't have it so check with your local drywall supplier.
01:01 That being said, pouring off the wall latex caulk will work as long as
01:06 you use multiple layers since a single layer usually isn't enough to seal a leak.
01:11 Acoustic putty pads are essential for eliminating
01:14 transmission around power outlet boxes and light switches.
01:17 They cost about $24 for a package of six or ten, depending on where you buy them.
01:23 They can be found at most lumber supply stores, or online.
01:27 For windows and doors, weather stripping can
01:29 be found at most local hardware stores.
01:31 Frost King three quarter inch wide by 7 16th inch
01:34 thick close cell, heavy duty, interior exterior weather stripping works well.
01:40 And lasts a fairly long time before it needs replacing.
01:43 Door parts can be found just about anywhere locally, but if you
01:46 want some high quality gasket material and door stops, check out tmsoundproofing.com.
01:52 Pemco door parts like the S88 Silicon Seals, 322 perimiter gaskets, and 2005
01:59 AT thresholds are also very popular and
02:02 speced by many architects for studio doors.
Purchasing acoustic materials

00:00 In this movie, we're going to look at where to
00:02 purchase the most widely-used acoustic material, as well as some alternatives.
00:06 The standard acoustic material for acoustic
00:09 panel is Owens Corning 703 rigid fiberglass.
00:12 Unfortunately, this isn't normally stocked by your local Home
00:16 Depot, or other major hardware and home supply retailers.
00:19 Instead, look for a local supplier
00:22 of industrial insulation, or an HVAC supplier,
00:25 as they're the ones that usually carry it.
00:28 When asking for it at one of these specialty
00:29 suppliers remember that sometimes it's
00:32 called industrial furnace insulation board.
00:34 You can also find it at a number of places online.
00:37 703 comes in packs of six and costs approximately
00:41 $12 a panel, depending on where you buy it.
00:44 It comes in thicknesses from 1 to 4 inches, with 2
00:47 inches being the most widely used, because it takes up less space
00:47 inches being the most widely used, because it takes up less space
00:50 in the room.
00:50 in the room.
00:51 Usually the difference in performance isn't it enough to
00:51 Usually the difference in performance isn't it enough to
00:53 make the four inch version worth the extra cost.
00:53 make the four inch version worth the extra cost.
00:57 Noffeecos, John's Manville, Roxul Safe and Sound, and Centerteed have similar
00:57 Noffeecos, John's Manville, Roxul Safe and Sound, and Centerteed have similar
01:02 absorption properties and can be even
01:02 absorption properties and can be even
01:04 cheaper than their Owens Corning equivalent.
01:04 cheaper than their Owens Corning equivalent.
01:07 Just be sure that the thickness and density is the same.
01:07 Just be sure that the thickness and density is the same.
01:10 Try buyinsulationproducts.com, if you want to purchase these online.
01:10 Try buyinsulationproducts.com, if you want to purchase these online.
01:15 Remember that
01:15 handling fiberglass can irritate your skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.
01:15 Remember that
01:15 handling fiberglass can irritate your skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.
01:20 The dust particles are so small, that they can get trapped
01:20 The dust particles are so small, that they can get trapped
01:23 in the lungs, and become carcinogenic in some people as well.
01:23 in the lungs, and become carcinogenic in some people as well.
01:26 That's why it's important to always wear gloves and a mask when handling it.
01:26 That's why it's important to always wear gloves and a mask when handling it.
01:31 An alternative to the 703 rigid fiberglass is mineral wool.
01:31 An alternative to the 703 rigid fiberglass is mineral wool.
01:34 Which is an insulation product made from the basalt
01:34 Which is an insulation product made from the basalt
01:37 rock that's melted and spun into a wool-like fiber.
01:37 rock that's melted and spun into a wool-like fiber.
01:40 It's a lot
01:40 less expensive than 703 and and
01:40 It's a lot
01:40 less expensive than 703 and and
01:42 even has slightly better absorption characteristics.
01:42 even has slightly better absorption characteristics.
01:46 Some people find that it's slightly more difficult
01:46 Some people find that it's slightly more difficult
01:48 to work with because it's not rigid though.
01:48 to work with because it's not rigid though.
01:51 Rock Wool RWA45, RW3, or the even more rigid Rock
01:51 Rock Wool RWA45, RW3, or the even more rigid Rock
01:56 Board 60 costs about $35 for a package of six panels.
01:56 Board 60 costs about $35 for a package of six panels.
02:01 You may find rockwell or mineral fiber at
02:01 You may find rockwell or mineral fiber at
02:02 your local lumber supplier, but you can now also
02:02 your local lumber supplier, but you can now also
02:05 get it at several places online at a higher cost.
02:05 get it at several places online at a higher cost.
02:09 Mineral wool is easily handled.
02:09 Mineral wool is easily handled.
02:11 And for most people does not cause any irritation
02:11 And for most people does not cause any irritation
02:13 to the skin, eyes, or respiratory system like fiberglass does.
02:13 to the skin, eyes, or respiratory system like fiberglass does.
02:18 Yet another alternative is ultra-touch cotton.
02:18 Yet another alternative is ultra-touch cotton.
02:21 Which you might be able to find at you local big box hardware store.
02:21 Which you might be able to find at you local big box hardware store.
02:25 It's about the same cost as Rockwool, and works almost as well.
02:25 It's about the same cost as Rockwool, and works almost as well.
02:28 It has none of the irritant properties of fiberglass.
02:28 It has none of the irritant properties of fiberglass.
02:32 You can also use it in place of r13 or r19 fiberglass insulation in your walls.
02:32 You can also use it in place of r13 or r19 fiberglass insulation in your walls.
02:38 It can also be found online.
02:38 It can also be found online.
02:40 Covering acoustic panels is pretty easy in that
02:40 Covering acoustic panels is pretty easy in that
02:43 you can use any material that easily passes audio.
02:43 you can use any material that easily passes audio.
02:46 This can be almost anything from cheap burlap to even speaker grill cloth.
02:46 This can be almost anything from cheap burlap to even speaker grill cloth.
02:51 The best way to test it is to blow into it.
02:51 The best way to test it is to blow into it.
02:53 And if you feel your breath coming through the other side, it should work.
02:53 And if you feel your breath coming through the other side, it should work.
02:57 Maybe the most expensive covering is by Guilford
02:57 Maybe the most expensive covering is by Guilford
03:00 of Maine but it has the advantages of
03:00 of Maine but it has the advantages of
03:02 being acoustically transparent and flame retardent as well
03:02 being acoustically transparent and flame retardent as well
03:05 as being available in a wide variety of colors.
03:05 as being available in a wide variety of colors.
03:09 You can find it several places online.
03:09 You can find it several places online.
03:12 All that being said, cloth is available
03:12 All that being said, cloth is available
03:14 in many thicknesses and densities and there should
03:14 in many thicknesses and densities and there should
03:16 be lots of local outlets in your area where you can purchase it at a discount.
03:16 be lots of local outlets in your area where you can purchase it at a discount.
Making your own acoustic panels

00:00 Frames for Acoustic panels can be easily made
00:02 by using inexpensive one by two inch wood boards.
00:06 Here's a number of ways to do just that.
00:09 The one by two external frame is the
00:10 easiest of the different types of frames to construct.
00:14 All other frame types are simply variations.
00:17 First of all, here's the list of materials that are required.
00:20 You'll need one sheet of two inch Owens Corning 703 or Rockwool per panel.
00:25 The standard
00:26 sheets are 48 by 24 inches.
00:29 You'll need two, one inch by two inch pine boards that are 49 and a half inches long.
00:35 You'll also need two, one inch by two inch pine boards that are 24 inches long.
00:41 One package of corner angle brackets, a yard
00:44 of main fabric, and a yard of backing fabric.
00:48 The backing fabric can be as inexpensive as you can find, since it will only
00:51 be used to hold the fiberglass or rock
00:53 wall sheet from falling out or accidentally crumpling.
00:56 Since it's on the back against the wall or ceiling, it will never be seen.
01:01 Here's a list of the tools that you'll need for construction.
01:04 These tools include a staple gun, a hammer, a drill with a
01:08 small bit for pilot holes and a Phillips head bit for installing screws.
01:13 A box of one and a half inch wood screws,
01:13 A box of one and a half inch wood screws,
01:16 some wood glue, some rubber gloves if
01:16 some wood glue, some rubber gloves if
01:23 you're using fiberglass 703.
01:23 you're using fiberglass 703.
01:25 A dust mask if you're using fiberglass 703.
01:25 A dust mask if you're using fiberglass 703.
01:26 Hairspray if you're using fiberglass 703.
01:26 Hairspray if you're using fiberglass 703.
01:28 A steam iron, a large carving knife if you're
01:28 A steam iron, a large carving knife if you're
01:31 using rock wall, some heavy scissors and a razor knife.
01:31 using rock wall, some heavy scissors and a razor knife.
01:36 First, line up the ends of a long 49 and a half inch and a short 24 inch frame piece
01:36 First, line up the ends of a long 49 and a half inch and a short 24 inch frame piece
01:41 board and drill a pilot hole through both. The long peice will be on the outside.
01:41 board and drill a pilot hole through both. The long peice will be on the outside.
01:46 In other words, do not put the short
01:46 In other words, do not put the short
01:48 piece on top of the long piece.
01:48 piece on top of the long piece.
01:51 Mark the frame where you drilled with a one
01:51 Mark the frame where you drilled with a one
01:52 on each board, so you know which pieces match.
01:52 on each board, so you know which pieces match.
01:56 Step 2, repeat drilling the pilot hole with each of the other boards.
01:56 Step 2, repeat drilling the pilot hole with each of the other boards.
02:00 Be sure to mark a two, three and a four
02:00 Be sure to mark a two, three and a four
02:04 on each of the corners, so you know which boards match.
02:04 on each of the corners, so you know which boards match.
02:07 Step 3, place a small drop of glue on one
02:07 Step 3, place a small drop of glue on one
02:10 of the ends of the boards with the one corners.
02:10 of the ends of the boards with the one corners.
02:13 You won't need a lot.
02:13 You won't need a lot.
02:15 Step 4, using the driller with the Phillips head bit, screw the wood
02:15 Step 4, using the driller with the Phillips head bit, screw the wood
02:19 screw into the pilot hole on both boards until it's flush with the surface.
02:19 screw into the pilot hole on both boards until it's flush with the surface.
02:24 Step 5, repeat steps three and four on the other corners.
02:24 Step 5, repeat steps three and four on the other corners.
02:29 Step 6, turn the frame upright or vertical and
02:29 Step 6, turn the frame upright or vertical and
02:34 screw an angle bracket into each of the corners.
02:34 screw an angle bracket into each of the corners.
02:38 Flip the frame around and screw and angle
02:38 Flip the frame around and screw and angle
02:40 bracket into each of the other two corners.
02:40 bracket into each of the other two corners.
02:43 Your frame is now complete.
02:45 Step 7, clean your workspace, then place your finished
02:45 Step 7, clean your workspace, then place your finished
02:49 fabric on the floor, ground, or whatever workspace you choose.
02:49 fabric on the floor, ground, or whatever workspace you choose.
02:52 Then take your steam iron and iron out any wrinkles in the fabric.
02:52 Then take your steam iron and iron out any wrinkles in the fabric.
02:58 Step 8, place your frame on top of the fabric
02:58 Step 8, place your frame on top of the fabric
03:01 making sure that there is enough of it on each side
03:01 making sure that there is enough of it on each side
03:04 to wrap around the back of the frame.
03:04 to wrap around the back of the frame.
03:06 Step 9, place the fiberglass 703 or rock wool sheet Inside the frame.
03:06 Step 9, place the fiberglass 703 or rock wool sheet Inside the frame.
03:12 If you're using 703 be sure to handle it with gloves and use a mask.
03:12 If you're using 703 be sure to handle it with gloves and use a mask.
03:17 It's also a good idea to spray each
03:17 It's also a good idea to spray each
03:19 piece with hairspray so the particles don't flake off.
03:19 piece with hairspray so the particles don't flake off.
03:22 If you're using rockwell and it won't fit for some reason,
03:22 If you're using rockwell and it won't fit for some reason,
03:25 like you cut the frame length wrong or assembled it poorly.
03:25 like you cut the frame length wrong or assembled it poorly.
03:28 Use the carving
03:28 Use the carving
03:29 knife to trim the edge to get a tight fit.
03:29 knife to trim the edge to get a tight fit.
03:32 Step 10, place the backing fabric on the rear of
03:32 Step 10, place the backing fabric on the rear of
03:35 the frame and trim with the scissors or razor knife so
03:35 the frame and trim with the scissors or razor knife so
03:38 there's enough fabric to cover the outside edges and still have
03:38 there's enough fabric to cover the outside edges and still have
03:41 about a half inch extra on the outside of the frame.
03:41 about a half inch extra on the outside of the frame.
03:44 Step 11, go to one of the short ends and begin stapling the fabric
03:44 Step 11, go to one of the short ends and begin stapling the fabric
03:49 from the middle outward, taking care to
03:49 from the middle outward, taking care to
03:52 stretch the fabric taut to the outside while
03:52 stretch the fabric taut to the outside while
03:54 doing so.
03:54 doing so.
03:55 As an option, place a thin bead of wood glue on the frame before
03:55 As an option, place a thin bead of wood glue on the frame before
03:58 the cloth is attached via the staples, to keep the fabric from stretching over time.
03:58 the cloth is attached via the staples, to keep the fabric from stretching over time.
04:03 Step 12, go to the opposite end and pull the fabric tight.
04:03 Step 12, go to the opposite end and pull the fabric tight.
04:09 Then repeat the stapling, starting once again
04:09 Then repeat the stapling, starting once again
04:11 from the middle outwards to the corners.
04:11 from the middle outwards to the corners.
04:14 Step 13, repeat on the two long ends,
04:14 Step 13, repeat on the two long ends,
04:19 starting from the middle and keeping the fabric tight while stapling.
04:19 starting from the middle and keeping the fabric tight while stapling.
04:23 Step 14, hammer the staples so they're flush with the top of the wood.
04:23 Step 14, hammer the staples so they're flush with the top of the wood.
04:29 Step 15, wrap the finished fabric around the frame and trim with scissors or
04:29 Step 15, wrap the finished fabric around the frame and trim with scissors or
04:34 a razor knife so there's about an inch of access towards middle of the frame.
04:34 a razor knife so there's about an inch of access towards middle of the frame.
04:38 Step 16, repeat steps 11 through 14. Taking care to cut the excess material off
04:38 Step 16, repeat steps 11 through 14. Taking care to cut the excess material off
04:44 the corners.
04:44 the corners.
04:45 Add extra staples at the corners to maintain the tightness of the fabric.
04:45 Add extra staples at the corners to maintain the tightness of the fabric.
04:50 Step 17, if your panel will be installed vertically.
04:50 Step 17, if your panel will be installed vertically.
04:53 Screw two number 10 eyehole hooks about two inches from the top of the frame.
04:53 Screw two number 10 eyehole hooks about two inches from the top of the frame.
04:58 If it will be install horizontally, intall them about two
04:58 If it will be install horizontally, intall them about two
05:01 inches from the ends of the top piece of your frame.
05:01 inches from the ends of the top piece of your frame.
05:07 Having an air space between the fiber glass or rockwool
05:07 Having an air space between the fiber glass or rockwool
05:09 will increase its effectiveness. Which a one by four frame provides.
05:09 will increase its effectiveness. Which a one by four frame provides.
05:14 It's also possible to fill the frame with four inches
05:14 It's also possible to fill the frame with four inches
05:16 of material or two sheets of two inches as well.
05:16 of material or two sheets of two inches as well.
05:19 Here's a variation on our original frame using
05:19 Here's a variation on our original frame using
05:22 one by four inch boards for the frame instead.
05:22 one by four inch boards for the frame instead.
05:25 Here are the materials you need.
05:25 Here are the materials you need.
05:27 One sheet of 2 inch 703 or Rockwool per panel.
05:27 One sheet of 2 inch 703 or Rockwool per panel.
05:30 The standard sheets are 48 by 24 inches. Two one
05:30 The standard sheets are 48 by 24 inches. Two one
05:34 inch by four inch pine boards at 49 1/2 inches long.
05:34 inch by four inch pine boards at 49 1/2 inches long.
05:38 Two, one inch by four inch pine boards at 24 inches long, a package
05:38 Two, one inch by four inch pine boards at 24 inches long, a package
05:44 of corner angle brackets, a yard of main fabric, and a yard of backing fabric.
05:44 of corner angle brackets, a yard of main fabric, and a yard of backing fabric.
05:50 The construction is identical to panel one, if one sheet of four
05:50 The construction is identical to panel one, if one sheet of four
05:53 inch or two sheets of two inch rigid fiberglass or rockwool used.
05:53 inch or two sheets of two inch rigid fiberglass or rockwool used.
05:58 If only a single two inch sheet is used,
05:58 If only a single two inch sheet is used,
06:00 the following steps change slightly.
06:00 the following steps change slightly.
06:02 Step number 11, go to one of the short ends and begin stapling the
06:02 Step number 11, go to one of the short ends and begin stapling the
06:06 fabric on the inside of the frame, just above the rigid fiberglass or rockwool.
06:06 fabric on the inside of the frame, just above the rigid fiberglass or rockwool.
06:11 Again, from the middle outward.
06:11 Again, from the middle outward.
06:12 Take care to stretch the fabric taut to the outside while doing so.
06:12 Take care to stretch the fabric taut to the outside while doing so.
06:16 Step number 14, do not hammer the staples in since they actually
06:16 Step number 14, do not hammer the staples in since they actually
06:21 help keep the fiberglass or rockwool in place by sticking out a bit.
06:21 help keep the fiberglass or rockwool in place by sticking out a bit.
06:25 All other steps are identical.
06:25 All other steps are identical.
Making your own bass traps

00:01 The following traps work over a wide range of base frequencies.
00:04 And are known more for their ease
00:05 of construction rather than their scientific calculations.
00:08 That said, they're easy to build and very effective.
00:12 The superchunk corner trap uses a stack of triangles of Rockwool or rigid
00:16 fiberglass set into a corner And then cover it with the fabric frame.
00:20 The materials you'll need are six sheets of
00:22 two-inch rigid fiberglass or Rockwool for every corner with
00:26 an eight-foot ceiling.
00:27 Or three sheets of four-inch rigid fiberglass or
00:30 rockwool for every corner with and eight foot ceiling.
00:33 You'll need two eight foot pieces of 1x1 inch pine and two
00:37 24 inch pieces of one inch pine, and three yards of finish fabric.
00:37 24 inch pieces of one inch pine, and three yards of finish fabric.
00:42 Step one, to make the super chunk trap, first
00:42 Step one, to make the super chunk trap, first
00:45 take a sheet of rigid fiber glass or rockwool.
00:45 take a sheet of rigid fiber glass or rockwool.
00:48 Then cut it in half with a carving knife.
00:48 Then cut it in half with a carving knife.
00:50 Step two,
00:50 Step two,
00:51 cut the halves diagonally to get the triangles.
00:51 cut the halves diagonally to get the triangles.
00:55 Step three, place the stacks of triangles in the corner.
00:55 Step three, place the stacks of triangles in the corner.
00:59 Step four, construct the frame following steps
00:59 Step four, construct the frame following steps
01:02 one through six as with the acoustic panels.
01:02 one through six as with the acoustic panels.
01:05 Step five, stretch your finished fabric across the frame as
01:05 Step five, stretch your finished fabric across the frame as
01:09 in steps 15 and 16 as with the acoustic panels.
01:09 in steps 15 and 16 as with the acoustic panels.
01:13 Step 6, attach the panel to the walls around the corner
01:13 Step 6, attach the panel to the walls around the corner
01:16 with some velcro. The batting trap.
01:16 with some velcro. The batting trap.
01:20 A cheaper but less efficient trap uses bales of R13
01:20 A cheaper but less efficient trap uses bales of R13
01:23 or R19 fiberglass batting instead of rigid fiberglass or Rockwool wedges.
01:23 or R19 fiberglass batting instead of rigid fiberglass or Rockwool wedges.
01:28 Step one, to make this trap first place as many bales
01:28 Step one, to make this trap first place as many bales
01:32 of batting in a corner as you can fit or afford.
01:32 of batting in a corner as you can fit or afford.
01:35 The bales can be left unwrapped in their packaging.
01:35 The bales can be left unwrapped in their packaging.
01:38 Step two, construct a cosmetic frame to cover the batting
01:38 Step two, construct a cosmetic frame to cover the batting
01:41 as in the super trunk trap. That's it.
01:41 as in the super trunk trap. That's it.
01:44 You're done.
01:44 You're done.
01:45 A down and dirty way to make a tune based trap to mainly attenuate one
01:45 A down and dirty way to make a tune based trap to mainly attenuate one
01:49 frequency is to fill a plastic garbage can with insulation and put it in the corner.
01:49 frequency is to fill a plastic garbage can with insulation and put it in the corner.
01:54 Drill some holes in the top and on one side.
01:54 Drill some holes in the top and on one side.
01:57 Tune it by taking in or putting in fiberglass as needed.
01:57 Tune it by taking in or putting in fiberglass as needed.
02:00 It's way unscientific, but it can be very effective for almost no money.
02:00 It's way unscientific, but it can be very effective for almost no money.
Making your own diffusers

00:00 Diffusers aren't as effective as absorption in small rooms where the
00:04 rear wall is closer than six feet from the listening position.
00:07 Where you do have space to experiment with diffusers, you can use semi cylinders
00:11 that can be made from bent plywood with a rock wall filling for damping.
00:15 You can also use split logs.
00:17 Wooden blocks, or even old CDs stuck
00:19 onto angle wooden blocks to break up reflections.
00:23 You don't need to spend a fortune to achieve tangible results.
00:26 It isn't easy to predict in advance just how much
00:28 of an improvement there will be with any given approach.
00:31 So, a bit of trial and error will be required when installing diffusers.
00:35 In some cases, you may actually find that the diffusion does more harm than good.
00:39 So, be prepared to make adjustments, or to try something else.
00:43 Believe it or not a bookshelf or bookcase filled with books
00:46 makes a great natural diffuser, and adds some absorption as well.
00:50 Even simple shelves that
00:50 Even simple shelves that
00:51 are randomly filled with objects, can work too.
00:51 are randomly filled with objects, can work too.
00:54 While you can make your own, do it yourself versions of commercial diffusers
00:54 While you can make your own, do it yourself versions of commercial diffusers
00:57 made by companies like RPG, Real traps,
00:57 made by companies like RPG, Real traps,
01:00 and MSR, it's usually pretty time consuming.
01:00 and MSR, it's usually pretty time consuming.
01:03 You can never be sure what the end results will be.
01:03 You can never be sure what the end results will be.
01:06 You're better off to stay with the easy solutions mentioned
01:06 You're better off to stay with the easy solutions mentioned
01:08 above to see if they'll work in your room first.
01:08 above to see if they'll work in your room first.
5. Building a Personal-Use Studio

Determining your listening position
00:00 Before you can apply acoustic treatment to the room, you have to select
00:03 the place in the room that will be your main listening area first.
00:07 It's important to note that the best
00:09 acoustic performance will almost always come from setting
00:11 up lengthwise in the room, because it's easier
00:13 to avoid some of the problem room modes.
00:16 In other words, the speakers should be firing the long way down the room.
00:21 As you've seen in previous videos,
00:23 every room suffers from reflections that reinforce
00:25 at the 50% point of the room.
00:28 These then diminish at the 25% and 75% points.
00:33 This means that if your listening position is placed
00:35 exactly half way in the room, there will probably be
00:37 at least one frequency that will be extremely loud, but
00:37 at least one frequency that will be extremely loud, but
00:40 it might be nonexistent at the 25 and 75% points.
00:40 it might be nonexistent at the 25 and 75% points.
00:44 This can happen even when the room is acoustically treated.
00:44 This can happen even when the room is acoustically treated.
00:48 As a result, you want to place both the speakers and
00:48 As a result, you want to place both the speakers and
00:50 listening position and listening position somewhere between the
00:50 listening position and listening position somewhere between the
00:55 25, 50, and 75% positions of the room.
00:55 25, 50, and 75% positions of the room.
00:57 Ideally, you'd want a point that's an odd, non-divisible number like 27, 38, or 45%.
00:57 Ideally, you'd want a point that's an odd, non-divisible number like 27, 38, or 45%.
01:04 That said, many acoustic designers feel that the 38%
01:04 That said, many acoustic designers feel that the 38%
01:08 point is the ideal listening place in the room.
01:08 point is the ideal listening place in the room.
01:11 If you can't place your listening position at that
01:11 If you can't place your listening position at that
01:13 ideal point, just strive to place it somewhere other
01:13 ideal point, just strive to place it somewhere other
01:15 than at the 50% point.
01:15 than at the 50% point.
01:18 Keep in mind that after you've finished treating
01:18 Keep in mind that after you've finished treating
01:20 your room, you might want to experiment with slightly
01:20 your room, you might want to experiment with slightly
01:22 different speaker placement, since only an inch or two
01:22 different speaker placement, since only an inch or two
01:25 can sometimes make a big difference in the sound.
01:25 can sometimes make a big difference in the sound.
Creating the reflection-free zone

00:00 The key to improving the sound of just about any
00:02 room is to create a reflection free zone, or RFZ.
00:06 The RFZ absorbs the first reflections from the speakers
00:09 so that you hear more of their direct sound.
00:12 In order to determine the RFZ, sit in a listening
00:15 position have a friend move a mirror along the right wall.
00:19 Anywhere that you can see the reflection of either
00:19 Anywhere that you can see the reflection of either
00:21 speaker, requires either wall treatment or an acoustic panel.
00:21 speaker, requires either wall treatment or an acoustic panel.
00:25 Do the same for the left wall.
00:25 Do the same for the left wall.
00:27 It's advisable to treat a larger area than you can see with the mirror,
00:27 It's advisable to treat a larger area than you can see with the mirror,
00:30 so that you'll have freedom to move around without being outside of the RFZ.
00:30 so that you'll have freedom to move around without being outside of the RFZ.
00:35 The ceiling is also part of the RFZ and must be treated as well.
00:35 The ceiling is also part of the RFZ and must be treated as well.
00:39 If you find it too difficult to slide a mirror around on the ceiling,
00:39 If you find it too difficult to slide a mirror around on the ceiling,
00:42 an alternative is to attach a hand mirror to a broomstick with rubber bands.
00:42 an alternative is to attach a hand mirror to a broomstick with rubber bands.
00:47 If the ceiling is still too difficult to spot with a mirror, you can
00:47 If the ceiling is still too difficult to spot with a mirror, you can
00:50 either hang panels directly over you just at your listening position, or
00:50 either hang panels directly over you just at your listening position, or
00:54 in approximately the same area as the treatment on your side walls.
00:54 in approximately the same area as the treatment on your side walls.
00:58 Just by treating this area you'll improve your room by a surprising amount.
00:58 Just by treating this area you'll improve your room by a surprising amount.
Treating the floor and ceiling

00:00 Regardless of the space you're dealing with and its ultimate use,
00:03 the question of what to do with the floor always comes up.
00:06 Should it be soft with carpet, or hard and reflective with wood or cement.
00:11 Actually, either can work.
00:13 Many studios use hardwood near the console or DAW
00:16 station, because it's easier to roll your chair around.
00:18 But an even bigger reason is the psychological aspect.
00:22 Having a hard surface below your ears
00:24 provides a reference point that's familiar and
00:26 always consistent.
00:27 Which inherently feels more comfortable to us.
00:30 This works as long as the ceiling is absorbent.
00:33 Remember, you can always put a throw or area rug down
00:36 on a hard floor to absorb some of the reflections as needed.
00:40 Even with the rug on the floor, you're still
00:42 better off to have the ceiling absorbent in the RFZ.
00:45 This eliminates any chance of early reflections from
00:47 the speakers reflecting back onto the listening position.
00:51 In other areas of the studio, the soft floor
00:53 coupled with the hard ceiling actually work well together.
00:56 As it keeps the high-frequency reflections to a minimum.
01:00 For a tracking room, you usually want to keep
01:02 the floor reflective so wood or cement is fine.
01:06 Just put a light carpet under the drums or acoustic instruments
01:06 Just put a light carpet under the drums or acoustic instruments
01:08 to keep them from moving and also keep the reflections down.
01:08 to keep them from moving and also keep the reflections down.
01:12 That being said, the smaller the tracking room,
01:12 That being said, the smaller the tracking room,
01:15 the more you want to contain the ambience.
01:15 the more you want to contain the ambience.
01:18 That's because the reflections of a small room usually
01:18 That's because the reflections of a small room usually
01:20 aren't that great sounding because of the room modes.
01:20 aren't that great sounding because of the room modes.
01:23 We actually start to hear the smallness of the room.
01:23 We actually start to hear the smallness of the room.
01:26 The more we keep them under control, the better everything in the room will sound.
01:26 The more we keep them under control, the better everything in the room will sound.
01:31 If the floor is concrete and you don't want to spend a
01:31 If the floor is concrete and you don't want to spend a
01:33 lot of money, use some throw rugs or even carpet tiles.
01:33 lot of money, use some throw rugs or even carpet tiles.
01:36 Either way, don't stress on the floor.
01:36 Either way, don't stress on the floor.
01:39 The only place in the room that's going to be acoustically fine tuned is the RFZ,
01:39 The only place in the room that's going to be acoustically fine tuned is the RFZ,
01:43 everything else is gravy.
01:43 everything else is gravy.
01:45 If you have a suspended ceiling, you do have some options.
01:45 If you have a suspended ceiling, you do have some options.
01:48 You can utilize the cavity above the false ceiling frame as a base trap.
01:48 You can utilize the cavity above the false ceiling frame as a base trap.
01:52 This can be done by removing the ceiling tiles and placing some six and a half
01:52 This can be done by removing the ceiling tiles and placing some six and a half
01:56 inch thick R19 or nine and a half inch thick R30 fiberglass bats above the grid.
01:56 inch thick R19 or nine and a half inch thick R30 fiberglass bats above the grid.
02:02 If you don't like the look of uncovered fiberglass.
02:02 If you don't like the look of uncovered fiberglass.
02:05 Or don't want the chance of any loose strands dropping in you, cover the ceiling
02:05 Or don't want the chance of any loose strands dropping in you, cover the ceiling
02:08 with a non-reflective fabric.
02:08 with a non-reflective fabric.
02:11 Yet, another option is to leave the ceiling tiles
02:11 Yet, another option is to leave the ceiling tiles
02:13 as they are and just stuff the bats above them.
02:13 as they are and just stuff the bats above them.
02:16 Finally, both real traps and prime
02:16 Finally, both real traps and prime
02:19 acoustic cell replacement ceiling tiles offer
02:19 acoustic cell replacement ceiling tiles offer
02:21 more broadband absorption than the normal commercial tiles found in most ceilings.
02:21 more broadband absorption than the normal commercial tiles found in most ceilings.
02:26 They can be an excellent alternative to placing
02:26 They can be an excellent alternative to placing
02:28 absorption panels above the sweet spot in the RFZ.
02:28 absorption panels above the sweet spot in the RFZ.
02:31 To save some money, you can just replace
02:31 To save some money, you can just replace
02:33 the standard panels in the RFZ in any recording area in the room.
02:33 the standard panels in the RFZ in any recording area in the room.
02:37 Remember that the thicker tiles will work better as bass traps
02:37 Remember that the thicker tiles will work better as bass traps
02:40 if placed nearest the walls, so they can act as corner trapping.
02:40 if placed nearest the walls, so they can act as corner trapping.
Acoustic panel placement

00:00 Before you can determine where to place the acoustic panels
00:03 you have to determine how many of them you need.
00:06 Ideally you'd like to cover about 50% of the
00:08 untreated wall space outside the RFZ with sound panels.
00:12 This can drop to 40% if it makes your material buying easier.
00:16 Like if it's the difference between buying two
00:17 or three packages of seven or three for example.
00:21 That said don't go any lower than 40% coverage of the room.
00:25 You should still be prepared to add more panels if you still don't
00:28 feel the room sounds the way you'd like with the initial amount of coverage.
00:32 Another way is to figure one panel for every four foot of wall length.
00:36 In a very small room of a thousand cubic feet or less,
00:39 you can't really have too much coverage, so the more, the merrier.
00:43 Panels should be distributed evenly around the room, with the opposite wall
00:47 offset so, the center of the panel is aimed at the space between
00:50 the opposite panel.
00:52 This prevents any possibility of flutter echo between parallel walls.
Installing the acoustic panels

00:00 There are a number of ways to install an acoustic panel.
00:03 Probably the most professional way is to use Z-clips, with two attached
00:07 to the frame of the panel, and two attached to the wall studs.
00:10 This allows you to easily disengage the panel
00:12 from the wall by just lifting it, if needed.
00:15 If you're not able to find studs to properly anchor Z-clips, an option is to
00:20 use OOK's 200 pound hangers, which provide a solid anchor to hang a panel in drywall.
00:25 You can then attach picture wire, and hang the panel like a mirror.
00:28 Or tie a couple of cable ties to an eye hook, which then slips over the hanger.
00:33 Yet another way to attach a panel to a wall is
00:35 by using eye hooks connected to the panel, and either strapping
00:38 it to an eye hook attached to the wall with a
00:40 nylon cable tie, or simply slipping it over a U hook.
00:44 For attaching to a ceiling, the best way is to use the
00:47 nylon cable tie method, strapping the eye hooks attached to the ceiling and
00:50 the panel together.
00:52 Just to be safe, use two cable ties per eye hook.
00:55 Be extra sure that the eye hooks mounted to the ceiling are attached to wooden
00:59 studs so you don't have the panel come crashing down on you at a later time.
01:03 The best part about any of these installation
01:05 methods is that the panels are easy to
01:07 detach and reattach at any time, making them
01:10 as portable as anything else in your studio.
Treating the corners

00:00 Bass frequencies bounce around the room but eventually find their way to the
00:03 corners, which then act as wave guides to focus them back into the room.
00:08 They're the greatest culprits for bass build up and require treatment
00:11 in order to tame the low frequency peaks that every room has.
00:15 That's why if you've ever built an effective RFC, you still need as many bass
00:19 traps as you can get to even out
00:20 the low frequency bumps that will inevitably occur.
00:24 The good news is that the more bass
00:25 traps you have, the less it matters where you place the traps.
00:29 There are twelve angles in a rectangular room,
00:31 and all of them are candidates for trapping.
00:34 The front low corners are usually the easiest to treat because no
00:37 one walks there, and you don't lose any space as a result.
00:40 The idea is to fill them with floor-to-ceiling bass traps.
00:43 But the eight corners where the walls and
00:45 ceiling, and walls and floor come together should suffice.
00:49 The traps don't all have to be the
00:50 same size since bass is non-directional.
00:53 As a result, the total surface coverage is more important than symmetry.
00:58 This is not the case for mid or
00:59 high frequency absorbers however, where symmetry is important.
01:03 That being said, it's best if the traps are
01:05 spread around the room in as many corners as possible.
01:09 When acoustic panels are placed strutly in the corners, there's an inherent
01:12 air gap that makes the trap more effective because it helps their ability
01:16 to absorb low frequencies.
01:18 It's even better if you can fill up
01:19 the space with regular insulation like R13 batts.
01:23 Thicker panels are always better for corner traps,
01:26 although lighter weight ones make them easier to hang.
01:29 Bass traps that extend floor to ceiling work the
01:31 best, because they maximize the way they absorb low frequencies.
01:35 You can build bass traps yourself as we've outlined in a previous video.
01:39 Or you can buy them pre-made from a number of suppliers
01:39 Or you can buy them pre-made from a number of suppliers
01:41 like Real Traps, Gik-acoustics, Prim-acoustic,
01:41 like Real Traps, Gik-acoustics, Prim-acoustic,
01:44 Ready-acoustic and MSR acoustics, among others.
01:44 Ready-acoustic and MSR acoustics, among others.
Treating the windows

00:00 A window doesn't pose much of a problem if it's on
00:02 the front wall, since the speakers are pointed in the opposite direction.
00:06 That said, there may be complications if
00:09 it's located in other sections of the room.
00:11 First of all, if the window is in the RFZ, your only choice
00:15 is to acoustically treat it, otherwise you'll
00:17 no longer have a reflection free zone.
00:20 If that's the case, you have a number of options.
00:23 You can place a piece of 703,
00:25 or Rockwell over the window. Then cover that with a heavy drape.
00:29 You can place an acoustic panel over the window with another piece of
00:32 703, or Rockwell behind the panel, or you can place a diffuser over it.
00:38 You probably want to cover the outside of the window with a pane of quarter inch to
00:41 half inch Plexiglas, tightly attached to weather stripping
00:44 on all sides to increase the isolation as well.
00:48 Of course the easiest way to increase the isolation and
00:51 eliminate any leakages by totally plugging the window.
00:54 But the trend in studios these days is for lots of natural light.
00:57 If isolation is still a problem, add another pane of
01:00 plexiglass to the inside of the window frame as well.
Treating the doors

00:00 Assuming that you're not able to build a
00:02 two door airlock like in most commercial studios.
00:05 You can still treat your existing doors
00:07 and improve their effectiveness to a great degree.
00:09 The secret is to make sure that the door has absolutely
00:12 no air leaks, by adding weather stripping and a quality door jam.
00:16 The most common type of weather stripping is simple rubber padding,
00:19 cut into strips from three eighth inch to three quarter inch wide.
00:22 And from eighth inch to three eighth inch thick rolls, that are usually about
00:25 20 feet long.
00:27 The back side of the weather stripping has an adhesive coat on it, that makes
00:30 it very easy to affix to the wood doorstop trim to get the tightest seal.
00:35 There are also many types of metal weather stripping available.
00:39 This side can be a little tighter, because
00:41 it can be adjusted to create a better seal.
00:43 But it does take more time to install.
00:45 A threshold fixed to the floor underneath the
00:47 door provides a tight seal and maximizes the isolation.
00:50 But it makes it difficult to roll heavy amplifiers or equipment cases over it.
00:55 That's why it's best to use a very low profile aluminium or
00:58 wood door threshold, that has a rubber seal centered along the top.
01:02 Whichever threshold you choose, it will take some initial adjusting.
01:05 But you'll realize immediately that it was worth the effort, once it's right.
01:10 Finally, have someone shine a flashlight around the outside of the door.
01:14 If you see the light on the other side,
01:16 you've got a leak, and just negated any soundproofing that
01:19 you might have had if you don't address it immediately.
01:22 There's more that you can than just sealing the door,
01:24 since the door itself can be a source of leakage.
01:27 If you have a common, thin, hollow core interior door, you can
01:31 replace it with the thickest solid core door that you can afford.
01:34 Preferrably one with no decorative cutout panels.
01:37 If you don't want to purchase a new, more expensive door, you can build
01:41 up the mass by adding a sheet of drywall or MDF to one or both sides.
01:46 You can do this with your new solid core door as well, to add mass.
01:50 Remember that mass equals isolation, but it's not worth going
01:53 all out if there are other weak links in the room.
01:56 Be sure to upgrade the hinges as well, since the added
01:59 weight will add additional strain they might not be able to handle.
01:59 weight will add additional strain they might not be able to handle.
02:02 As with the other examples, you'll have to apply weather stripping around it
02:02 As with the other examples, you'll have to apply weather stripping around it
02:06 on all sides.
02:06 on all sides.
02:07 Then make sure you use a good quality door jamb.
02:07 Then make sure you use a good quality door jamb.
02:10 As far as acoustic treatment, sometimes the inside of
02:10 As far as acoustic treatment, sometimes the inside of
02:13 the door towards the studio is in the RFZ.
02:13 the door towards the studio is in the RFZ.
02:16 If that's the case, it needs an acoustic panel
02:16 If that's the case, it needs an acoustic panel
02:18 attached to it in order to keep the RFZ's integrity.
02:18 attached to it in order to keep the RFZ's integrity.
Treating the front and rear walls

00:00 After the RFC is created, the rear wall
00:03 is the most critical component of a good-sounding room.
00:06 The other walls, floor, windows, and doors are important, too, but less
00:10 so, especially if the door or window wasn't located in the RFC.
00:14 Although the front wall might seem like a place that needs absorbtion because of its
00:17 close proximity to the speakers, the fact
00:20 is that speakers radiate omnidirectionally below 100 Hertz.
00:24 If the monitors are correctly
00:25 placed and angled.
00:26 There should never be any high frequencies that
00:28 reflect off the front wall to begin with.
00:31 That's one of the reasons why bass traps are placed in the front corners.
00:34 The other being that the front of the room isn't used to the space won't be missed.
00:39 The only reason to add absorption to the front wall is
00:41 if the room still has a reverb decay time that's too long.
00:44 This shouldn't be the case if you use the suggestions in this course up until now.
00:49 It's important that the rear wall be
00:50 treated in order to keep the direct sound from
00:52 the speakers from reflecting back to the listening position.
00:56 As we discussed in previous videos, there are two theories about how to do this.
01:01 Either make the rear wall completely absorbent
01:03 or use a diffuser to scatter the reflections.
01:06 Either way, the idea is to make sure that there are no reflections from
01:09 the speakers bouncing off the back wall to negate the effect of the RFZ.
01:09 the speakers bouncing off the back wall to negate the effect of the RFZ.
01:13 It's easy to make the rear wall
01:13 It's easy to make the rear wall
01:15 soft and absorbent.
01:15 soft and absorbent.
01:17 Just cover it with sound panels at the height of the
01:17 Just cover it with sound panels at the height of the
01:19 speakers so there are no reflections coming back to the listening position.
01:19 speakers so there are no reflections coming back to the listening position.
01:23 An even better way would be to increase the density of the panels to four inches.
01:23 An even better way would be to increase the density of the panels to four inches.
01:27 By using either two pieces of two-inch
01:27 By using either two pieces of two-inch
01:28 absorbing material, or one piece of four-inch.
01:28 absorbing material, or one piece of four-inch.
01:32 This arrangement is then mounted rigidly to the back wall to
01:32 This arrangement is then mounted rigidly to the back wall to
01:34 Create a bass trap, as well as a mid high frequency absorber.
01:34 Create a bass trap, as well as a mid high frequency absorber.
01:39 A two inch think acoustic panel can work
01:39 A two inch think acoustic panel can work
01:40 as well.
01:40 as well.
01:41 As long as the panel is mounted on stand offs that are two inches from the wall.
01:41 As long as the panel is mounted on stand offs that are two inches from the wall.
01:46 As far as diffusion, there are a number of pre
01:46 As far as diffusion, there are a number of pre
01:48 made defusers that you can buy from a variety of companies.
01:48 made defusers that you can buy from a variety of companies.
01:52 These vary in price from 250$ or so, to thousands of dollars.
01:52 These vary in price from 250$ or so, to thousands of dollars.
01:56 An interesting design by noted acoustician Russ Berger in conjunction with RLX
01:56 An interesting design by noted acoustician Russ Berger in conjunction with RLX
02:01 acoustics It's called the P Art Science Space Coupler that's reasonably priced and
02:01 acoustics It's called the P Art Science Space Coupler that's reasonably priced and
02:06 worth a try.
02:06 worth a try.
02:07 As stated in a previous video, a very inexpensive and
02:07 As stated in a previous video, a very inexpensive and
02:10 easy diffusion solution is a bookshelf or, even better, a bookcase.
02:10 easy diffusion solution is a bookshelf or, even better, a bookcase.
02:15 The books are on the soft side and have a bit of absorption.
02:15 The books are on the soft side and have a bit of absorption.
02:18 And the sizes are random, providing very good diffusion.
02:18 And the sizes are random, providing very good diffusion.
02:22 The more randomly they're placed, in terms of
02:22 The more randomly they're placed, in terms of
02:23 size, and the amount they stick out, the better.
02:23 size, and the amount they stick out, the better.
02:27 Some of the best home studios in the world are in a study, surrounded by a lot
02:27 Some of the best home studios in the world are in a study, surrounded by a lot
02:31 of books.
02:31 of books.
02:32 It puts those old volumes to good use
02:32 It puts those old volumes to good use
02:34 before the world changes completely to digital publication.
02:34 before the world changes completely to digital publication.
02:37 Most designers are split as to whether
02:37 Most designers are split as to whether
02:39 it's better to use absorbent panels or diffusion.
02:39 it's better to use absorbent panels or diffusion.
02:42 The general consensus is that the smaller the room, the better absorption will work.
02:42 The general consensus is that the smaller the room, the better absorption will work.
02:46 It's cheaper and worth the try first before you install an expensive diffuser.
02:46 It's cheaper and worth the try first before you install an expensive diffuser.
A simple HVAC solution

00:00 HVAC, or heating ventilation and air conditioning is a
00:04 bigger part of any studio than you might realize.
00:05 So, it has to be taken into consideration
00:08 as soon as you begin designing your studio.
00:11 Don't even think of using a window air conditioner since they're way
00:14 too noisy, and will defeat any isolation that you might have achieved.
00:17 For real studio HVAC, you really only have two options forced air, or a mini split.
00:24 Installing a new forced air system
00:25 gets very expensive very quickly.
00:28 This is because the duct work has to use a lot of right angle
00:31 bins and diffusers to lower the air speed so it doesn't make any noise.
00:35 As anyone who has experienced this in the studio
00:37 knows air noise can be a real vocal killer.
00:40 A forced air system also requires a concrete slab
00:43 to mount the HVAC unit on the ground outside.
00:46 Finally comes the installation labor, which must be done by a pro.
00:50 A less
00:51 expensive way to cool down your studio is
00:53 to install a mini-split type of air conditioning system.
00:56 A mini-split system has a cooling head that's about three
00:59 feet wide, a foot tall and seven or eight inches deep.
01:02 And that attaches to the surface of a wall.
01:05 The actual cooling pump sits outside the building, usually on a one-inch slab
01:09 of rubber, and it's connected to the cooling head by four separate lines.
01:14 One line is a cooling feed,
01:16 second line is a cooling return, the third line is a
01:18 condensation drain, and the fourth line supplies electricity to the cooling head.
01:23 The cooling feed and return tubes are about three
01:25 quarters of an inch in diameter, and greatly reduce
01:28 the size of the hole needed to be bored
01:30 into the wall to accomodate the cooling head unit.
01:33 The same precautions in terms of sealing the head unit
01:36 to protect your isolation, must be applied to this system.
01:39 Depending on how large your
01:41 space is, a unit that puts out between 9,000 and 12,000 BTU is usually enough.
01:47 A big plus for the mini split is that,
01:48 not only is it inexpensive, it's very quiet, as well.
01:52 They're also available with an optional heat-pump for those
01:55 cold winter days that everyone experiences, even in warm climates.
01:59 While you can install a mini-split yourself, you might want
02:02 to get a pro HVAC technician to do the complete job.
02:05 Because these units need freon gas to function, you'll
02:08 have to have a professional do the freon work.
02:11 Should take only a few hours to install, so it shouldn't be outrageously expensive.
02:15 Make sure that you have the unit serviced every year, and keep
02:18 the filter clean, as that helps to keep the unit from getting noisy.
6. Premade Acoustic Components

Buying premade acoustic treatment
00:00 Let's say that you've watched all the movies so far,
00:02 concluded that your studio, practice space, or rehearsal room needs help.
00:07 But you want no part of hunting down the materials and swinging a hammer.
00:10 Have no fear, Prefab components are as near as your web browser.
00:14 Today, even esoteric acoustic components can be found from multiple sources online.
00:19 What's more, multiple suppliers now offer full kits to improve
00:23 any kind of room on almost any kind of budget.
00:26 It's still cheaper to do the work yourself.
00:28 But when that's not an option, there's a lot to choose from.
00:32 Let's take a look at what's available.
00:34 Here are a few sites to check out for raw acoustic materials like
00:37 Owens Corning 703, Rockboard sixty, or
00:40 anything else that's useful in studio construction.
00:44 If you do a search, you can find many more sites selling
00:46 studio building materials, but these are a good and reliable place to start.
00:51 Don't have the time to gather
00:53 the materials and make Acoustic panels yourself?
00:55 No problem, just buy them ready made and mount them yourself.
00:59 Ten years ago this was unheard of, but now there are a
01:02 number of companies making their own variations of these easily made panels.
01:07 Instead of buying a prefab piece here and there,
01:09 sometimes it's better to purchase an entire room kit instead.
01:13 A kit is just a selection of
01:14 a manufacturer's base traps, Acoustic panels and
01:17 diffusers to fit a typical size room.
01:20 The bigger the room, the larger the kit required.
01:23 Usually the pieces that you get are sufficient to make a difference in
01:26 the room sound, especially if there's no treatment in the room to begin with.
01:30 Another advantage is that you get a discount buying all the pieces in a kit.
01:34 Rather than individually.
01:37 Here are a few sites that offer full room packages.
01:40 Most kids are designed to treat the major sources
01:42 of sound problems that we've talked about earlier in this course.
01:46 You'll have bass traps for the corner, and Acoustic panels for
01:49 the RFC on the sides of the room and the ceiling.
01:51 In order to treat the first reflections from the speakers.
01:54 As the kit gets larger, additional Sound panels are included for the walls
01:58 and some cases may include a diffuser for the back wall as well.
02:03 If you're treating the room yourself, this is just what you're building anyway.
02:06 So buying a kit saves you the trouble
02:08 of construction.
02:10 While buying a kit can save you some money,
02:12 beware of the hidden costs of shipping and packaging.
02:15 Be sure to find out up front what this will cost.
Buying a premade vocal booth

00:00 Sometimes the only thing that's needed to have a complete
00:02 studio is a really quiet place to record vocals or voice-overs.
00:06 You can build that space yourself, or if you're in apartment, condo, or some
00:10 place that you plan on leaving someday, it's best to be as portable as possible.
00:15 That's where prefab vocal booth comes in.
00:18 The beauty of a pre-made vocal booth is that it's not
00:21 only portable, but it's capable of giving you great isolation as well.
00:25 Most of them are easy to float so it can become a
00:27 room within a room and they're made with acoustics that aren't too dead.
00:32 Some night owls in big cities like New York
00:34 even use them to sleep in during the day.
00:36 They're that quiet.
00:38 So what's not to like?
00:40 If you've ever spent more than 15 minutes in a totally isolated area, you know
00:44 that the heat soon becomes oppressive which means
00:46 that some sort of air conditioning is required.
00:48 And that's where the expense comes in.
00:51 Almost manufactures of vocal booths have an option for HVAC.
00:54 The whole idea becomes a lot more
00:56 costly and complicated once that factor is introduced.
00:59 Most vocal booths will have a heat exchanger that will keep the heat down.
01:03 But it still may be too hot for extended sessions.
01:06 Another thing about pre-made vocal boots is that they provide excellent isolation
01:10 at mid and high frequencies, and only good isolation at low frequencies.
01:15 If you're only concerned
01:16 about recording vocals or narration, this won't be a problem.
01:19 But if your booth is large enough for
01:21 drums you have to take that factor into account.
01:24 One of the best reasons to purchase a
01:26 prefab vocal booth rather than to attempt to
01:28 build one yourself is that building a small
01:30 room that actually sounds good is far from trivial.
01:33 You may end up with a worse sounding space than when
01:36 you started, if you try it yourself and don't do it correctly.
01:39 Manufacturers of portable booths
01:41 spend a lot of time on the acoustics of the space.
01:43 So it's pretty good, right out of the box.
01:46 Many manufacturers also make enclosures for guitar amplifiers.
01:50 So you can crank til your heart's content without affecting your neighbors.
01:53 While these work pretty well remember that in an enclosed
01:56 space can cause your combo amp to overheat unless there's ventilation.
02:00 This might compromise the isolation that you're getting in the first place.
02:04 Non-insulated enclosures should work
02:06 well with speaker cabinets, though.
02:09 Here are a number of vendors for
02:10 vocal booths, drum booths, and speaker enclosures.
02:14 Just like with the pre-made acoustic components, be sure to check out the
02:18 shipping and packaging costs before you
02:19 order, as they can be prohibitively expensive.
Conclusion
Goodbye
00:00 Now that you've made it through the course, you should
00:02 have a feel for how acoustic control and isolation works.
00:05 If you followed all the steps an created a reflection free zone
00:08 around your listening position, you most
00:10 likely have heard some immediate improvement.
00:13 That doesn't necessarily mean that you're finished though.
00:15 Remember that even for top designers,
00:18 acoustic control can take some experimentation.
00:20 So don't worry if you feel that you don't have it right the first time.
00:24 By changing your listening position
00:25 just a little.
00:26 Moving some Acoustic panels, and adding additional base traps, it's
00:30 possible that the sound of your room can improve even more.
00:34 Also remember that some rooms, especially if they're
00:36 very small, just have too many problems to overcome.
00:40 While you'll hear some improvement it may not be as dramatic as you hope for.
00:45 Having a room that has the right size and shape is always best.
00:48 But it's not always what's available.
00:50 Personal studios
00:51 frequently move and change over the years.
00:53 What you've learned in this course, as
00:55 well as any Acoustic panels, bass traps, or
00:58 diffusers that you've constructed or purchased will be
01:00 directly applicable to your next room as well.
01:03 Hopefully you're now hearing your audio better than ever.
01:06 Which will enable you to take your recordings to the next level.
01:09 You might want to also check out the audio
01:11 recording techniques, audio mixing bootcamp
01:14 and audio mastering techniques courses
01:16 right here at lynda.com.
01:18 For addiotional information about building your studio.
01:21 Check out the Studio Builder's Handbook published by Alfred Music Publishing.
01:26 Good luck, go make some hits.

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Lynda.

com - Music Studio Setup and Acoustics with Bobby Owsinski

1. Studio Design Ideas

Personal studio parameters

The two basic isolation principles

Increasing your isolation by adding mass

Increasing your isolation by decreasing leakage

3. Acoustic Control Methods

The curse of low ceilings

The room's reverb time

The reflection-free zone

The idea behind acoustic panels

Bass trap overview

4. Constructing the Components

Purchasing acoustic materials

Making your own acoustic panels

Making your own bass traps

Making your own diffusers

5. Building a Personal-Use Studio

Creating the reflection-free zone

Treating the floor and ceiling

Acoustic panel placement

Installing the acoustic panels

Treating the corners

Treating the windows

Treating the doors

Treating the front and rear walls

A simple HVAC solution

6. Premade Acoustic Components

Buying a premade vocal booth

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