what is best for building a simple studio?

lordtech

Member
Jun 15, 2008
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Brunei
im planning to build a low budget recording studio. I have a drumset which is good for making metal records!! I have 1 speaker cabinet run thru a crate power block as well.

The question is, what is the best minimum measurement of a recording studio, which consist of a drum room, a vocal booth and a mixing room? i think the cabinet can be put inside the vocal booth.

How long shud these rooms be, how tall the ceilings shud be as well?

I live in South East Asia, so weather shud be wet and hot all year. Will the climate here effects the building itself it it is small?

\m/
 
The climate will theoretically affect the sound (thicker air affects frequency response), but practically I don't think it will matter as long as the room itself is good.

Recommended ratios are (height : width : length)

1 : 1,14 : 1,39
1 : 1,26 : 1,59
1 : 1,28 : 1,54
1 : 1,30 : 1,90
1 : 1,40 : 1,90
1 : 1,50 : 2,10
1 : 1,50 : 2,50
1 : 1,60 : 2,33

To use the table above, multiply the room height by the values to get the optimal dimensions. For example, with 1 : 1,30 : 1,90, and the room height = 10 meters, the optimal width of the room is 10 meters * 1,3 = 13 meters, and the optimal length of the room is 10 meters * 1,9 = 19 meters. The volume of this room would be just under the recommended minimum though.

And recommended minimum volume is 70,8 cubic meters.
 
woah~!! i'm still trying to understand these concepts man. Its helpful though, only if i understand better.
How about diagrams? do u have simple sketch or sumthin?
 
You are asking us to design a studio with no dimmensions? errr... roooigghhhtttt. If you want minimum workable dimensions, then for a control room I would go 16 foot by 12 foot at minimum, 8 foot by 10 foot for vocal booth and maybe 16 foot by 12 foot for live room. Of course, this all depends whether you want to record other people or yourself. If its just yourself you can go much much smaller than that.

If you need a design for a room then give us the dimensions and your specification and I can give you a rough drawing, or a better one given more time.

Joe
 
yea i think i really need wat u have to offer joematthews. How about the heights of walls? It is not just for myself , but for other musicians as well. I just need a drum room, a vocal booth dat can fit guitar and bass cabinet; and a mixing room. Thts all i need because i dont think the space outside my mom's house is really dat big. i can roughly remember the space is sumwher lesser than 10m by 15m. I have to check and measure it really soon.

Thx for giving the diagram link headcrusher, i have seen this site before \m/
 
Find exact dimensions (in feet and inches) draw a diagrahm, and I'll see what I can do with the space.

Joe
 
im still on my project to draw a simple diagram of my 'dream' studio. Hahaha. Will post it here soon.
I was thinking about the use of doors for this small building. Which is better? sliding doors or wooden doors?

The walls are plan to be build by using bricks/cement and layer it inside with some insulation materials. Fibreglass is kinda expensive here and all the good grade insulation materials posted in the internet cannot be send to my country. if so, shipping them would be expensive as well., any other options? DIY stuff perhaps? Anything at all??

Ive been looking for tips thru other sites, including some video search in youtube... doesnt really help.
 
studio.JPG


I've placed the window. 1 is enuff i guess.

More questions:
Since the climate here is equatorial, how shud i place my airconditioner?
How thick the walls shud be?

Thts it for now.
 
studio.JPG


I've placed the window. 1 is enuff i guess.

More questions:
Since the climate here is equatorial, how shud i place my airconditioner?
How thick the walls shud be?

Thts it for now.

Do remember to slant the walls and windows (double windows, one thicker and one thinner pane in one frame). 90 degree angles are the enemy of mix room acoustics.
 
making the walls slanted actually isn't that hard, assuming they aren't pre-existing...all you have to do is stick a couple shims below the drywall at the top or bottom to angle it in a few degrees - at least i think that should do the trick