Soundproofing the Space

Keep your music private until you’re ready for the world to hear it by soundproofing. Wessex Garage Doors suggests that before you get your DIY soundproofing tools ready that you check for dry and loose garage door parts that can make a ruckus when recording. Here is how to fix these:

• “Spray all moving parts with specialist garage door lubricant.”
• “Inspect the door, checking for any worn parts and replace where needed as soon as possible.”
• “Tightening all parts, including nuts and bolts so they are secure and functional.”

With Cellulose

Cellulose Insulation calls itself “the greenest of the green” on its website. The cellulose product is simply a spray that you apply to various parts of your garage door to keep sounds contained. Here are two spaces that you should definitely consider if you go with this soundproofing method:

Unfinished walls: If you have any unfinished walls or panels anywhere in the garage, these may be thinner compared to the other walls. While you don’t need any extra spray here, definitely don’t forget these areas.

Garage door panels: Overhead garage doors have back panels that may be neglected because you see these less. As Cellulose explains on its site: “As the dry Cellulose insulation is blown from the applicator hose, a small amount of water is added, activating the natural starches or adhesives in the Cellulose so it adheres to the surface door panels. Just enough water is added to ensure good adhesion within these cavity-like spaces.”

Also, the front of the overhead door is an obvious spot. Just as stated above, the cellulose spray will not damage garage door panels nor will it miss any of the tiny crevices. This creates a tight, soundproof barrier.

With Wooden Cleats

Dave of Harbor Freight is quite fond of Instructable’s wooden cleat soundproofing method, by Mobile Rik. You can read all about how to install these cleats here, but Dave recommends them because they’re easy to make (they only use 2×4 wood planks), customizable and affordable. You’ll need:

• Acoustical caulk
• Drywall and screws
• Polyethylene pipe insulation tube
• Closed-cell foam tape

Make sure you have these tools:

• Caulking gun
• Staple gun
• C-clamp
• Utility knife
• Hammer
• Band saw

With Audimute

Audimute produces acoustic tiles, panels and absorption sheets to keep your garage quiet. Its Pro Sound Sheet Kit may be the answer for your new music studio. For best use, Audimute provides these tips when using the Pro Sound Sheet Kit:

• Avoid putting the sheets on two adjacent walls. Instead, these should be located opposite of one another.
• Don’t use nails, hooks or other heavy hanging tools to adhere the sheets or they won’t be as effective.
• Don’t cover any of the sheets, especially not with hard items. This also decreases their efficacy.
• If you can, dangle the sheets. If wind or other air can get beneath them, “the billowing effect will make for better sound absorption especially when two to three inches away from a wall.”

Troubleshooting Common Soundproofing Issues

If for any reason the above methods haven’t made your new music studio totally soundproof, Ryan Colton of Acoustical Solutions can help. He has more than 20 years of experience playing guitar in all sorts of garages and studios, so he definitely understands how sound works in a room.

If airborne sound is getting in: Whether from the rooms below or next door to you, airborne sound can ruin a recording session. Sometimes instruments are to blame, such as kick drums or basses, as their low tones create structure-borne noise. Colton says to try the following:

• Vibration isolation pads
• Floor underlayments
• Sound isolation clips

If airborne noise is caused from within the garage or nearby, Colton calls for “heavy, dense materials” to fix the problem, including:

• Sound dampening compound
• Combination sound blocking/absorbing acoustical blankets
• Mass-loaded vinyl sound barriers

If the sound in your garage is garbled and unclear: You might find that you’re lost in the sound once your whole band plays a song together. When you have this kind of muddied sound in your new rehearsal space, Colton suggests using absorptive items. These were mentioned above, so here’s another reminder to get them stat.

Music Studio Equipment You Need

Now, you have to figure out what equipment you need. As mentioned above, keep in mind that some pieces can be very expensive. The quality of your equipment varies depending on what you’re using it for. As home studio specialists JamCats suggest, ask yourself these questions:

• “Do you need a live acoustic space for recording?”
• “Will you be working with others in the studio?”
• “What type of music do you want to record?”
• “Are you an engineer, music producer or musician?”

If it’s just you and your band, you can probably get away with cheaper equipment for now. If you plan on getting into the engineering or producing business though, you’ll need a respectable space with quality tools to get clients. Phil Gallo of 21cm offers a novel way to get your hands on items that may be a little out of your price range for now: “Remember, you’re a musician, and offering your services in exchange for borrowing some equipment is commonplace, especially in complexes where many musicians work.”

Computers

As Graham Cochrane of Echo, the Disc Makers blog says, you probably have a good computer for your home studio. “When it comes to home recording, 99% of the time you’re going to want to go with computer recording. More often than not, you already own a computer that is capable of being the hub of your home recording studio.”

In need of an upgrade? Cochrane has some great tips:

• “Just pick something, don’t spend too much, and move on.”
• “Go with what is familiar to you. Mac or PC, laptop or desktop.”
• “These days, working on a laptop doesn’t mean sacrificing power, so if you like to be mobile, or intend to take your gear to other places to record, then go portable.”

Microphones

Microphone choices are nearly endless. You can go with the kind that plugs into an amp or another power source or those that simply connect to your laptop or desktop computer via a USB. Different microphones have different qualities. “Dynamic mics are better for recording voices, while condenser mics are better for capturing the sounds of different instruments,” Larry Fire of The Fire Wire Pop Culture Blog suggests.

E-Home Recording Studio mentions some other microphones that you should consider for different recording duties:

• Polar pattern microphones, which pick up on sound sensitivity
• Ribbon microphones, which are bidirectional and very fragile
• Dynamic microphones, which use a diaphragm and wire coil
• Matched pair microphones, which are positioned in different ways to capture various sounds
• Condenser microphones, which run on electricity and a capacitor

DAWs

Digital audio workstations, also known as DAWs, are another necessity when it comes to recording. These computer programs often come with hardware that allow you to make easy edits to your songs from your computer. E-Home Recording Studio has a great piece on narrowing down your DAW options. While most programs cost money, there are some quality free programs that can work just as well for some musicians. You also have to select from:

• Boxed DAWs, which include a physical disc and hardware that you install.
• Digital DAWs, which aren’t physical but are downloaded from the manufacturer. If you need hardware, you’ll have to order it.
• A combination of the two methods.

DACs

Digital-to-analog converters, or DACs, are also a musician’s buddy. Creative Bloq’s piece about budget-conscious equipment notes that these typically work in conjunction with in/out wires and mixing boards. “You’ll still need a way to connect your mic’s XLR or TLS cables, something your standard audio card doesn’t offer,” the article says.