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Recording Room (NOT an Iso-Booth)
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DaveChristi
King's Row


Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 1033
Location: Bend, OR

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 1:21 am    Post subject: Recording Room (NOT an Iso-Booth) Reply with quote

My studio/office is an extra bedroom in my house. I was in need of a smaller space to record. No matter how much I tried I couldn't get the life out of my room.

I rent my house, so building walls is out. I'm not about to pay $3000+ for a pre-fab iso booth. Besides, I wasn't looking for complete isolation, just less "life" in the recording.

I can't remember where on the web I saw this idea, but it works and it's relatively cheap.

I JUST put this together today! It took one full day, but that's because I moved everything in my office around. The booth only took a few hours.

Step 1:

I bought 3 hollow-core 24" interior doors from Lowes (cost $19 each) and 6 door hinges (cost $1 each).

Step 2:

I also bought 8.5 linear feet of 6' wide gray indoor/outdoor carpet (cost $25). Using spray adhesive on both the doors and carpet, I applied the carpet to one side of the doors (this takes a 2nd person to help line up the carpet). Save the extra length for later.

Step 3:

Since the 3 doors and the carpet are the same width it is easy to fit it and then cut between the doors.

Step 4:

I already had these foam squares. I bought them on eBay from the Foam Factory. I bought an order of 1" wedge and an order of 2" wedge (total 96 sq. ft. cost $75). This is where I got the spray adhesive.

Step 5:

Using the spray adhesive, I sprayed both the doors and the foam. Then applied.

Step 6:

Because the doors are 24" wide and the squares are 12", I had no cutting to do. The doors are 80" tall so there's some extra room at the bottom.

Step 7:

I used the extra length of carpet on the bottom.

Step 8:

Once the adhesive was fairly dry, I brought the panels inside for assembly. Using the door hinges, I assembled the 3-sided "room". Once assembled, the booth stands on its own.

Step 9:

I mounted my boom arm directly to the side of one of the panels and attached a clip-on lamp to the top of the center panel. You'd have to decide how best to do this for your setup.

Step 10:

I now have a small recording booth that sounds fantastic. Like I said before, it's not an ISOLATION booth, but it gives me the sound I want without having to gate the crap out of my mic.
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Dave "Christi" Felton
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mcm
Smart Kitteh


Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 2600
Location: w. MA, USA

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a wicked useful set of photos. And a clever & frugal solution!
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Deirdre
Czarina Emeritus


Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 13016
Location: East Jesus, Maine

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nifty solution!
And your "How-To" photos are indeed helpful. Mission Control has a shared wall with the kitchen, and some of my mics pick up the refrigerator's motor/compressor noise like mad.
I believe a little hollow-door-behind-the-frige experiment is called for.
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BenWils
The Thirteenth Floor


Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 1324
Location: In a Flyover State

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice....I just did a very similar set-up with some 36" doors. It does work great. You can add a 4th door, which may make the whole thing more cumbersome or just buy a heavy black blanket or something to drap behind you. I went the blankey route and just got some heavy duty push pins, which hold nicely in the tops of the doors.

My next project is to build one of those mobile units that goes into a bag. May need some light durable material for that. Still keeping an eye out for what may work the best.

Nice pics Dave and welcome to the VO-BB for me.
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Bailey
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Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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Location: Lake San Marcos... north of Connie, northwest of the Best.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the partitions are great... but I've had a question bouncing aound inside my head for months. I've been wanting to ask it, but didn't want to sound like a total goof.
When I record at my desk, the mic and all that stuff is right here. If your recording in a booth or behind a partition, do you just click the record on the computer... run into the recording area... record the script... and then run back to the computer to stop the recording? Or is there a way you remotely do this from the booth? I realize that you can trim the recording aftewards. I just thought I was missing one of the "SECRETS OF VOICE OVERS".
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DaveChristi
King's Row


Joined: 03 Aug 2006
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Location: Bend, OR

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bailey wrote:
do you just click the record on the computer... run into the recording area... record the script... and then run back to the computer to stop the recording?


I don't have a remote stop/start. I don't so much run as I sort of "casually mosey". Wink It's easy enough to "trim the fat" off the beginning and end.
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Dave "Christi" Felton
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bobsouer
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Joined: 15 Jul 2006
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:37 am    Post subject: Re: Recording Room (NOT an Iso-Booth) Reply with quote

Dave,

Thanks for the excellent and vivid illustration of just how simple this process is. I'm going to follow your instructions at the end of this month when I re-configure my studio at home.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bailey,

Also, if you have an extra monitor, keyboard and mouse laying around (and, doesn't everyone?) , you can purchase a KVM switch. Mount the monitor in the booth (flat LCD's are best) and build a shelf for the keyboard and mouse.

BTW, I recently purchased 2 LCD 17" monitors for $99 apiece. At that price, I simply could NOT pass them up.

So many choices... so little time!
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DaveChristi
King's Row


Joined: 03 Aug 2006
Posts: 1033
Location: Bend, OR

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:59 am    Post subject: Re: Recording Room (NOT an Iso-Booth) Reply with quote

bobsouer wrote:
I'm going to follow your instructions at the end of this month when I re-configure my studio at home.


I'd love to see pics of your finished product. Anyone else who has (or will have) a similar setup, post your pics.
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Dave "Christi" Felton
The Character Voice Actor
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bobsouer
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Joined: 15 Jul 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:01 am    Post subject: Re: Recording Room (NOT an Iso-Booth) Reply with quote

DaveChristi wrote:
I'd love to see pics of your finished product.

Dave,

I'm not the photographer you are, but I'll do my best. Look for something just before Labor Day.
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Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
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Diane Maggipinto
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Joined: 03 Mar 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
My next project is to build one of those mobile units that goes into a bag. May need some light durable material for that. Still keeping an eye out for what may work the best.


Ben--you probably know this, but here's a quick link. Save you :03 in searching the archives:

http://www.vo-bb.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=814
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dhouston67
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Joined: 01 Aug 2005
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Location: Right next door to Sandra Bullock. No, really.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave,

Many thanks for documenting these steps; it looks great and no doubt works like a charm.

This same idea was discussed here a while back, but without the photographic evidence. Kudos!
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Last edited by dhouston67 on Mon Aug 14, 2006 9:59 am; edited 1 time in total
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BenWils
The Thirteenth Floor


Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 1324
Location: In a Flyover State

PostPosted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BettieWheelie wrote:

Ben--you probably know this, but here's a quick link. Save you :03 in searching the archives:


Thanks Bettie. Yes, after seeing the Stone in a Bag thing, I want to build my own to take on the road when needed. I just want the materials to be extremely light so I don't need to see a chiropractor once a week. Wink

I guess I could find a nice roller bag that was big enough to accomodate the unit.
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"To be really good at voiceover, you need to improve your footwork and hip snap."
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Joniv
Contributor IV


Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 128
Location: Windsor, CT

PostPosted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ben, that's so creative! Thanks for sharing.

I'm using a a closet that I converted into my recording room. It works well, but the only problem is that it gets very hot in there. We've just finished a record-breaking heat wave and I'm working on a 3 hour audio track for a DVD. Lots of ice cream helps- LOL!
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BenWils
The Thirteenth Floor


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Location: In a Flyover State

PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Joniv wrote:
Ben, that's so creative! Thanks for sharing.


I would take credit...but Mr. Christi was the mastermind.
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