a home studio vocal booth, I'm trying to put one together

I'm trying to build a vocal booth for my modest home studio. I have been doing some internet research (for what it's worth) and came up with, maybe, a decent option...

- I figured I would just spend the money on a studio foam kit, or two, and use the corner of the room as sort of a half built booth (stay with me) soundproof that corner and then, find another L shaped type of wall device (I don't exactly know what yet) place it against the corner, and then soundproof the moveable piece, creating a square vocal booth area about 4ft X4ft, or somthing close.

- another I have been thinking of is a "soft" booth, with thick blankets or quilt like material, fixed to the wall corner and then draped over the L shaped piece (of whatever) to deaden standing sound waves and record less of the room than I currently am...

both of these ideas are in a very elementary stage, and still stand the possibility of being scraped altogether. I worry that both ideas run the risk of killing the hi-end in the vocal recording...

anyone have any advice on materials, concept, size, anything???? i'm wide open for suggestions

*** FYI, I record mostly hip-hop vocals, the occasional singer

rockwool board is your friend. Use that in the corners covered with material.

As for the L-shapes free-standing unit, you can probably make do with an old bedroom-screen type arrangement, just cover it with acoustic foam.

As long as you don't expect it to be soundproof it will deaden the sound considerably.

Kind regards

Dave Rich

Closet full of clothes or lined with rockwool works great.

Simple broadband absorption doesn't require anything fancy in terms of design, materials, or construction. You just need to have dense absorption that is deep enough (6"~2 feet, the thicker the better). Absorption in corners is important, not just in the middle of the walls.

So if all you want is a dead space to record vocals in, your primary concerns are budget and appearance. If you don't care what it looks like you can build a hut out of old mattresses or bales of hay or rolls of pink fiberglass. If you want a clean, professional appearance you can buy some slick commercial products like Auralex or get creative with rockwool and fabric and lumber.

Oh, and put a rug on the floor.

If, on the other hand, you need a space that is acoustically decoupled (soundproof) from the adjoining space where you may have a drumkit or a dishwasher or sleeping kids, then that's a whole nother can of worms that is addressed completely seperately.

Cheers.

I dont have a closet as an option, but that would be ideal.

thats why I am debating the corner of the room, and the free floating L-shaped, "whatever" I can find

As for the free-floating "L," it can be basically anything at all. These kind of free-standing acoustical dividers are called GOBOs and you should be able to find commercial products and plans all over the internet. You can use office cubicle dividers or simple homemade walls or whatever.

One super-simple approach would be to buy two regular doors (or even sections of plywood) and hinges and then "hinge" the doors together so they open and close like a book. Cover the inside of the doors with fiberglass or rockwool and then wrap in burlap or similar fabric to clean up the appearance. This will give you a pretty good gobo that you can move around and stand up anywhere. paint and/or cover the top if desired.

If you want to have a more professional-looking thing you could similarly "hinge" a couple of premade commercial bass traps (such as Ethan Winer's RealTraps).

Again, this stuff will not amount to much in the way of "soundproofing," it will just cut down on reverb, echoes or "boxiness" of the recorded sound.

Cheers.

i am now thinking a room divider covered on one side with the auralex foam for the freestanding L-shape... this will be mirrored by the wall corner with auralex spaced irratically and instead of having the empty spaces not covered by the studio foam be hard wall surface, I may just buy a standard egg crate bed covering to fill in the gaps.

my thinking is this will create foam in different levels and shapes and not be exactly uniform. from what I understand a unifom design of a vocal booth wall is not such a great idea...

that may not have made sense to you, but it is somthing I am cosidering...

what do you think???

also maybe a possible solution fro somthing to somewhat cover the top or should I leave that open if I go with this design

Just an observation...

the professional sculpted foam products are irresistable because they have the appropriate cool factor and are easy to use (albeit a tad expensive if bought from Auralex or Sonex). The problem is, clients love to pull and pick at that stuff. They can't help themselves. I might suggest using other materials (more robust if you know what I mean) in high traffic areas. Good luck!

PS that egg crate bed covering you mentioned is a waste of money - even for beds. It will discolor and start to disintegrate almost immediately. Avoid it at all costs.

egg crates are fine for looks if you like them, not much else.

Acoustics is a much bigger topic than you're going to cover in one web post. The easiest way to deal with acoustics is to just get rid of them by making a totally dead space, which is usually the point of a vocal booth. If you have enough broadband absorption, you don't have to worry about uneven, nonparallel surfaces or any of that.

Just make sure you've got a deep, thick layer of absorption. Your budget and aesthetic will determine what type.

Cheers.

ORIGINAL: krizrox

The problem is, clients love to pull and pick at that stuff. They can't help themselves.

I was thinking along the same lines. I'm leaning towards the tried and true rigid fiberglass covered with fabric.

hey there

You have to be clear about what "soundproofing" means. When you buy Auralex foam, you aren't "soundproofing." Soundproofing is acoustic isolation, keeping sounds outside the studio outside the studio, and sounds inside the studio inside the studio.

What exactly are your goals? Do you want to keep sound out of the vocal mics? Do you want to keep singers from bothering your neighbors? If so, you need soundproofing.

Acoustic treatments, on the other hand, are what you want if you just want to make things sound good. It sounds like this is what you are after. For something like what you describe (a couple of gobos in a corner) you can definitely make it sound good.

I recently built 6 gobos for moveable acoustic treatments, and I often arrange them in a way similar to what you are describing (in a semicircle around a treated corner that the performer stands in). It works quite well in that it a)sounds good, and b)cuts down on bleed between microphones.

Good luck!

Try this link for vocal booth panels and kits they have some great stuff!

www.clearsonic.com

My vocal booth consist of a down comforter that i tent over myself...Yes my wife laughs at me everytime i do it...

Cj

ORIGINAL: CJaysMusic
My vocal booth consist of a down comforter that i tent over myself...Yes my wife laughs at me everytime i do it...
Cj

Not a bad solution! Multiple takes must get warm...

My drum booth doubles as a record-everything room... while it sounds GREAT for drums, it can be a bit boomy for vocals and such. I picked up 4 packing blankets from Costco (total cost: $36) and set up three boom stands, maximum height, with the boom creating a horizontal bar at the top. Drape 3 of the blankets over the top, and bam, instant DEAD vocal booth.

Just a thought... good luck!

Corey

Here's a neat idea...

http://www.hometracked.com/2006/12/17/portable-vocal-booth/

ORIGINAL: yep
Here's a neat idea...
http://www.hometracked.com/2006/12/17/portable-vocal-booth/

That is interesting...I've thought about trying something like that...
just need to figure out how to attach to a boom stand...

ORIGINAL: RLD

ORIGINAL: yep
Here's a neat idea...
http://www.hometracked.com/2006/12/17/portable-vocal-booth/

That is interesting...I've thought about trying something like that...
just need to figure out how to attach to a boom stand...

You buy one of these:

http://www.seelectronics.com/rf.html

Corey

Stole my thunder... I was just gonna say to try the Reflexion Filter. I'd put convoluted foam or cpvered rigid fiberglass on the wall corners, stand looking away from the corner and into the room, and put the mic / reflexion filter arrangement pointing back toward me. Instant vocal booth, without the booth.

I saw a similar device like the Reflection Filter while at NAMM. It's called the Mic Thing and a bit cheaper.

http://www.smproaudio.com/MICTHING.htm

ORIGINAL: madittenber
I saw a similar device like the Reflection Filter while at NAMM. It's called the Mic Thing and a bit cheaper.
http://www.smproaudio.com/MICTHING.htm

That's cool. It's such a great idea, it makes sense that someone else would come along and get into the same game.

that reflexion filter is DOPE, but I just built a ghetto ass booth out of the corner of the wall and a Auralexed up room divider, and then randomly put patterns of Auralex throught the whole room...

I would have definetly bought the reflexion fliter if I had spotted it a lil' earlier...

PS. for anyone looking at this and thinking about auralex, try foam by mail

its a little cheaper and you get more for your money... I bought both kinds and they are exactly the same foam, plus you can buy the pyramid design for cheaper and that works better with vocal booths

I'm using a product called Versipanel for portable sound insulation. It's a flexible partition that can be shaped into any dimension you want, and then easily rolled up and stored when the session is over. I have a couple 6'x15' sections that I use for a drum and vocal booth. For the vocal booth, I throw a packing blanket over the top of the panel and it works great. Unfortunately, the panels are a bit pricey but was worth it in my situation.

Here's the link: Versipanel

bed foam rocks

Ok, what about using insulation? I thought they made a specific kind of insulation for sound deadening / proofing. I just left Home Depot and I didn't see any insulation specifically for soundproofing, although the R11 display tag mentions this as a type of use. So, I'm wondering if higher R values will be more effective and etc.. or if it's just R11 that's the magic combination.

Also, a friend here at work suggested that black fiberboard they use on the exterior of houses just before the siding / brick / whatever. Anyone heard of using that? I'm not sure why it would be effective, but he mentioned it.

ORIGINAL: walrusman

Ok, what about using insulation? I thought they made a specific kind of insulation for sound deadening / proofing. I just left Home Depot and I didn't see any insulation specifically for soundproofing, although the R11 display tag mentions this as a type of use. So, I'm wondering if higher R values will be more effective and etc.. or if it's just R11 that's the magic combination.

Also, a friend here at work suggested that black fiberboard they use on the exterior of houses just before the siding / brick / whatever. Anyone heard of using that? I'm not sure why it would be effective, but he mentioned it.

Mineral wool aka rockwool works very well. You can use pink fiberglass, but it works better if you compress it. The main thing is to get density and thickness.

For the record, this thread is about sound TREATMENT (eg reducing echoey or boxy sound). Sound PROOFING is a whole different and much more expensive and complicated subject.

Again:

Sound TREATMENT= Making the space sound better and respond better acoustically.

Sound PROOFING= Preventing outside sound from getting in and inside sound from getting out.

They are two completely seperate issues. Sound treatment can usually be done inexpensively with acoustical foam, bass traps, etc and modest carpentry skills. Sound Proofing requires major structural changes and is typically very expensive and messy. It's important to keep these concepts seperate or you could waste a lot of time and money on stuff that doesn't get you any closer to your goal.

Cheers.

Well I didn't mean to suggest soundproofing, but that's what they call it. I know there's a huge difference, which is why I chose this thread. I'm not looking to soundproof, I'm looking to create a dead space to record in. The insulation sells itself as "soundproofing". I just thought that perhaps it would work for deadening.

Mineral wool or rock wool sounds good, but I don't know where to find it nor how it is sold. I've noticed several people have mentioned this, so I guess I need to figure that out.

can you just use matresses?

I guess that is the easiest solution huh?

Matresses are about as good an acoustical treatment as you can get, although they are a bit on the ugly/expensive/impractical side. But hey, if you've got 'em, go nuts.

Rockwool is available from building supply companies. You may be able to get it through Home Depot or Lowe's or something. Owens-Corning 705 is the premium stuff, but you can also try others. A company called Specialty Products Inc sells a couple of brands.

Cheers.

ORIGINAL: yep

Matresses are about as good an acoustical treatment as you can get, although they are a bit on the ugly/expensive/impractical side. But hey, if you've got 'em, go nuts.

Rockwool is available from building supply companies. You may be able to get it through Home Depot or Lowe's or something. Owens-Corning 705 is the premium stuff, but you can also try others. A company called Specialty Products Inc sells a couple of brands.

Cheers.

How expensive is it? I was suggested Cotton Fiber from 'themidiroom'. Looks great to me. I think I'm going to try it out. What do you think?

So is Wool the secret ingredient in rockwool that gives it its acoustic properties? If so, could I then assume that a wool blanket would work better than a quilted one or a comforter?

Because we're moving in a few months, so I really don't want to spend the money just to leave it all behind. But I need something to get by for this current project...

So is Wool the secret ingredient in rockwool that gives it its acoustic properties? If so, could I then assume that a wool blanket would work better than a quilted one or a comforter?

The Flintstones did a song called "She said yeah. yeah, yeah.. he said. yeah. yeah, yeah".. And it sounded pretty good to me to be recorded in an all stone structure.

Not sure how much of a craftsman you are, but you can build some nice absorbers that hang from the wall and you can take them with you.

ORIGINAL: walrusman

So is Wool the secret ingredient in rockwool that gives it its acoustic properties?...

Um, no. In fact I don't think there's any wool in rockwool. It's some kind of strands of mineral that are spun like wool. Sort of like fiberglass.

Cheers.

ORIGINAL: Ognis

So is Wool the secret ingredient in rockwool that gives it its acoustic properties? If so, could I then assume that a wool blanket would work better than a quilted one or a comforter?

The Flintstones did a song called "She said yeah. yeah, yeah.. he said. yeah. yeah, yeah".. And it sounded pretty good to me to be recorded in an all stone structure.

I don't remember that song. Maybe if you could sing it for me? But stone would be more expensive than anything...

ORIGINAL: walrusman

ORIGINAL: Ognis

So is Wool the secret ingredient in rockwool that gives it its acoustic properties? If so, could I then assume that a wool blanket would work better than a quilted one or a comforter?

The Flintstones did a song called "She said yeah. yeah, yeah.. he said. yeah. yeah, yeah".. And it sounded pretty good to me to be recorded in an all stone structure.

I don't remember that song. Maybe if you could sing it for me? But stone would be more expensive than anything...

The only way to get rid of the Hatrocks (a parody of the Beverly Hillbillies) was to play 'Bug Music' (a parody of the Beatles). The Flintstones, the Rubbles, and even the Gruesomes (a parody of the Munsters/Adam's Family) helped pipe in 'Bug Music' just about everywhere including the phone and fridge, and dressed up like the band to drive the Hatrocks back home.


'Bug Music' Lyrics

"I said ya ya ya, She said ya ya ya, We said ya ya ya, AAAHHHH" (repeat forever)

source = http://i-flintstones.tripod.com/music.htm

ORIGINAL: Ognis
I don't remember that song. Maybe if you could sing it for me? But stone would be more expensive than anything...

Stone is expensive, but not as bad as I thought.
My favorite Flintstone's song was from an episode where some German student musicians were renting a room in the Flintstone house. "I love my Vilma!"
Now that I think of it, there was some really cool music in those cartoons. Remember the Jetson's theme?

^^That's hilarious...I never saw that one...reminds of 'A Christmas Story' when the family has to get christmas dinner at an asian restaraunt and the staff sang Deck The Halls... "Fa Ra Ra Ra...."

One of the industry veterans with regards to studio acoustics is Ethan Winer of RealTraps.com. He has a new product call the Portable Vocal Booth that attaches to a mic stand. His comparison (online audio/video examples) to the SE Reflexion Filter is quite eye (and ear) opening.

http://www.realtraps.com/p_pvb.htm

hounDAWg

Yup, looks like Ethan's done it again. He deserves mentioning, if nothing else, because of the great, knowledgable support he's given to this very SONAR forum.

Mind you, this is no pity vote. His products are top-notch.

ORIGINAL: losguy

Yup, looks like Ethan's done it again. He deserves mentioning, if nothing else, because of the great, knowledgable support he's given to this very SONAR forum.

Mind you, this is no pity vote. His products are top-notch.

Almost seems like you'd want two of these to keep the room behind you from being picked up by the mic. Kind of expensive but looks effective.

I agree, you definitely wouldn't want any reflections coming from behind the vocalist. I would think that the vocalist him/herself would mask a lot of that, but I would still treat the wall behind, ceiling above, and floor below for reflections -- especially when using a sensitive condenser mic -- I've had those pick up a fart from across the building!

However, Ethan's online audio/video samples of the Portable Vocal Booth are very impressive... especially when compared to the Reflexion Filter.

hounDAWg

Good observation. But like mentioned earlier, it can work great if the wall/corner behind is covered with dampening material or a bass trap (or both).

If your tracking Vocals that range from WU TANG CLAN,Public Enemy etc..
It may sound wierd but track them in the bathroom in the shower and put a wool blanket where the shower curtain is. This may seem ghetto but you can get a good sound.

I helped build a vocal booth. Grab a friend, a truck, a case of beer (or in my case wine,) and order plans for $35 from this website
www.dawbox.com
I did some looking into and booths cost between $2-5,000 to order. I have done the closet recording with blankets and foam (actually it wasn't bad.) Then the do it yourself plan popped up on the market.

It's a 4X7 portable booth for under $500 in supplies. I had to actually rent a truck from Home Depot to transport the supplies. Aside from any parts you might need to order, it can be done in one day. You will not only isolate your vocals, but you will lose the background noise from the next door neighbors stereo, or the truck noise from the highway.

We used Aurelex and glued up all the seams. You could take it one step further by putting sheet block as a layer under the Aurelex. Paint it, carpet it, or do whatever you want to make it look cool on the outside.

I treated the corner of my room with auralex and a carpet that hangs from the ceiling about an inch out from the wall. Then I found someone selling office/cubical partitions and picked up a few of those and hinged them together, put auralex on them and set them at an angle in the corner to avoid parallel walls. Since the partitions don't go all the way up to the ceiling, I hung a thick comforter/quilt from the ceiling against the wall, and drape it over the partitions.

It's certainly not sound proof, but it very significantly reduces other noises.

I also found that when you kill all the reflection in an isolation booth, I have to add a subtle room verb (or some other verb) to make the the vocals sound natural. It's strange to add fx to make things sound more believable, but the recording sounds suspiciously dead without it.

Since you are in New Orleans, just make sure whatever you end up with is waterproof...

ORIGINAL: pistolpete
Since you are in New Orleans, just make sure whatever you end up with is waterproof...

kayne west doesn't think you're funny.

also, i'm buying the realtraps mic booth thing - i've been looking for something like that and i know that ethan's stuff is top-notch. i can't afford to real-trap my apartment... i know some of you are worried about rear reflections but i imagine they would be greatly reduced since the vocal is being projected forward with a lot more energy than to the sides, top and backward. unless your room is really nasty sounding it's not always a bad thing to get some room sound in there.

I appologize. I should have realized that most soundproofing is made of a porous foamlike material and may not be effective when wet. But hey, at least it floats.