Wooden shed studio/ Band Practise room

D-Man

Hi,

I often jam with my friends but then we always have to worry about disturbing other people close by. This will be especially true once we get our drummer. I would like to soundproof a space to use for band practise and maybe even recording later on. I have two choices
1. A bedroom, relatively small, Built in cupboards take up the one wall, two of the other walls are the outer walls of the house (so they're thicker than normal walls) and the fourth wall is normal. The door has been removed and there is a large window in the one wall.
2. A wooden shed, even smaller. Has an electrical fixture. Walls are made of 10mm thick wood and it has a corrugated Iron roof. No windows, just a double-door.

My parents recommend the wooden shed but I want to know which one would need the least work and be the best choice as far as sound proofing goes.

AlanRatcliffe

As far as soundproofing goes, the bedroom is the best bet (unless you're willing to rebuild the shed from the ground up). It will need a door though. ?

D-Man

Haha. What type of door should I put in there?
Another thing that could be a problem is the window. It is quite big and I don't think closing it up is an option. What can I do about that?
How soundproof will the room be after some changes?

[deleted]

It sounds like the answer will be "not very", with any changes you might be able to make. The solution, to my mind, is bringing down the volume of the instruments themselves. Look at some options for drums, like practice pads, made of foam, that take the oomph out of the snare and toms. Then fill the bass drum with something like a duvet. Cymbals can either be left out, or shirts draped over them. Actually, you'd be surprised at just how much better and tighter you'll become as a unit if you practise at low volume. Your mistakes won't get drowned out and, horror of horrors, you'll become a hot band. And it's cheaper than turning your bedroom into Fort Knox.

[deleted]

Sorry, didn't read you properly: you want to record too... Urk. Rent out a rehearsal studio somewhere for a day to do that?

aja

Stratisfear wrote: It sounds like the answer will be "not very", with any changes you might be able to make. The solution, to my mind, is bringing down the volume of the instruments themselves. Look at some options for drums, like practice pads, made of foam, that take the oomph out of the snare and toms. Then fill the bass drum with something like a duvet. Cymbals can either be left out, or shirts draped over them. Actually, you'd be surprised at just how much better and tighter you'll become as a unit if you practise at low volume. Your mistakes won't get drowned out and, horror of horrors, you'll become a hot band. And it's cheaper than turning your bedroom into Fort Knox.

I agree completely. Players try play over the drums in a small room, then it all becomes a mess

Wizard

Actually, you'd be surprised at just how much better and tighter you'll become as a unit if you practise at low volume. Your mistakes won't get drowned out and, horror of horrors, you'll become a hot band. And it's cheaper than turning your bedroom into Fort Knox.

When I played djembe I remember that a reflective "wet" room was able to hide all errors.
A "dead" room keeps you much more honest.

Riaan

That wooden shed with corrugated iron roof is going to be hell in summer.... go for the bedroom!

D-Man

Stratisfear wrote: The solution, to my mind, is bringing down the volume of the instruments themselves.

Well we're pretty heavy guys so we will definitely miss that volume.

The thing here is we don't want everyone else in the house to be subjected to our occasional "noise making sessions". Couldn't we dampen the escaping sound by sealing gaps, getting a proper door in there and maybe some other changes. The main noise that we want to contain would be the guitars and vocals (because they tend to irritate people the most). Drums are still okay.

Recording... Not a big issue right now but I'd like to keep that as an option for later when funds are available

AlanRatcliffe

The biggest problem is that even semi-decent soundproofing requires an airtight room, and musicians have a bit of an oxygen addiction ? (also, imagine being cooped up in a small airtight room with two or three other sweaty metal musos, slaving over hot amplifiers ?). I'm guessing an aircon will be out of the question, so you have to rather let the sound out to let the air in, but choose a direction the sound can go in without annoying too many people and try block it in other directions. It's that, turn down or rent a practice room where the noise isn't an issue.

A heavy door will help a little as a barrier, but if you have an air gap of 1% in a barrier (under or around the door), you lose 90% of it's effectiveness at blocking sound (thanks to sound being a wave). Also if a barrier like a door, ceiling or window can flex at all, then it acts like a speaker cone and retransmits the sound from the other side.

D-Man

Hmmmmmm. That makes sense. Well I'll see what I can get done. Even a small improvement will do for now.

Thanks a mil

singemonkey

D-Man wrote:
Stratisfear wrote: The solution, to my mind, is bringing down the volume of the instruments themselves.
Well we're pretty heavy guys so we will definitely miss that volume.

It's definitely the feeling that most of us have. But it is an illusion - as those who are good enough know. I used to share a house with this band called Nine (probably back when you were about 4 ? ). They were heavy as sh*^. I mean really. But when they practised, the drummer had this tiny little bass drum, a hihat, and a little crash. They were turned down so low the singer wasn't even miked up. They'd hone their chops to a level that would make most technically focused bands slack-jawed. Then, when they played live, everything was cranked up to 11, and they roared.

Most of us don't have the guts to do that, but it works. There's nowhere to hide at that volume. So you've got to get good.

DonovanB

Maybe try get some electric drums, I know drummers hate them but then you can run through a mixing desk and work of headphones, all the volume you need.... (except you cut out your amps for this. It Works for me with the Gt8)

The only thing the neighbours will hear are the vocals, and if you don't scream much you should be able to keep most of that within your room far easier than loud amps and drums...

Fingerpicker

Try this:

Sound-proof the wooden shed, then move your parents in there.

Opens up a whole lot of options in the the house.

[deleted]

Fingerpicker wrote: Try this:

Sound-proof the wooden shed, then move your parents in there.

Opens up a whole lot of options in the the house.

Is it a pine shed? Is it shady? lol Fingerpicker - now that is thinking outside the, er, box.

vic

D-man...another option is to pre-arrange practice time (say 2 hours between 7-9pm ? on Wednesdays and Fridays..or Saturday mornings?) with your parents and neighbours. Maybe they'll enjoy it ? as well and you wont have any worries about sound proofing etc.

D-Man

vic wrote: D-man...another option is to pre-arrange practice time (say 2 hours between 7-9pm ? on Wednesdays and Fridays..or Saturday mornings?) with your parents and neighbours. Maybe they'll enjoy it ? as well and you wont have any worries about sound proofing etc.

That's not a bad idea at all...

DonovanB wrote: Maybe try get some electric drums, I know drummers hate them but then you can run through a mixing desk and work of headphones, all the volume you need....

Electric drums.... expensive, mixing desk...... expensive, headphones........ It's going to add up to a few grand. Soundproofing..... not cheap but manageable.

MIKA-the-better-one

you can actually jam by law until 10pm i think..........?????
I would just stick to super strict times in your shed........ my band does 7 till 10 tues through thursday we have covered up windows and doors with carpet and it makes a bit of a diff. Then we turn our amps up to 5 or 6 *fender amps........... and its pretty loud...........
There is a neihbour three houses down who complaines accasionally we they decide to be sober but that also provides a entetaining band break for ten minutes.

D-Man

MIKA the better one wrote: There is a neihbour three houses down who complaines accasionally we they decide to be sober but that also provides a entetaining band break for ten minutes.

Haha. they don't realize it yet but it's just a free performance...

D-Man

Well I'd really really really like to sound proof a room. So my attention now is turning to the materials and the method. I'm thinking of the "room inside a room" method. Building a wall from wooden beams, putting rock wool in the gaps and sandwiching that between plasterboard. Does anyone know where I'm going to get these materials and more or less how much it's going to cost? Or is there another slightly cheaper yet just as effective method?