Ceiling options for project studio

[lkingston]

Hi. My wife and I bought and remodeled a condo last spring. Now we have started working on the bottom walk out basement floor which will include a two room project studio.

The longer larger room has a window at one end to the back yard. I am going to go for a coffee shop vibe, and it will be a room where I can rehearse a duo or trio, play direct parts like keyboards and sampled drums, and just hang out.

The smaller room is about 10’ by 10’, and will be used for recording acoustic guitars and vocals. There will be a solid window between the two and some sort of talkback and playback.

The floors will be tile with throw rugs. The walls will be drywall with some sort of stick on acoustic panels in covering parts of the surface.

The ceiling will be unfinished beams or maybe painted black, with ductwork and water pipes remaining where they are, but with some sort of acoustic panels suspended down with chains from the unfinished ceiling above it.

What I haven’t decided is which panels to use. I see some for sale on Reverb.com. There are also some advertised online, but I have no experience with this.

I also kind of like the idea of putting some sort of recessed LED lights within the panels. We put wafer-thin LED lights throughout the house, and they were easy to install and look great. It seems to me like this should be quite doable. That or maybe there are panels that already have lights built in.

Has anyone done this sort of ceiling? One that is unfinished with acoustic ceiling panels hanging down. I would love to pick your brain if you have.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by lkingston

The smaller room is about 10’ by 10’, and will be used for recording acoustic guitars and vocals. There will be a solid window between the two and some sort of talkback and playback.

The MOST problematic rooms to record in are small rooms with walls of equal length walls at right angles to each other. If I were you, I'd forgo the partition and leave the room a long rectangle.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by lkingston

Hi. My wife and I bought and remodeled a condo last spring. Now we have started working on the bottom walk out basement floor which will include a two room project studio.

The longer larger room has a window at one end to the back yard. I am going to go for a coffee shop vibe, and it will be a room where I can rehearse a duo or trio, play direct parts like keyboards and sampled drums, and just hang out.

The smaller room is about 10’ by 10’, and will be used for recording acoustic guitars and vocals. There will be a solid window between the two and some sort of talkback and playback.

The floors will be tile with throw rugs. The walls will be drywall with some sort of stick on acoustic panels in covering parts of the surface.

The ceiling will be unfinished beams or maybe painted black, with ductwork and water pipes remaining where they are, but with some sort of acoustic panels suspended down with chains from the unfinished ceiling above it.

What I haven’t decided is which panels to use. I see some for sale on Reverb.com. There are also some advertised online, but I have no experience with this.

I also kind of like the idea of putting some sort of recessed LED lights within the panels. We put wafer-thin LED lights throughout the house, and they were easy to install and look great. It seems to me like this should be quite doable. That or maybe there are panels that already have lights built in.

Has anyone done this sort of ceiling? One that is unfinished with acoustic ceiling panels hanging down. I would love to pick your brain if you have.

The Doug Fearn podcast series has an excellent episode on studio lighting that you might listen to. It really changed my mind about what I thought I knew about LED lighting.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by lkingston

The floors will be tile with throw rugs. The walls will be drywall with some sort of stick on acoustic panels in covering parts of the surface.

Not sure what sort of "stick on acoustic panels" you are thinking of, but anything like that is probably not what you want for sound absorption and reflection control. You want acoustic panels like this (there are other manufacturers as well, or you can build your own). At least 2" thick is good. Having bass traps (essentially thicker panels) in the corners is also recommended. Diffuser panels can also be helpful on some walls, so you have some some ambience without hard reflections. Exactly how many panels of various sorts you want (including ceiling panels) is a bit of science--others here might have recommendations, or the folks at the various acoustics manufacturers who make them can help as well.

[lkingston]

I was going to just do the proper panels on the ceiling. I’m sure that you are right about using them on the walls as well. Would you do all the walls?

[strangersfaces]

I've designed and built successful recording spaces, large and small, for musicians and engineers for decades. I've learned much from the several acousticians I've partnered with, one of those being George Augsperger. The budget of most projects won't stretch to hiring a top studio designer, but fortunately, for those serious about achieving a good result and committed enough to spend time before commencing the project, and a little bit of money (which is worth every penny), there is help to be had...

A few years back I stumbled upon some youtube videos by Jesco, whose website is Acoustics Insider: https://www.acousticsinsider.com/ He has loads of informative videos on youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@AcousticsInsider/videos Worth paying to view ad-free to get a taste of Jesco's approach. Best and most comprehensive I've seen and no BS. He's not selling "stick-on" panels or any other traps, diffusers, etc. which many spend a fortune on and are most times disappointed with the results.

Jesco does offer a couple courses at his website, with the regular price of both together being $297. Included in that price, once you've studied the courses, are his recommendations for your space based on what you're trying to achieve and what, given the limitations of your space, what may be achieved realistically.

Since discovering Jesco, all of my personal studio clients are required to purchase and study the course and results have been great. I'm actually starting another of my own rooms in the fall..., once we've completed the current project, and I've already purchased his courses for my own room.

Whether you go for the courses or not, if you devote a bit of time watching his videos, absorb what is said and then note how each change to a room affects the sound (with measured results), you will learn much and your room treatment money will be spent much more wisely.

Sincerely,

Lance

[rick-slo]

Lots of choices. I went with ATS panels wall and ceiling. Hardwood floors but with areas rugs.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I was going to just do the proper panels on the ceiling. I’m sure that you are right about using them on the walls as well. Would you do all the walls?

Yes, especially if you're committed to that 10x10 square room. I have a 10x11 room, 8' ceilings, and have two 2'x4' panels (4" thick) on three of the walls, and three panels on the other, plus I still use a couple free-standing gobos when recording, *plus* bass traps (16" wide, 6" thick) in three of the four corners, and the room is still plenty live. In fact, I still could use to put up a few ceiling panels since I get some flutter/echoes floor-to-ceiling.

You might actually need a little less on the ceiling than the walls, tbh, if you leave open joists that will scatter the sound a bit as compared to a finished ceiling which reflects it right back.

I suggest you check out some of the commercial suppliers (Acoustimac, GIK and ATS Acoustics are three big ones in the US). Their sites have basic calculators, and if you want to buy pre-made panels I'm sure they could help guide you. Not necessarily cheap, but a necessary investment if you really want to make the room suitable for recording.

[Eastbound]

Difficult to get a room properly treated for recording without a good bit of $, time, and expertise.
Partial room treatment and reflection filters on individual mics can be pretty decent