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Acoustic treatments are often used to help improve the acoustics of a room by taming "flutter echoes," "room modes," and other problems which arise from a room's dimensions and construction.
Although a variety of treatments are available for commercial use, they tend to be quite expensive. After some research both online and in print, we came across several sources for DIY acoustic treatments using rigid fiberglass panels and simple frames. These are often referred to as "bass traps," although the ones that we're focusing on have a fairly wide rage of absorption. While commercial versions are available for almost $100, we were able to make these panels for about $24 each.
We can not take credit for this design, but have combined several people's ideas into a step-by-step guide. Most importantly, we give credit to Ethan Winer's excellent article, Build a Better Bass Trap.
For more information, check out the good folks in the acoustics forum at recording.org
Although a variety of treatments are available for commercial use, they tend to be quite expensive. After some research both online and in print, we came across several sources for DIY acoustic treatments using rigid fiberglass panels and simple frames. These are often referred to as "bass traps," although the ones that we're focusing on have a fairly wide rage of absorption. While commercial versions are available for almost $100, we were able to make these panels for about $24 each.
We can not take credit for this design, but have combined several people's ideas into a step-by-step guide. Most importantly, we give credit to Ethan Winer's excellent article, Build a Better Bass Trap.
For more information, check out the good folks in the acoustics forum at recording.org
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Signing UpStep 1Plan your setup
Check websites such as the acoustics forum at recording.org or read a book on acoustics or recording studio construction such as Home Recording Studio, Build it Like the Pros by Rod Gervais to help determine how many treatments you need and where they should go. Keep in mind that it's easier to build one or two more than you think you need than it is to get everything ready to do the whole project again, so when in doubt, make more than you think you need.
For our room, we decided to build 12 panels. Since it's a room for music recording, we can take down some of the panels when we want a more lively sound, or we can put them all up when we want a more controlled sound. IMPORTANT: a "dead" sounding room is not natural, and causes the ears to fatigue much faster than in a typical space. Since the point of this project is to enjoy music sound MORE, you want to avoid too much absorption.
For our room, we decided to build 12 panels. Since it's a room for music recording, we can take down some of the panels when we want a more lively sound, or we can put them all up when we want a more controlled sound. IMPORTANT: a "dead" sounding room is not natural, and causes the ears to fatigue much faster than in a typical space. Since the point of this project is to enjoy music sound MORE, you want to avoid too much absorption.
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I built these in 2007, so I can't remember all of the exact figures, but I believe that those numbers were pretty attainable with the quantity of materials I purchased. The most expensive component was the insulation itself, which I recall to be somewhere between $16 to 20 per sheet. I was able to get some MDF scraps, which brought the cost down a bit, but even new MDF through home depot should cost about $10 for a 2x4 sheet. This can make about 12 long boards or 24 short boards. So for 12 panels, you would need a total of about four sheets. $40/12 = about $3.33 per panel.
The assembly hardware can be purchased from Home Depot for a few dollars (total for all panels), and the mounting hooks and picture wire will be under $10 from an art supplies store.
Finally, we got discounted fabric from Michaels with a store coupon (check the newspaper), which cost about $1.75 per panel.
I hope that helps. Even paying full retail for everything, you're probably not going to spend more than $40 per panel, which is still less than a third the cost of pre-built panels.
Good luck!
-bryan
How did you go about tuning your room? I mean the actuall tuning to decide which panel depth needed to be where? Or did you not take it that far in depth when designing your studio room? or jsut go with a guess-ta-ment?
Some when building one as nice as yours some do and some don't is why i ask [tune a room i mean]- and it can be some what complicated to tune a room properly - if you did do this - an instrucable on how you went about it would be a nice add.
Did you use a GoldLine Handheld AA or BMX anilyser? (if you did)
As mentioned the panels are really nice looking and look like they would work.
My first "studio room" we used the square egg crates glued an screwed to the wall and ceiling and then sprayed them with foam... then sprayed the whole mess flat black- didn't exactly look pretty - pissed off my parent when they found out what i did to my room - but all in all it worked well enough to make a fairly decent recording at the time. ;0)
again nice job and easy to follow instructable.
We did do some tuning, using a room analysis application for Mac. Unfortunately, I don't remember what we used, and I no longer have that computer. Some basic tuning can be done on paper using the room's dimensions and doing some simple algebra. It's a little beyond what I can explain in a comment, but you might want to get the book I mentioned in the introduction. That has a very good look at the process.
If the tuning process seems overwhelming, then here's some basic advice: concentrate the panels near the corners and the longer walls. The worst reflections happen between the walls which are the shortest distance apart. By putting the panels on the longest walls, you'll better tame those shorter reflections.
Good luck!
-bryan
I've tuned rooms before using a Goldline Hand held 1/3 octive audio anilyser before. I use to use one when i was a SE for live proformances and tuning the system to the venue. Of course i must admit it's been a while and i don't have a Gold line any more. So a software solution may be more practical for a perminent installation/ studio.
thanks for the tip on guess-te-mating the room tuning.
And Happy New Year to you and yours.
- chase -
my new design studio is "boomy" (maple floors minimal furniture) and I listen to the stereo all day, so I really need these! My only thought was to use 3" wood and skip the batten, wouldn't the corner braces hold the material in fine? Lighter and simpler!
thanks again ... David
Every studio seems to have a pair of large speakers on the wall - often for "wow factor".
When I set up my studio, I may make a pair of these panels with hidden windows, and built-in platforms to mount speakers in them. This should reduce bass reflections from the wall, and hide the big speakers :)
Has anyone done this? I'll have to experiment.
Another home made option is curtains.
I've seen some performance halls add curtains along their walls.
Use a heavy velour, velvet, or something with a thick felt backing. You can adjust the sound absorption by adjusting the fullness of the pleat.
0% fullness is completely flat, 50% fullness 1.5m of curtain is hung in 1m space, and 100% fullness is 2m of curtain in 1m space.
If the curtains are hung tracks or rods, you can adjust the fullness, or temporarily draw them back to expose the walls to fine-tune the sound for each performance.
At first it seems odd to hang curtains over empty walls, but it works.
As always fire proofed or fire rated material is a must for performance spaces.
It also seems odd to me that such a dense material would be any good at absorbing sound - is it really better than a softer foam (like for bedding or upholstery?)
..and i know you are already a pretty big band and have your own website, but i thought u might be interested in bandcamp to help get fan promotion.
You can see more of them HERE under the blog titled, "New Year...New Studio...New Album??"
How about fiberglass suspended ceiling panels. It's usually 2' by 4' already. It's only 1" thick, so you might require two sheets per unit.
1" by 4" strapping is usually inexpensive, and in my opinion would be loads easier to work with than MDF (unless the leadish density of MDF is acoustically important).
Why not engage local graf artists to decorate each panel? Might even be lucrative, you could have a future Basquiat hanging on your wall.