sound proofing...temporary and mobile style...

[the velour fog]

what would be the best way to go about keeping the neighbors (apartment) happy? i'm looking to do some kind of soundproofing, but i would like it to be a temporary solution, and have the ability to take it with me when i leave. any ideas? another question...why is all the sound proofing material on ebay acoustic foam...that's for treating the space right? it doesn't really dampen the sound at all does it? how can you tell if your room needs treating? should i build the iso cab for my amplifier or try to soundproof and treat a small section of the apartment (closet)?? what if there's more than one amp? are you sick of these questions?

i know the best ways around this is making a schedule with the neighbors, and playing low volume. but some things just have to be loud.

[onlyreason]

Are you recording entire bands live in a room? If so, you'll probably need to build a room within a room. Use a wooden frame and double up the drywall. Don't forget to float the floor and build a double door to your new soundproof space.

Sounds like a lot of work, but if your landloard's cool with it, and you plan on staying there for a while, it's worth it. Just get three or four friends who are competent at hands-on labor and go to work.

The foam won't change your SPL which means no actual noise reduction outside of the room. There are materials you can buy that will do this, and if you use them in the construction of your new room (in between the drywall, underneath the floating floor) you'll decrease the level even more.

[cgarges]

Are you familiar with the Auralex GRAMMAS? They're like mini-risers for amps. They're really inexpensive (less than $50) and do two things really well. One, they de-couple your amp from the floor, which focuses the low-end response of your amps and makes them less muddy. (Sort of like their Mo Pads for studio monitors.) Two, the de-couple your amp from the floor, which reduces floor-bourne vibrations that make your room rattle. Andy Hong wrote a great review of them (I think it was Andy) and a review of the Auralex Platfoam, which is the same material in the GRAMMAS and can be used to build risers. They were in different issues, but both weren't that long ago.

Short of doing some contruction-type stuff, I'd check these things out. I was really pleasantly surprised.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Rec Head]

It all depends on what you have set up in the apartment. Are you using your apartment for practicing or just recording? Do you have drums set up? A drum set really changes things.

[rauri76]

I had this same problem and considered many solutions the easiest is to isolate all amps off the floor using either pieces of condensed rubber on each corner of the amp or build a metal platform with four thin metal legs with condensed rubber on the ends, build a drum riser and then plexi glass with piano latches surround going just a foot or so above toms or cymbals, use smaller amps angled toward ears not blasting at knees then lotsa gobos. Otherwise if yer looking at building walls, try to float the floor and if you can't do that put down an inch thick compressed rubber then the 2X4 studs on top of that. For the actual walls there are all sorts of different combinations of drywall, soundboard or soundboard drywall, drywall or drywall, air , soundboard, drywall etc etc. And remeber airtight pretty much means soundtight.

[rauri76]

I had this same problem and considered many solutions the easiest is to isolate all amps off the floor using either pieces of condensed rubber on each corner of the amp or build a metal platform with four thin metal legs with condensed rubber on the ends, build a drum riser and then plexi glass with piano latches surround going just a foot or so above toms or cymbals, use smaller amps angled toward ears not blasting at knees then lotsa gobos. Otherwise if yer looking at building walls, try to float the floor and if you can't do that put down an inch thick compressed rubber then the 2X4 studs on top of that. For the actual walls there are all sorts of different combinations of drywall, soundboard or soundboard drywall, drywall or drywall, air , soundboard, drywall etc etc. And remeber airtight pretty much means soundtight.

[the velour fog]

i will not be recording drums...unless maybe i just get a tiny set of kick, snare & hihat to add some "realism" i'm not looking to do any major construction, because 1.) it's a pretty small apartment. 2.) i would like to take whatever i build with me. so room in a room is pretty much out. thanks for the riser and gobo thoughts. how do you go about getting or making gobos? what are some simple DIY things i can do to reduce noise? for instance...should i try to line the closet with something? should i build something (small and box-like, not room size)? the room itself is pretty live sounding...so it would be nice to deaden and dampen some space in the apartment. what would you suggest?

[llmonty]

I lived in a NYC apt for years so I feel your pain. Here are somethings I did:

These don't involve really doing anything sound wise - just good neighbor sense - Only play/record loud instruments during the day - say between 10 and 5 if you can. This goes a long way. After say 5 or 6, I still recorded live sounds, just not at really loud levels - 50-100 watt tube amps on 2-3 for example, vs. 5-6 during the day. Or vocals or percussion (not kit drums). After those times, record direct. I like an old Rocktron Pro Gap for guitar and bass. If needed, I go and reamp later (using lillabs redeye - which is awesome btw).

As far as sound dampening, I had a walk in closet that I lined with some thick carpet. I also had stacked above of the shelves 6-7 guitar cases, books, etc. With the door closed it really lowered the volume to the rest of the apt - not sure about the immediate neighbors - but they never complained. The closet idea is a good one for amps. If you have more than one, just switch em out when you need to. Other ghetto apt ideas - turning the amp towards the back of the couch, getting it off the floor and surrounding it with cushions and blankets - duvets work the best!

[ottokbre]

office cubical walls can dampin a bit. maybe make a small riser for cabs and percussion on the inside, then on the other side your recording gear and monitors faced away. you can do it in a way that doesnt completely ruin the fung shui of the room since you have to live there.

[ULI B.]

ive got the same problem. i live in a apartment style condo my music room is upstairs so loud amps vibrate to the down stairs rooms and ive got a big window that lets sound out and the sound of cars and barking dogs in. ive been planning to build a vocal/amp booth out of wood with a wood on thick foam type floor some foam on the inside and some "Auralex SheetBlok Sound Barrier" on the outside. have any of you used this stuff? it sounds expensive but it says it is a "dense, limp-mass vinyl material that is about 6dB more effective than a sheet of solid lead at stopping the transmission of sound. It acts as a thin, dense sound barrier layer in walls, ceilings, or floors and it's most effective when used as one component of a multi-layered construction scheme." It cost $329.99 for a 4' X 30' sheet i would like to know if it worked before i buy it and cut it up, thanks

[rauri76]

Gobos,
There was an article I believe in Tape Op a while ago about building gobos. Consisted of taking a door mounting it on a peice of wood about 6inch by 30inch, then covering one side with egg crate/mattress foam. Next issue a lot of people wrote in warning of the fire hazards of these foam mattress things. Otherwise I have seen gobos built in pro studios consisting of a wooden board of any size framed by 1x2s, 2x4's or whatever then filled in with flame retardant insulation then a layer of cloth on top of that. If space is yer concern I'd build them kinda small with the ability to be stacked and arranged in various configurations. Here in our place we had a nasty neighbor constantly calling the police and throwing rocks at our windows (mofo broke about 3 of them thank gawd he moved the F out haven't heard a peep from the new neighbors) anyways we lined our practice area with combos of foam and rugs on the walls, over windows etc. (if you go out on garbage nights you can rip the foam out of discarded couches and cushions). This did a lot for the highs pinging around but not much fer bass. Sounded much better though.

[tomasz]

check out www.soundproofing.org they sell used soundproofing curtains and heavy drapes (very portable) and for cheap cheap and quite successful amp to floor isolator use an old beat up car tire (no rim)...not sure how well does it compare to professional products but it does make a big difference and If you do not have one You can probably get if free from a local car repair shop...It works even better if placed on carpet rather than a hardwood floor.
have fun ...improvise