VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Lori Berman

Hey guys!

So...we have just moved (yeah! that was fun!!!) and the upside is we have a lot more space. Previously I was pretty much using a makeshift "studio," i.e. walk in closet with lots of blankets, sheepskin rug on the floor, etc. Sound was okay but clearly not state of the art or even close. I was able to process a bit and the end result was fine. Now..I've got the option to have a designated studio space in one of the rooms. It's a room we were going to use as an office, so my thought was either 1) treating one corner of the room vs the whole room (can i do that?) or getting a whisper room (possibly a daw box plan and building it myself, well okay not myself but buying the supplies and building here)
We are in a fairly quiet area so I'm not AS concerned about sound proofing vs room treatment, tho' I know they are both important.

I know I can check with my pal Monk, and George Whittam too, but I guess I'm just trying to figure out the best place for the space first. There's a great area in the basement under a staircase but that'll require sound proofing and treatment and I can pretty much hear everyone walking upstairs. So that seems like it'll be a bit too overwhelming to try and proof and treat. The bedroom/office does seem like the best solution but I'm just not sure if I should go booth vs corner of room...plus i need some sort of interim solution now.

I guess I'm just rambling but I know you guys are used to that. Wink

Thoughts????
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-Lori
www.loribermanvoice.com

Jason Huggins · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:31 pm Post subject:

Honestly, if you wanna do it right, you really do need to soundproof and deaden. If you don't, you will always have to worry about people walking around, shutting doors, a car driving by (if cars are close enough...for all I know you are way out in the country), a plane flying overhead, or a chair being moved in another room. All of that can get really frustrating (especially in a session with a client).

I think the basement is a great place, as long as you can soundproof the ceiling of the booth. Walking (especially on hard floors like wood and tile) will make lots of noise, even if the floor is not directly connected to your booth ceiling.

I think you'll be frustrated if you don't go all the way. Building a booth is not too tough, and if you have room to build truly decoupled (room inside a room) walls, you can do it well at not too high a cost. We have discussed the denim insulation that you can get at Lowe's, and that stuff looks stellar (the 3.5" version), at only about $50 for 8 - 7'x15" batts that can be screwed straight to the walls (or built in pretty professional looking frames).

When I built, I had in mind that I was going to be spending at least 8 (or so) hours a day in my room, and I wanted to make sure I really enjoyed being in the room. I personally don't enjoy being in a room that has random junk tacked to the walls...it just doesn't make me feel like a professional.

I have found that just like wearing classy clothes makes one feel classy, working in a highly professional and creative environment makes one feel highly professional and creative.

Woah...that was a book. Guess I have an opinion on that one Smile

Great luck on your quest!

todd ellis · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:51 pm Post subject:

I think if you have the opportunity to treat the whole room I'd go that way. That is if the room is not too big. You can make it sound great and function well as office/studio. I'm very comfortable working all day in my room ... I would not be comfortable in a booth .
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georgethetech · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:56 pm Post subject:

You could do this. I am a fan of the "dead corner" approach.
http://vostudiotech.com/eldoblog/2012/5/30/anna-luxs-foldable-voice-over-booth-installatio.html
This is a TAD overkill, but it really did sound amazingly good.
Works great in areas relatively quiet most of the time.

Rule of thumb is to get the RT60 down to 0.1 seconds (VO appropriate degree of reverb), and to do that you need to have about 70-75% of the surfaces be absorbing, whether it be furniture, carpet, drapery, acoustic panels, etc.
In the VO context, larger rooms don't have the bass trapping issues of small booths, so you rarely need to go nuts with that, unless you are mixing records, in which case RT60 .1 is not right at all.
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Pam · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:29 pm Post subject:

Let me echo Todd's statement. I treated a small bedroom completely and am very comfortable working all day in here. I think I would go loco if I were in a booth.
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Now what did I come in here for?

bobsouer · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:09 pm Post subject:

+1 to Todd and Pam. I much prefer my room within a room where I do everything arrangement to a separate booth and control room arrangement.
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heyguido · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:48 pm Post subject:

Let's see....

Jason said it, Todd was plus one, Bob and Pam piled on for two and three (not necessarily in that order)..... So that makes me +4.....

If you can do it, treat a room.... not a box.

It ain't cheap, but a room, a space, a place..... is just better.

Acoustically, functionally, artistically.... make your own space. Save, scrimp, revise and improve.... but make it your own world.

Some will scoff.... but I think it's worth it.

Nuff said.
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Bish · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:54 pm Post subject:

Err... add one, take away the number you first thought... and subtract one for Thursday... OK, +5...

Another vote for the "whole room" approach. My space is 8x12, and it's a proper little padded man-cave. In my original planning, I considered having a 7x8 workspace, and a 5x8 "booth" area (with walls, door, window etc). I'm so glad I didn't.
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melissa eX · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:21 pm Post subject:

Gonna have to be +6 for me. I work in a basement that has one end treated and it works really well. The rest is treated naturally, with bookshelves etc. I'd go nuts in a tiny booth.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:25 pm Post subject:

Once caveat about the basement: how much noise does your HVAC equipment generate (assuming it is also in the basement)? Of all the noise-generating things in my environment, the boiler is probably number one, and I'm not even in the basement.
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captain54 · Lucky 700 Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 744 Location: chicago

I've got the HVAC noise issue big time, in my new space that I'll be occupying in early 13' .. I'm not crazy about a booth either, but it's gonna take me an awful lot of building out to control that.. who's got the time for that? and if you hire someone to do it, you're right at the cost of a booth...

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

I'm with George on the "dead corner". Use moving blankets and cover with curtains in one corner of connecting walls. Cover the whole two walls if the room is not too big.

Also, important, put as many upholstered couches and chairs you can fit in the room. Craigslist is a great place to get them.

Our commercial studio uses this approach (with really nice furniture) and we've never had a complaint from the agency types who show up and the VO always sounds good. Talent, engineer, and agency rep/director all in the same room.
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todd ellis · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:28 am Post subject:

one caveat on the whole room - size DOES matter - my room is small - 8'x11' - i know pam's is similar. it's a whole lot easier treating a smaller space.
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Rob Ellis · M&M Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2385 Location: Detroit

gee guess I'm the only Booth-er here

Lori Berman · Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:33 am Post subject:

Thanks guys. Clearly whole room treatment is the favorite!

However, that's going to take time and money, and a plan.
I need a solution in the interim. George's "corner of the room" suggestion might work for now but i could possibly do it with moving blankets, etc. The room isn't too big, i think about 9 x 12. It actually has a built in desk too. No furniture in there right now tho there is a carpet.

It feels a little overwhelming to me right now.....
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-Lori
www.loribermanvoice.com