be displayed on the packaging . If you want to step up your panels , you can build wooden frames to make them appear more rigid ( this can also help if you attach multiple panels and hang them from the ceiling to form a cloud ). There are a ton of demonstrations online showing how to build panels , but all you ’ ll need is the insulation , stretchy fabric , screws , staples , and two-by-fours to create the frames ( Pro Tip : cut them to the shape of the insulation so that you don ’ t need to cut any insulation . Additional tip : hardware stores like Home Depot will cut the wood to your specs for free !)
Hanging the cloud from the ceiling is also relatively easy ; look for some guides online about finding support beams and anchoring correctly . You don ’ t want . to risk the cloud falling on you ! When hanging the cloud , you can provide additional sound control in the room by tilting the cloud . Tilting the panels will create non-parallel surfaces and help to prevent nodes and antinodes from forming . To visualize nodes and antinodes , imagine waves traveling directly at each other from opposite directions ; when two peaks align , the height of the peak will double , and when a valley aligns with a peak , the waves cancel out , and the surface is flat . Every room with parallel walls has nodes and antinodes . You can take the time to do the math and calculate the exact frequency of problems you ’ ll encounter in the room , but unless you build custom treatments to target those issues exactly , it is pointless to bother with the detailed calculations . However , if you ’ re curious , I do have an extremely basic room calculator you can use on my website at Dajaun . com / RoomCalculator .
Next is the back wall . For a less invasive installation , you can hang some more absorption panels the same way you would hang a picture frame , but for a slightly more professional look , you could build a whole absorption wall . Start by building a structure out of two-by-fours to your desired depth . The deeper the structure , the more frequencies will be absorbed . Place as much insulation as you can fit in the structure , and then cover the frame with spandex-covered cloth and use those to conceal the wall . I used pre-beveled baseboards for my last room to build my frames , making for a very professional look . The price difference between building panels and creating a whole wall is nominal , so if you ’ re comfortable with modifying the space , I highly recommend going for an entire wall . Remember , if you can tilt the structure as well , non-parallel surfaces will always improve the sound of a room !
Some excellent visual and sonic additions to any room are shelves filled with books or vinyl records . Not only is it aesthetically pleasing , but believe it or not , the mass of the books and the odd shapes make for one of the most cost-effective and sonically-effective sound diffusor systems money can buy . It ’ s also no coincidence that every studio has a couch in the back of the control room ; it ’ s not just a place for the client to sit . A sofa can also double as a highly functional bass trap !
If you want to take the room treatments to the next level , you can start looking into ways to make the side walls non-parallel by angling the walls using similar techniques to build the backwall absorption . Adding angled panels behind your monitors is the final step in completing a fully-functional home studio .
Don ’ t feel like you have to do all these things at once . You can tackle them individually and tighten the sound over time . My first home studio after leaving a major was done piece by piece as a handful of weekend projects over a three-year timespan . I used the space to make music the entire time because it ’ s about making music , not living in the construction phase . Never let the studio build get in the way of making art ! Hit records are being made in untreated bedrooms , so these are all just bonus additions . Another essential thing to remember is that the quieter you listen , the less energy you put in the room , and the less your treatment matters . So , monitor quietly ! It ’ ll save you tons of money on construction and ( importantly ) protect your ears .
THE GEAR
MONITORS & MONITOR CONTROLLERS Now that you ’ ve built your room , it ’ s time to start putting gear in it . There are so many different monitoring options ; every type is valid . My suggestion with monitors is to not overthink it . I ’ ve worked with every monitor on the market , and every single one has a different set of strengths and weaknesses . It ’ s less about finding the perfect monitors and more about finding the monitors that are inspiring and comfortable for you to use . Remember , there is no such thing as perfect !
Start by considering the types of music you ’ re going to be working on . If you are interested in bass-heavy music like pop and hip-hop , you will want monitors that more accurately recreate ultra-low and ultra-high frequencies . If you are focused more on mid-range genres like rock and indie , you will want flatter monitors that are focused on being most accurate in the mid-range . Common brands I see in home studios are KRK , Adam Audio , and Genelec .
Once you ’ ve selected your monitors , you must place them appropriately in the room . Ideally , you want to create an equilateral triangle with the monitors and the listener . An easy way to make that position is with a piece of string taped to a mic stand in your listening position , double-checking that the distance between the monitors is the same as the distance between the listening position and either monitor ; otherwise , it ’ ll just be an isosceles triangle . I highly recommend getting monitor stands . Even the cheapest monitor stands will be infinitely better than having the monitors on your desk . Having both monitors free standing will decouple them from each other . Coupling is what happens when vibrations align because they share a common surface . Decoupling your monitors will significantly improve the definition and clarity of the lower frequencies . ( There is an excellent Veritasium video on You- Tube called “ The Surprising Secret of Synchronization ” that helped me visualize what happens with speaker coupling .)
I ’ ve noticed that a suitable monitor controller is an often-overlooked choice in home studios . In the days of digital audio recording , consoles are almost a thing of the past , but some essential functions are still needed , and how they are handled will influence your workflow . Many home studio operators use an all-in-one interface like the UAD Apollo or the Focusrite Scarlett , leaving out a few essential functions . If your budget allows , I recommend investing in a proper monitor controller by a company like Dangerous Audio or Crane Song . A suitable monitor controller should have headphone amps built in to monitor performers and a talkback mic that feeds the operator ’ s voice into the headphones . A monitor controller should pro-
PHOTO : JURA VOCANEC
PROFESSIONAL SOUND 27