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hey, I'm planning on moving out in a few months and i wanted to know how am i saposed to do poper vocals when i can't construct a sound booth? i did some research on thoes sound traps, but ive never seen them in action. I'm wondering if i just foam out the entire room, block all sound from windows and carpet the floor, and used the sound trap, do you think that i could get that professional sound that I'm looking for without a sound booth?

thanks a lot guys

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Space Wed, 03/11/2009 - 18:59

There is no law that reads to get high quality vocals you need a vocal booth. There are a lot of web pages that do, but who can you trust?

So, while I cannot answer this series of incomplete questions, I can offer a bit of advice.

Anything that you can set on fire with a match, and it burns, you would be better off not installing it in your build.

Foam will burn.
Carpet will suck the highs right out of your voice.

Codemonkey Thu, 03/12/2009 - 10:22

Not all vocal tracks are cut in cupboards.
Those that are, suck.
Those that aren't, require a little skill.

All you need to do is block reflections and echoes, and isolate the vocal enough.

Operative word: "enough" - you could throw thousands at this and fail, you could spend £100 and be satisfied.

Key concepts: bass trapping, absorbing reflections.
Put heavy furniture (or buy/build bass traps) into the corners of your room. This will get you well on your way (and make any subwoofer you might use so much better).
As space says, use NOTHING which is flammable. Especially if you're putting it all over the walls and escape routes, you don't want it to burn.

Do you have problems with external noise that you need to minimise?

anonymous Thu, 03/12/2009 - 15:35

Codemonkey wrote: Not all vocal tracks are cut in cupboards.
Those that are, suck.
Those that aren't, require a little skill.

All you need to do is block reflections and echoes, and isolate the vocal enough.

Operative word: "enough" - you could throw thousands at this and fail, you could spend £100 and be satisfied.

Key concepts: bass trapping, absorbing reflections.
Put heavy furniture (or buy/build bass traps) into the corners of your room. This will get you well on your way (and make any subwoofer you might use so much better).
As space says, use NOTHING which is flammable. Especially if you're putting it all over the walls and escape routes, you don't want it to burn.

Do you have problems with external noise that you need to minimise?

so what your saying is that i dont need a booth to make good music? another question. your saying not to put the foam around the room because it is flammable. well not to sound dumb but what are the chances of it catching on fire? and if they are high, what other possible ways to totally sound proof your studio without leaving weak spots?

Codemonkey Thu, 03/12/2009 - 15:44

If it is flammable, don't use it. Just don't. If it were to catch fire then your entire room will be engulfed in flame, probably while you are inside it.

There are materials available which are non-flammable and far more beneficial to your sound than carpet or blankets.
In the studio construction forum here, they talk about this stuff a lot. Beware, they want lots of info - because they know their stuff and will help you with more than simply recommending some panels of mineral wool.
(Which may be a bad idea, depending on your room & budget, and location)

anonymous Thu, 03/12/2009 - 16:32

Codemonkey wrote: If it is flammable, don't use it. Just don't. If it were to catch fire then your entire room will be engulfed in flame, probably while you are inside it.

There are materials available which are non-flammable and far more beneficial to your sound than carpet or blankets.
In the studio construction forum here, they talk about this stuff a lot. Beware, they want lots of info - because they know their stuff and will help you with more than simply recommending some panels of mineral wool.
(Which may be a bad idea, depending on your room & budget, and location)

i understand. it wouldnt be a very good idea to put somthing flammable in the room. i did some research and they make non flammable acoustic foam, so i might try that unless a better idea comes up. oh and the carpet was just a way to stop the sound from traveling to the people below me and more than likely the apartment that im getting is going to already have carpet on the floor so there would be no way around it seeing as how im renting and not owning.(which sucks.......) any help u guys have i would be very greatfull.

Space Thu, 03/12/2009 - 18:52

"totally sound proof "

Now this I can answer. To isolate sound you need mass. Are you Catholic? Doesn't matter, members of all faith can apply.

What you obliquely refer to is acoustic treating, this is different. This is what you do after you have established an area that can contain the sound you are producing with mass.

A good vocal area is about the size of a good room. A voice booth will not get you a professional sound but it will give you sound that is not bothered by external stimuli.

You as the recording tech should be able to capture a voice in any environment. A booth, as it is most often called, is often nothing short of a closet. It has a few walls and some acoustic panels that deaden the sound and stop sound from playing ping pong on your walls, sometimes called flutter.

But mass, heavy materials, sheetrock in multiple layers, OSB, MDF, Concrete, bricks, etc. these are the things that mass is made of.

anonymous Fri, 03/13/2009 - 07:57

Space wrote: "totally sound proof "

Now this I can answer. To isolate sound you need mass. Are you Catholic? Doesn't matter, members of all faith can apply.

What you obliquely refer to is acoustic treating, this is different. This is what you do after you have established an area that can contain the sound you are producing with mass.

A good vocal area is about the size of a good room. A voice booth will not get you a professional sound but it will give you sound that is not bothered by external stimuli.

You as the recording tech should be able to capture a voice in any environment. A booth, as it is most often called, is often nothing short of a closet. It has a few walls and some acoustic panels that deaden the sound and stop sound from playing ping pong on your walls, sometimes called flutter.

But mass, heavy materials, sheetrock in multiple layers, OSB, MDF, Concrete, bricks, etc. these are the things that mass is made of.

Space.......... i salute you sir

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