[ed bridge/bridgekaldromusic.com]

I have a recording studio located on the second floor of a building
next to a busy highway. On top of that, the space downstairs is
available for rent and I don't want to disturb any possible tenants.
In the isolation room dedicated to drums there is sound from the
street outside, and any noise from above can be heard below. I am
looking for a way to soundproof the entire room (which is a sort of
crazy triangular shape ) while keeping costs down. The main goal is
to keep any sound from going downstairs.

I have looked at building a drum platform (http://www.imjohn.com/
DrumFloor/index.htm), but this would have to fit the entire room to be
effective, correct?

I have access to a lot of carpeting remnants, so could I lay multiple
layers of that with plywood on top?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Ed Bridge

[Ken Winokur]

On May 15, 12:26 pm, "ed bridge/bridgekaldromusic.com"
wrote:
I have a recording studio located on the second floor of a building
next to a busy highway. On top of that, the space downstairs is
available for rent and I don't want to disturb any possible tenants.
In the isolation room dedicated to drums there is sound from the
street outside, and any noise from above can be heard below. I am
looking for a way to soundproof the entire room (which is a sort of
crazy triangular shape ) while keeping costs down. The main goal is
to keep any sound from going downstairs.

I have looked at building a drum platform (http://www.imjohn.com/
DrumFloor/index.htm), but this would have to fit the entire room to be
effective, correct?

I have access to a lot of carpeting remnants, so could I lay multiple
layers of that with plywood on top?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Ed Bridge

My suggestion - give up! While you can reduce the amount of sound
that will get out of your room, there's no way to really soundproof a
second floor room cheaply. Carpet pads are going to do next to
nothing.

I know, I tried. I did an elaborate job of building two rooms inside
of a room. I floated the inside room on rubber pads, did lots of
sealing of seams, sound proofing materials, air spaces between walls
etc. I brought the sound down quite a lot, but my wife still couldn't
sleep next door when I play drums. It's generally pretty quiet inside
so I don't have any problems recording.

Luckily I live above a poultry slaughter house. The (mostly dead)
chickens don't mind a little noise.

Ken

[Don Pearce]

On 15 May 2007 09:49:53 -0700, Ken Winokur wrote:

Luckily I live above a poultry slaughter house. The (mostly dead)
chickens don't mind a little noise.

Ken

Way, way too much information.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

[Hayvern]

On May 15, 9:26 am, "ed bridge/bridgekaldromusic.com"
wrote:
I have a recording studio located on the second floor of a building
next to a busy highway. On top of that, the space downstairs is
available for rent and I don't want to disturb any possible tenants.
In the isolation room dedicated to drums there is sound from the
street outside, and any noise from above can be heard below. I am
looking for a way to soundproof the entire room (which is a sort of
crazy triangular shape ) while keeping costs down. The main goal is
to keep any sound from going downstairs.

I have looked at building a drum platform (http://www.imjohn.com/
DrumFloor/index.htm), but this would have to fit the entire room to be
effective, correct?

I have access to a lot of carpeting remnants, so could I lay multiple
layers of that with plywood on top?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Ed Bridge

Yeah, this is going to be a tough one. You could likely get the sound
coming into your room low enough to be manageable, but you will never
get the room quiet enough for the neighbors.

You have to consider it this way. People might over look the
occasional foot step, maybe the occasional of dropping something on
the floor, but when you enter music into the mix, even the slightest
hint of music being played too loud will cause complaints. Add in a
drum set, and you have a recipe for disaster.

By VDrums, or go rent a space in an industrial area. There is nothing
you can do, even after spending loads of money, that will bring the
sound of live drums down to a level that will appease the neighbors.

[Chris Whealy]

Hayvern wrote:
You have to consider it this way. People might over look the
occasional foot step, maybe the occasional of dropping something on
the floor, but when you enter music into the mix, even the slightest
hint of music being played too loud will cause complaints. Add in a
drum set, and you have a recipe for disaster.

True. the odd random noise most people can accept, but when there is a
rhythmical repetition of the same sound, even at a very low level,
people will start to identify it an therefore concentrate on it.
Remember, the human brain is great at distiunguishing and identifying
patterns amongst the sensory noise of every day life
By VDrums, or go rent a space in an industrial area. There is nothing
you can do, even after spending loads of money, that will bring the
sound of live drums down to a level that will appease the neighbors.

Buying V-Drums will only solve part of the problem.
Unless you plan to play drums in the Indian style (where you kneel or
sit cross legged to play), you will be stomping away on at least one
foot pedal,
- which will be sitting on the floor, which leads to
- injecting sound into the floor, which leads to
- irritated neighbours, which if irritation grows to sufficient levels
- neighbours call police

As has been suggested, either rent a detached, ground floor space
somewhere, move house or take up the harmonica...

:-)

Chris W

--
The voice of ignorance speaks loud and long,
But the words of the wise are quiet and few.
---

[Ken Winokur]

Buying V-Drums will only solve part of the problem.

Even buying V-Drums usually isn't such a great solution. Sticks
hitting a hard rubber surface, sitting on a stand or table, sitting on
the floor - make a pretty big thump for the downstairs neighbors. You
can probably deal with this with your carpet remnants though.

Unfortunately playing electronic drums is no fun at all and often
leads to joint problems.

Why is it satisfying to shoot down another musicians plans so
completely?

Don't know, just is.

ken

[Richard Crowley]

"Ken Winokur" wrote ...
Why is it satisfying to shoot down another musicians
plans so completely?

"plans" would imply something practical with some
expectaton of success. What the OP proposed seems
much more like a fantasy, given the limitations of the
laws of physics, etc.

[Arny Krueger]

"Ken Winokur" wrote in message
ups.com
Buying V-Drums will only solve part of the problem.

Even buying V-Drums usually isn't such a great solution.
Sticks hitting a hard rubber surface, sitting on a stand
or table, sitting on the floor - make a pretty big thump
for the downstairs neighbors. You can probably deal with
this with your carpet remnants though.

Unfortunately playing electronic drums is no fun at all
and often leads to joint problems.

Why is it satisfying to shoot down another musicians
plans so completely?

Don't know, just is.

I think it has a lot to do with the spirit of the comments. A discussion of
the advantages and disadvantages of a proposed solution is usually
thought-provoking at the very worst. It is the rare project that is thought
out too well...

[Hayvern]

On May 15, 9:26 am, "ed bridge/bridgekaldromusic.com"
wrote:
I have a recording studio located on the second floor of a building
next to a busy highway. On top of that, the space downstairs is
available for rent and I don't want to disturb any possible tenants.
In the isolation room dedicated to drums there is sound from the
street outside, and any noise from above can be heard below. I am
looking for a way to soundproof the entire room (which is a sort of
crazy triangular shape ) while keeping costs down. The main goal is
to keep any sound from going downstairs.

I have looked at building a drum platform (http://www.imjohn.com/
DrumFloor/index.htm), but this would have to fit the entire room to be
effective, correct?

I have access to a lot of carpeting remnants, so could I lay multiple
layers of that with plywood on top?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Ed Bridge

Oh and by the way, Fiberglass insulation, carpet pads, carpeting and
things of that sort do nothing. If you have enough money, there are
some products out there for soundproofing. QuietRock and some heavy
mats come to mind. Quietrock is over $100 per 4x8 sheet so cheap it is
not.

[Ken Winokur]

On May 15, 1:25 pm, Hayvern wrote:
On May 15, 9:26 am, "ed bridge/bridgekaldromusic.com"



wrote:
I have a recording studio located on the second floor of a building
next to a busy highway. On top of that, the space downstairs is
available for rent and I don't want to disturb any possible tenants.
In the isolation room dedicated to drums there is sound from the
street outside, and any noise from above can be heard below. I am
looking for a way to soundproof the entire room (which is a sort of
crazy triangular shape ) while keeping costs down. The main goal is
to keep any sound from going downstairs.

I have looked at building a drum platform (http://www.imjohn.com/
DrumFloor/index.htm), but this would have to fit the entire room to be
effective, correct?

I have access to a lot of carpeting remnants, so could I lay multiple
layers of that with plywood on top?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

Ed Bridge

Oh and by the way, Fiberglass insulation, carpet pads, carpeting and
things of that sort do nothing. If you have enough money, there are
some products out there for soundproofing. QuietRock and some heavy
mats come to mind. Quietrock is over $100 per 4x8 sheet so cheap it is
not.

Plus it does next to nothing if you only do the floor. You must keep
the sound from getting into the wood or metal wall or ceiling
supports. They're attached to the floor, so if the sound gets into
them it will get into your floor. That's why a box within a box
(with air space between inner and outer walls) is the only way.

The cheapest way is massive amounts of sheetrock (I think 3 layers of
3/4 will do pretty well). Be sure to figure out if your floor can
support this kind of weight.

[John L Rice]

"ed bridge/bridgekaldromusic.com" wrote in message
I have looked at building a drum platform (http://www.imjohn.com/
DrumFloor/index.htm), but this would have to fit the entire room to be
effective, correct?


hi Ed,

I'm glad you found my drum floor site. ;-) As you saw, I just made a small
platform, not the whole floor. Covering the entire floor would be a little
bit better but it's not a complete or total solution. The advantages of what
I built are in order of greatest effect to least significant :

1) decoupling the hihat and bass drum pedal noise and the downward force of
using those pedals.

2) I like the sound of the drums better being played over a solid wood
surface as opposed to carpet etc

3) reduced the volume of the snare and floor toms projecting down through
the floor.

If you really want to totally isolate you'll need something dense like
reinforced poured concrete . . . . I day dream about it often . . . .

Best of luck!

John L Rice

[[email protected]]

"keeping costs down" can mean different things, since recording
studios can cost over $1million.

if you have $6,000 to spend, getting one of the larger stand-alone
practice chambers from Whisperoom or the like can be a good idea.
Float it properly to de-couple it from the floor, and you're good to
go. It will have air flow and lighting, and a good door. Outfit it
with some auralex, some bass traps, and maybe some asc quarter-tube
traps on the walls. they also come with places for microphone wiring,
and power outlets. look at the options.