AKARSH SHEKHAR
9 TIPS FOR BUILDING
AN AWESOME STUDIO
BUDGET LOCATION
Building a studio means equipment such as a computer,
interface, software, microphones, monitors, musical
instruments, you’ll also need to invest in acoustic
treatment, cables, furniture, lighting, building materials,
and more. Don’t buy as you go you’ll end up with a
$2,000 microphone and a $250 preamp, or an awful-
sounding room because you couldn’t afford proper
acoustic treatment. Create a well-thought-out plan. Choose a room wisely. Avoid spaces that are close
to traffic, airports, trains, etc. You’ll also want to
be cognizant of family members, neighbors. Near a
baby’s room? Or adjoining wall of a duplex? Bad idea.
Of course, there are ways to get around these issues
instead just choose the right room to begin with.
DECIDE ON FOCUS Acoustic treatment can make just about any room sound
decent and nothing beats the sound of a room with great
natural acoustics. If you’ve got the luxury of choosing
between a spacious room with asymmetrical walls and
a high ceiling or a small, boxy room, take the larger,
better-sounding room. For mixing and recording small
acoustic projects set up a control room in a smaller space
and utilize a nearby large space on an as-needed basis.
Producing electronic music? Recording voice-overs?
Maybe tracking 6-piece bands? Electronic musicians can
get by in a modestly treated room with little isolation
and a decent monitoring chain. Voice-over artists need
to invest in a quality mic and preamp and need enough
isolation to keep outside noise at bay. Full band sessions
require an array of mics, preamps, and processors;
maximum acoustic treatment; and a large, soundproof
tracking room. Think about needs in the future or else
your current room and gear becomes inadequate.
DEFINE YOUR NEEDS
Determine gear. How many tracks will you be recording
at once? If you’re just recording yourself, a 2-channel
interface will suffice. If you’re tracking bands, you’ll need
more inputs. Get microphones to accommodate everyone.
Are you working in the box, with outboard gear, or a
hybrid of the two? Whatever you decide, keep your gear
lust in check. Don’t buy cheap microphones to afford
a high-dollar summing mixer and expensive AD/DA
converters, you’d be better off with good mics and preamps.
DETERMINE YOUR SPACE
REQUIREMENTS
If you’re a mix engineer, you can get by with a modest
amount of space, as long as you can achieve accurate
monitoring. Recording vocals and acoustic instruments
requires a medium-sized room with an iso-booth. Tracking
full bands requires a great deal of space in order to
accommodate all the musicians and their instruments
with an appropriate amount of sonic isolation.
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The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
GOOD ACOUSTICS
MAKE THE SPACE QUIET
Your Neumann mic will pick up every nasty sonic detail
of your room. So, seal all seams, cracks, and crevices in
the room with an acoustic sealant like Auralex StopGap.
Treat all the room’s parallel surfaces with acoustic
treatment, such as broadband absorbers, diffusors, and
bass traps to minimize flutter echoes, room modes, and
standing waves all of which make critical listening
difficult. Well-placed soft furniture and bookshelves
are great for absorption and diffraction. Wiring
Take stock of how many outlets you need (and where you
need them), and install outlets as required. As for audio
cables, if your studio involves more than one room, you’ll
want to install wall plates in each room to accommodate
mic cables. Otherwise, you’ll need to leave a door open to
run the cables. Also, try to keep electrical and audio cables
clear of each other to avoid electromagnetic interference.
SECURE A BUILDING
PERMIT IF REQUIRED
If building your studio involves any significant
remodeling, construction, or electrical work, be sure
to check with your city department for a permit.