How To Soundproof A Room For Music In 4 Steps
Assuming you want your music heard, soundproofing a room can seem counter-intuitive. But keep in mind, you’re not necessarily doing it just to keep the sound in––you’re also doing it to keep other sounds out. Unwanted noise can creep into a studio space and make it really hard to get a clean recording. This is especially true if you are renting an apartment or share space with other people. You can’t always control these noise levels yourself, but fortunately, the average noise problem can be reduced by controlling your space, and soundproofing your home studio.
To accomplish a proper soundproofing project, you’ll need a room where you’ve considered the acoustic qualities and taken steps to control the environment. In this article, we’ll explore how to soundproof a room for music.
How To Soundproof a Room for Music
Music is more than just creating––it’s also about “capturing.” If you want to capture your music at its ultimate potential, regardless of the time of day, you need to control every aspect of the performance space dynamic. The better you can do this, the better your recording studio will function.
Just to get a little terminology out of the way: soundproofing involves using various materials and treatments in order to stop or dampen sound transmission in a particular area. The effects of soundproofing can go in both directions. You can soften the sound transmission both coming into the room and going out.
Of course, perfect soundproofing of a room is not scientifically possible. All the same, some artists take this to a ridiculous extreme, and there are legendary stories about demands that may seem insane and absurd. Maybe someday down the road, you’ll worry about how barometric pressure and humidity affect your sound, but for the purposes of––this article, we’ll just focus on a few basic steps to ensure a great sounding room. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. First, Consider Your Space
We wish we could tell you differently, but soundproofing a room isn’t something you can do in a few minutes. Regardless, it’s still a necessary project to take on, and it doesn’t have to be boring.
That said, if you’re renting, it’s probably best to consider your studio to be a semi-permanent feature in your home.
Consider the size of your room and keep in mind that adding sound-absorbing material will take up a considerable amount of space. If you plan to have a drum kit in your soundproof room, you’ll need a considerable amount of space than if you have, say, just a desk, computer, and keyboard.
2. Seal Doors And Windows
You’ll need at least one doorway into your soundproof room.
Use a heavy door and make sure that the door completely seals when closed to prevent noise leakage from the sides. You can put sound dampening material on the inner surface of the door to assist the properties of the room.
A window is optional, but your recording place becomes a lot more comfortable with a little natural sunlight. Use a layer of acoustic glass to prevent reflections and vibrations, and a window will not compromise the soundproof qualities of your room.
Sometimes, you don’t really have a choice about the location of the doors and windows in your studio space. You just have to roll with whatever the layout gives you, and find creative ways to adapt.
3. Consider Airflow
Sound travels through vibrations in the air and other surfaces.
Therefore, sealing your room prevents sound from leaking out.
However, if you successfully make your room airtight, you need to ensure the room still has a source of air. Have an inlet and an outlet vent with a fan to ensure airflow.
Cover the vents with acoustic boxes. An acoustic box is like a P-trap for sound. It consists of an S-shaped passage with sound-absorbing material on the walls. The acoustic box will prevent sound from escaping out, and will also stop other sounds, like the noise of the fan, from leaking in. Use as quiet a fan as possible.
Air gaps are one of the main obstacles to getting a true soundproof room. Although you may never completely seal all of them (and you may not want to) the closer you can get, the quieter it will be. This is how you reduce sound transmission in and out of the room. Finding the right balance between airflow and sealed air gaps is going to make your work space much more comfortable, especially if you plan on spending a significant amount of time there (and if you’re serious about making music, you should!)
4. Address Vibrations
Sound entering and escaping your room doesn’t just come through the air.
There are also vibrations that pass through the walls, doors, and floor.
In fact, the vibrations that come through walls, floors, studs, and joists are frequently stronger than the ones that come through the open air. Solid items often convey sound more quickly and at louder volumes.
Noise reduction isn’t just about sealing off your room from open air and using a lot of soundproofing material on the walls. You also have to worry about the floor and the ceiling. And of course, anything else in your room that might easily pick up and transmit sound (bookcases positioned against the existing walls, for instance).
Take It Slow
You are almost certainly excited and enthusiastic at the prospect of building a studio space that is as good as it can possibly be. Still, if you haven’t done many home improvement tasks before, you should make sure that you don’t make any changes that are too permanent. Knocking out drywall or completely remodeling your space might be something that you regret if you don’t plan it out well in advance.
I’d say the best approach is to start with making changes piece by piece. If something isn’t working, you can always change your mind later. But it’s better to start small and work your way up, rather than to take on a huge remodeling project that is more than you originally planned.
Welcome To Your Soundproof Room
Soundproofing a room takes a bit of work, but it’s an easy, cost-effective project that you can hammer out in a few days.
Complete the job in stages and make recordings as you proceed so you can compare the sound quality before and after every improvement that you make. You’ll see that the better your room gets, the better your recordings are.
Start by soundproofing an existing room and then move to the room within a room concept if you don’t get the results you want. Learning how to soundproof a room for music is a critical skill for anyone who aspires to be a recording artist.
Don’t fret mistakes; learn from them on your way to creating the perfect music room!
Source URL: https://www.audioegghead.com/how-to-soundproof-a-room/
