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Ever tried to record studio quality music at home, only to discover that the recording is disappointingly substandard?

Background noises and reverberations that you’d never otherwise notice end up sounding magnified, and the overall recording quality is unacceptable.

This is a simple example that highlights the necessity of acoustically treating a room correctly if you plan on building out a recording studio.

Without the right applications, the quality of your recordings won’t be up to the desired standard.

Both acoustic isolation and acoustic/room calibration will be important factors in building a successful recording studio.

As with any room where you intend to play amplified instruments and music, there is the importance of acoustic isolation to prevent acoustic breakout.

You don’t want to become a serious nuisance to your neighbours, or others living in the same building as you try to get on with your recording plans.

As important but considerably easier to achieve is the balancing of the internal acoustics to ensure the sound quality is as desired will be essential.

Internal acoustic panels, diffusers and corner baffles for example will help control and balance room acoustics.

You won’t want to go to all of the trouble of creating the space and then not be able to use the space as intended.

So let’s delve deeper into this subject, as there are several factors to consider when soundproofing a room for music production.

Build a Room Within a Room

There is no denying that one of the most effective solutions to building out a recording studio is to create a room within a room also known as a cell within a cell.

By doing so, you’re effectively decoupling and isolating the new soundproofed enclosure from the original structure.

Technically this kind of build will lead to an airtight room, so there are various things you need to consider, such as:

Walls

When it comes to soundproofing the walls, it’s important to start off by determining what type of wall structures you’re dealing with.

Masonry walls for instance are very dense and in effect help by adding mass however, the rigidity of the same structure may work against you, so it’s best to install a framing system such as studs or battening.

A framing system can be installed to provide a suitable platform where soundproofing material such as Acoustiblok 3mm Isolation Membrane can then be applied.

As a result, the frame will act upon the principle of decoupling.

It can be built either attached to the structure or better to be installed directly in front of the masonry wall and therefore physically decoupled.

Where attaching onto the original structure, a thinner framing system can be used as the structural support will be provided by the wall however, this approach is rarely as high performing as an independent frame system.

Fill or part fill the space between the frame using an open cell absorbent material such as glass wool of which differing depths and densities are available – Acoustiblok QuietFibre Cavity Insulation or rockwool type materials are ideal.

At this point it is possible to simply add finishing board layer(s) to the framing.

However as detailed in a previous dedicated article on soundproofing a wall, this is a perfect position for adding an additional layer of specialist acoustic membrane – such as Acoustiblok 3mm Isolation Membrane.

Acoustiblok materials are well recognised and documented to greatly increase the acoustic effects achieved within such a framing system by converting acoustic energy into trace element heat energy and are widely used within film and recording studios because they are so effective.

This should be secured to the frame with appropriate fixings, and then sealed for finishing.

To add an additional decoupling principle at this stage would be normal practice and invariably a very good idea.

Not only will this assist acoustically but it will also provide a service chamber for wiring and other essentials to be housed.

This is achieved by using a resilient channel / cross batten installed perpendicular to the original stud frame.

Specialist resilient channels will also incorporate Acoustic Hangers.

This principle provides a platform onto which to attach differing finishing boards of choice.

Adding a second board will also help to add more mass.

In the cases where load bearing walls are apparent, there could be acoustic flanking transmissions to contend with and eliminate.

However with the above principles of creating a room in a room or cell within a cell, these direct flanking transmissions can be avoided.

Essentially reduce penetrations through the structure as much as possible.

For example, services and power points can be surface mounted.

For more in-depth guidance, see our dedicated article on soundproofing a wall.

Floors

To reduce sound being transferred through the floors, you could create a floating floor, lined with an acoustic underlay and overlying membrane before carpeting.

Establish what type of floor structure is in situ as well as what is directly below the floor.

As detailed in previous articles, carpet finishes are always a good idea.

There are underlays and matting products which work fairly well for soundproofing floors, but the performance is not as marked as using specialist underlays such as Acoustiblok AcoustiMat, followed by overlaying with Acoustiblok 6mm Isolation Membrane before carpet finish.

Most over-the-counter floor mats are made from closed cell foam, which offers decent sound dampening and impact noise reduction.

But the overall performance may not be good enough if you are aiming for a professional grade studio environment.

If that’s the case, have a professional fit acoustic matting and isolation membrane to fully soundproof the floors.

For more information on this subject, see our blog on soundproofing floors.

Ceilings

Firstly you should ascertain the type of construction and substrate present, look at the structural integrity, load capabilities as well as weight considerations.

Also establish what is directly above and how this would be affected.

In the case of a timber joist construction, it’s of paramount importance to fill or part fill cavities between joists with an open cell material for sound absorption purposes and to offer a thermal benefit.

Once the bottom joists have been exposed and appropriately filled, you can then attach Acoustiblok 3mm Isolation Membrane to the framing similar to the wall assembly already discussed.

In the case of ceiling boards, a timber or metal framework would need to be set up on the underside of the ceiling to have a platform onto which the new isolated ceiling can be attached.

Generally a dense finishing board will work well, or else, resilient channels or top hat channels can be installed in a perpendicular position to the joists.

Should you be dealing with a block and beam construction, this method should also work well.

You may also wish to consider the option of a suspended ceiling, or acoustic ceiling tiles.

More information can be found on soundproofing ceilings in our dedicated blog.

Doors

The old saying, ‘only as good as the weakest point’ is so true and especially with apertures like doors and windows.

The door to a recording studio should be as thick and well fitting as possible and ideally dense in structure.

The material will need to block any sound from escaping from the room, or entering inwards.

Generally a double door assembly, using a short corridor between rooms is preferred as this will definitely out perform a standard single door system.

A single door will need completely sealing around any gaps and edges, which invariably leads to sound ingress.

Additional thickness of timber bead for the door stop will assist here and also provide a larger area for a type of gasket or insulation strip to be fitted.

Windows

Remove all windows where possible. Problem eliminated.

Double glazing or even triple glazing is a must for windows in a recording studio.

Moreover, the window frames need to be absolutely airtight.

Any gaps and the sound waves are guaranteed to find their way out.

The glass panes of the windows should be isolated from the frames by means of isolation strips.

If this is otherwise not possible, you may be better off blocking up all windows entirely.

This may however not be a feasible solution if your recording studio is a room in your house, and you may wish to consider reusing it for other purposes in the future.

But the more you lessen the chances of sound escaping, the better the soundproofing qualities your studio will have.

Materials

The type and specification of materials that can be used vary greatly however, as previously discussed in multiple articles, all will be based around core principles of deflection, mass, density, absorption, diffusion and conversion – more to follow.

Sound is able to travel even through solid material.

Hence, you will need to consider each and every material that is already present within your recording studio to establish the best course of action and the correct materials to be added to provide the desired level of soundproofing solution.

Any small gaps where sound can travel through, no matter how minor they might seem, need to be eliminated with correct fitting of core materials.

All overlaps and slight gaps should be filled with a flexible acoustic sealant / caulk, such as Acoustiblok Acoustical Sound Sealant.

There are also mastic or frame sealers which can be used for this purpose, but tend to offer inferior performance.

Making use of isolation strips is another good idea.

These are great in isolating structures in your room from the main structure, such as the door frames and the stud wall frames.

Soundproofing Principles

There are different types of soundproofing principles which will need to be considered before you embark on any soundproofing project.

The more well informed you are about such principles, the better you will be able to understand ways and means that will work well for soundproofing a recording studio.

Acoustic isolation is an umbrella term used to explain the need to prevent the leakage of sound from a room, as well as the ingress of sound into that room.

In the case of a recording studio, both factors are just as important as each other.

You need to calibrate or acoustically balance the room to ensure the soundwaves within the room remain clean and balanced to prevent increased resonance and distortion.

This is a fine art and will differ greatly depending upon how and for what the room is being used. More later.

But you also need to ensure the sound never leaves the room, and doesn’t start bothering other people living or working close to you in other rooms or adjoining buildings.

These are the following principles which you will need to focus on:

Deflection

This refers to the use of mass or dense materials, which are built into a building’s fabric to increase its structural density.

By doing so, any sounds will basically be pushed back, or deflected.

Some sound waves will manage to pass through a material due to its own density, which in turn will pass to whatever framework it is attached to, and continue travelling.

So you will need to be very careful what types of materials you decide to use.

Mass and dense materials have a certain level of rigidity and this could work against the principle of deflection.

Absorption

Sound energy has certain levels of energy and power once it comes from the initial source.

By soundproofing a room, your aim is to try to have the soundwaves impact against open cell materials so that the power and pressure is absorbed and decreased.

This type of material is best installed into cavities and any obvious voids.

This principle is generally used in conjunction with a framing system as there is a cavity created in which to house the thick insulation.

The material needs to be reasonably thick and as dense as possible, within reason, in order to achieve high levels of sound insulation.

This is even more important in case of low frequency sound waves.

Conversion

When sound waves hit against a unique material such as an Acoustiblok 3mm Isolation Membrane, there will be a process whereby the molecules of the material will start to vibrate.

This creates friction, which is then converted into heat energy.

This is the principle of conversion, which is very effectively converting a more problematic acoustic energy into a less problematic form of energy, that is, heat.

The perfect example of this is Acoustiblok Isolation membrane.

At just 3mm or 6mm in thickness, it converts sound energy to trace heat energy and is barely noticeable when installed as it is so thin yet so effective!

Decoupling

Decoupling is a very important principle in the world of soundproofing.

It essentially revolves around the effectiveness of separating the original structure in order to make it harder for sound to pass through.

Generally this is done by using battens, resilient channels and acoustic hangers.

These can be installed to the main frame to reduce flanking transmissions.

In the “room within a room” concept, the decoupling principle works very well.

This is because the new frame will be decoupled from the original external structure.

So this is a powerful and very effective way to isolate the sound in the room from the outside.

With decoupling, the transfer of sound is blocked by isolating the contact points.

Damping

This is another principle which basically works on the need to dissipate vibrational energy from sound waves before they build up and radiate themselves as a sound.

As the word itself suggests, the sound is dampened, thus lessened or reduced significantly.

Acoustic/Room Calibration

Acoustic calibration refers to the process of equalising the internal acoustics in a room.

The aim is to optimise the sound quality achieved.

This is of vital importance in the case of a recording studio where the sound quality will need to be optimised to improve the listening experience and recording quality achieved.

Acoustic calibration will work to reduce distortions and reverberations.

Hence more clear and balanced sound waves can be enjoyed.

There are different methods to achieve this.

Absorber Panels

There are absorber panels such as AcoustiCloud Absorber Ceiling Panels and Absorber Wall Panels which work specifically to absorb soundwaves in an optimal manner.

There are different thicknesses to choose from, and thus absorbing frequencies will vary accordingly.

Most of these panels come with wedged surface areas and a very good Noise Reduction Coefficient rating.

This is a rating which measures the effectiveness to absorb sound.

The higher the number between 0 and 1, the greater the absorption level.

Baffles

Baffles are basically devices which work to reduce the strength level of airborne sounds.

They can work well to minimise reverberations, and so are suggested for recording studios.

They are also used to minimise noise pollution.

Diffusers

Diffusers are important to deal with echoing problems and other sound aberrations.

Isolators

Vibration isolators work to reduce vibrations as well as lessen the noise being generated from resonance or regeneration.

Soft Finishes

You will be surprised at the effectiveness of soft finishes in a room.

Carpets, wall fabrics, curtains, drapes and other soft furnishings such as sofas and cushions can absorb sound energy at the same time as serving their own initial purpose.

A good place to start and build from there.

Obviously this will not have a determining effect on its own, but soft finishes can support other soundproofing methods.

Conclusion

Building out your own recording studio is a very ambitious soundproofing project to take on, so results can be very mixed.

There are various acoustic and soundproofing principles to consider, as well as a wide range of building methods to apply, so it’s easy to end up getting very confused early on.

If your building and construction skills are limited, you may have to decide which is the best course of action to achieve the desired end result.

Unlike a project where you may only be soundproofing a single wall, a ceiling, a floor or even just a doorway, a recording studio requires extensive work on “all of the above”.

So any shortfall in quality will lead to sub standard results.

If your aim is to get to a professional studio standard, the truth is you will most likely need to enlist the help of a professional soundproofing expert and acoustic consultant.

Understandably, your budget will play a huge role in the methods and products you choose to apply.

But it goes without saying that the more you invest in the soundproofing materials, the better the result will be.

Some soundproofing products may come with a slightly higher price tag, but they can without doubt be the most effective option if you’re aiming for a professional grade recording studio.

The key is to have an initial, clear plan laid out, and a complete understanding of soundproofing principles.

So, carry out your research and decide which course of action is best to achieve your ultimate aims.

If the prospect of going it alone is a step too far, then you can always enlist the help of a professional who can do it right the first time.

But for now this might offer a basic starting point to understanding acoustic mitigation, although this is a complex field.