Building a Soundproof Home Recording Studio
When building a home recording studio, it is important to soundproof it, not only so that you have better acoustics inside the recording studio and to prevent noise from entering, but also to protect the rest of the house from the noise from inside the studio. There are several different approaches to soundproofing a studio, including using heavier materials to block the noise, devices and building techniques that are designed to help reduce structural vibrations, and using materials that are designed to help absorb sound. Sound absorption not only helps to isolate the sound inside the room and provides protection from outside noise, but it also helps to improve the sound quality within the room due to the fact that sound vibrations and echo are better controlled.
Soundproofing New Construction
If you are building a home recording studio as new construction, you will have the best opportunities to add soundproofing. Instead of standard wall construction where there is one set of studs and sill plates to which drywall is installed on both sides, the best type of wall construction for soundproofing is to build a double wall, with two sets of sill plates and studs. The same principle should be followed during the ceiling and floor construction.
Soundproofing Existing Construction
In most cases, home recording studios are built in existing spaces, without the luxury of being able to build the room's construction with double walls. You can help keep noise to a minimum by careful selection of the room to be used, making sure to not select a room that adjoins an especially noisy room or one which is exposed to a lot of outdoor noise. One easy way to help soundproof a room is to go around the entire room and pay special attention to any tiny holes or cracks, such as those under the doors, or even small cracks and openings such as electrical outlets and switches.
You can tighten up these areas by using standard weather stripping products. There are also products such as rubber gaskets specially designed for soundproofing that can be used in areas such as under doors. If there is a window in the room, you might want to consider if you actually need to continue using the window, since glass is not very good at blocking sound. Sealing the window with gaskets and covering the glass with soundproofing materials, then covering the entire window with heavy drapes or a piece of plywood is often the best approach for a window. Air ducts and vents should be fitted with sound baffles so that air can get through but sound is minimized. Walls can be reinforced with a second layer of gypsum board, ideally with a layer of soundproofing material between the existing wall and the new board.
Room Treatments for Soundproofing
Whether you are building a home recording studio or retrofitting one into an existing room, there are some tricks you can use when furnishing and decorating your room to minimize sound. Soft materials such as
