Passive solar design with great acoustics?

[Snarl 12/8]

Hey People,

I've got a bit of money to put into a music room/office. I want to build something from the ground up (possibly underground, actually) in my back yard, not convert space in the house. I'm not qualified to design or build it though, so I'm wondering how to get started.

1) Does anyone know of any [small] studio designs that take into account sustainability/passive solar heating and cooling as well as killer acoustics? I want to a room that's a joy to be in, comfortable with an inspiring sound, not just a box that will contain my drumming. I have a great site on a south-facing hill with forest past my back yard, I want a great view, sound proofing and a "world class" drum room.

2) Does anyone know anyone in the Portland, OR area that could design and build such a thing?

3) Has anyone seen a "[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombe_wall]trombe wall[url]" built as an acoustic diffuser? It seems like with a little math this could be a real win-win.

4) What are people's favorite shapes and sizes for drum rooms? Or single room studios? (Within the range of reason, I can't build a cathedral back there.) What's the smallest drum room that can achieve a "world class" drum tone without artificial reverb, whatever that may mean to you? I'd like to have options for "big" or "small" drum sounds.

Thanks for any information and ideas you can share,

[JWL]

If that were me, I'd make the front wall the big window with the view. That way your speakers are firing away from it and you won't need to worry about a lack of treatments on that wall. Just leave room for corner bass traps, or use traps on stands or freestanding corner traps.

Regarding the trombe wall, the biggest issue I see is that typically the ceiling is highest at the point of the trombe wall, which is not ideal acoustically (you want the ceiling to go higher behind you). I'm not sure how you envision it being a diffuser, can you say more about this idea?

In general I'm a fan of simple rectangular rooms with decent ratios, of at least 2500 cubic feet. Such rooms are predictable and easy to treat, and sound good when treated. If you know what you are doing you can go with angles, but make sure you know what you are doing.

[rhythm ranch]

3) Has anyone seen a "trombe wall" built as an acoustic diffuser? It seems like with a little math this could be a real win-win.

Fixed your link and PM'd.

[vvv]

I was just reading the Brad Wood article from the Jan/Feb TapeOp and he said he liked his untreated drum room of 21' x 20' and explained why pretty cogently ("Drum Room Thoughts" in the black box on page 42).

[nobody, really]

Straw bale walls + slate floor with hydronic heating(no hvac noise) + living roof.
If you've never been inside a strawbale house, there's probably someone in the portland area that wouldn't mind giving a little tour. It'd be worth it I think, to have that first-hand experience. I think there's a couple small ones in the SE neighborhood.

[llmonty]

Your ideas all sound like good ones and you need someone to help combine them into a system. Building into the hill and something like a living roof could be very cool. Waterproofing will be as important (more!) as soundproofing.

I built a studio at our last house from the ground up. It had some of the features you are talking about. It had clerestory windows on 3 sides, with good sized overhangs. They allowed for indirect light, and a panoramic view of the trees. I don't think I could send every day in a studio without windows.

Ceiling height ranged from 11 to 14' and loved the sound for acoustic instruments.

Though the wall was only single stud, they were 6", caulked, 2x drywall, insulated, etc. Had radiant heat/cooling and a minisplit. Also had an unvented roof above, with storage attic.

Energy bills were incredibly low. $25-50 a month for electric. Including a full console, computers, rack gear, toob stuff, etc. I barely ever needed heating/cooling. And EVR was next on my list, as there was no air exchange, but I did have 2 windows that could open.

My point is that many of the same techniques that are good for the studio are also good for reduced energy consumption (except for that SSL!).

[mn412]

We just moved into a passive solar designed home in November. Really helped with heating costs this winter, which was especially cold up here. The main room sounds really good with no treatments. Ceiling heights (and I'm guess-stimating) go from 20ft to 30ft. Room is 30ft by 25ft with opening on one side into the kitchen area. Starting a record here Sunday that will be tracked live. So will be interesting to see how it works out. Until now all recording has sort of been done separately but, with good results. I wish I had my panels for gobos in this situation but they are in storage in another state. Anyway I almost think no non-passive houses should be built. Energy savings are quite amazing. All the natural light is great.

When researching passive solar designs I stumbled upon this link hopefully you find some use in it: http://hudsonpassiveproject.com/index.html

also reminded me of an old SOS article with Pierre Marchand. Pictures aren't great but, you see the one room lots of glass design.


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar00/a ... chland.htm

best of luck

oh and as far as sustainability I remember reading an article about jack johnsons studio were they used denim for insulation for its sustainability but, realized it did a better job then typical fiberglass. Think his studio was 100% solar and collected rain water to.

[mn412]

We just moved into a passive solar designed home in November. Really helped with heating costs this winter, which was especially cold up here. The main room sounds really good with no treatments. Ceiling heights (and I'm guess-stimating) go from 20ft to 30ft. Room is 30ft by 25ft with opening on one side into the kitchen area. Starting a record here Sunday that will be tracked live. So will be interesting to see how it works out. Until now all recording has sort of been done separately but, with good results. I wish I had my panels for gobos in this situation but they are in storage in another state. Anyway I almost think no non-passive houses should be built. Energy savings are quite amazing. All the natural light is great.

When researching passive solar designs I stumbled upon this link hopefully you find some use in it: http://hudsonpassiveproject.com/index.html

also reminded me of an old SOS article with Pierre Marchand. Pictures aren't great but, you see the one room lots of glass design.


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar00/a ... chland.htm

best of luck

oh and as far as sustainability I remember reading an article about jack johnsons studio were they used denim for insulation for its sustainability but, realized it did a better job then typical fiberglass. Think his studio was 100% solar and collected rain water to.