What is the best way to sound proof a room for recording?

Question

I am going to be working in a part of a garage. 2 walls are cinder block, I will have to build another barrier and dampen that, and then sound proof the wood garage door. It doesn't have to be perfect, just deaden the sound in the room for recording and muffle it enough that it will not annoy the neighbors.
Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

Ive built them before. We had to use 2 walls, each one insulated and rocked with 5/8 fire rock. Leave a 3" space between the 2 walls, and the stud framing was offset (staggered). Stoped the sounds dead in their tracks.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I would say the two cinder block walls are okay as far as deadening...the other two wooden walls may not be. If they are not sheetrocked and well insulated...I would make sure that happens...Then go to the store and buy these things they used to call egg crates. They are contoured foam that used to be the rage on beds to make them softer and they look like an egg crate. you should be able to cover the walls with those fairly cheap...and they will block the echos from the cinderblock and sheetrock. If there is no carpet in the room I would go buy some cheap carpet to put in there for the same reason. When recording, the last thing you want is some stuipid echo sounds trashing up your recordings. The pros use something similar to the eggcrates in pro recording studios, but the foam isn't really that much different and it would cost a fortune to do a whole wall in it.!!!!

Answer 4

Sound conducts better through solids- ctswamp has the most econ way to do it- so leaving a air space inbetween the double wall is very good

never use flammable stuff like egg cartons or shredded paper- also rots in wet humid weather- and stinks- so does carpets and matress- all are lousy for this

professional insulating foams are great - but costly

in my later days of sound recording- I worried more about what sound gets 'in" rather than bothering the neighbors-

some recording mics will pick up traffic and even birds - you can't hear in the studio (but the mics can) and then later you find these little odd sounds in the recorded work-

that usually sucks- if your recording screamo- i suppose it wouldn't really matter - then the nieghbors become a concern again! lol!

good luck-
omni

Answer 5

Okay, I have actually built a real recording studio from the ground up (and an apartment recording area), and yes the best way is to build rooms concentrically (one within another). If you are in an apartment, that's not really an option. There are all kinds of materials you can use together to scatter and absorb sound waves as necessary. Just keep this in mind: paper, cotton, cardboard, and gauze is like putting fuel onto your walls. One spark and it's done, and maybe you too. The use of wool, fiberglass, studio foam, and building materials could save your life.

Answer 6

You should understand the study of acoustics. In some recording studios, walls have small holes to make the sound disperse. Sounds only bouncing back when the surface of its destination is smooth. I found something when I've come inside a radio station and recording studio, and I noticed that the walls are carpeted. The reflective effect of a sound will not bounce back because of the rough surface of a carpet. You can apply carpets too in your room of choice!! and Good Luck!!!!

Answer 7

If I were you, I'd consult a professional for advice or look up sound proofing techniques on the internet before starting the project. I can tell you that I know for sure egg cartons do not work...

My ex worked for a band and we worked all day once to try and sound proof the back room of a garage. We used egg cartons, foam, blankets, etc. etc. We still had noise complaints from the neighbors who weren't even that close.

Answer 8

go out and find the cheapest "clean" carpet you can find(easily found used) and nail/screw them to boards doesnt matter how thick the board. they are only there to prop the carpet up corner 2 corner between the walls. then use w/e you think is the least destructive to the walls to keep the boards upright and taunt the spacing just from the boards along with the carpet works so good it almost hurts 2 stay in the room 2 long from the dead silence.
just so you know if you make a latch system for the boards to the wall if ever there was a fire you could drop it down and smother the flame before it got out of hand which is more than you could say for gluing 1000 egg cartons to your wall permanently

Answer 9

You want the sound waves to be as diminished as possible.Here are some possibilities.
1.Create an airpocket to absorb the sound and keep it from reverberating noise from both sides.(about 3"in. will do)The concrete wall should already have an air pocket.
2.use any asorbant material,carpet or foam( preferably both)layered on the wall(this will cut sound wave bounce back)
3.If you can get rid of all right angles(corners) by either setting up walls or use partitions( even blankets at various angles will work)This cuts any sound wave travelling back to a microphone directly,giving you a much cleaner recorded sound.

Answer 10

I asked my architect and he agreed that dense foam insulation designed for this very purpose would resolve your situation. It gets sprayed between the studs then 3/4 sheetrock board over the insulation. In home studios I have seen this method used, but finished with carpeting on the walls. NO Sound outside of the studio was heard afterward. All the walls should be treated this way,including the cinderblock walls. Hope this helps.

Answer 11

Well, my bedroom is part of a garage and I can barely hear anything in/out the room. All that we did was put alot of insulation in between the walls and that seems to help the noise & help with the temperature of the room also. I hope that this answers your question and that it helps for you.