Yup. I got moved and settled and now I’m converting a detached building into a recording studio.
The console room, equipment and keyboard area are being built first in the current space, which is about 24’x17’. The live room will be about 12’x15’ and built next spring as it will be a complete ground-up build. The live room will also require extra special attention as it will be “soundproof” (as well as one can with common budgets).
The studio itself will contain a Soundtracs Topaz 32x8 console paired with an extra 64 inputs via the Mackie LM3204 and LM3204E. Recording will be captured via a Motu 828 MkII and an Echo AudioFire 12 (later I’ll replace the Motu with another Audiofire). The software for recording is Sonar. Monitoring is through the Halfer Transnova P3000 amp and JBL 4406 monitors. After the build is complete I might consider adding the Adam A7 monitors as well. I need to see how the room sounds first.
I have 30 hardware synths and samplers as well as a dedicated synth computer with 8 audio ins/outputs for software synths.
The build is currently at the structure stage - rockwool insulation, siding, vapoursheilds, and air exchanger… etc. I’ve walled in a server/equipment room and a front entry.
Next week should see the first of the wall studs. Then double 5/8" drywall with acoustic treatment between boards. Then the floating floor and floor finish.
The main electrical will go in after the drywall. It will be star grounded, wall mounted conduit dropping from the ceiling. Every outlet will be on it’s on circuit except the “noise” circuit which will contain the air exchange fans, fridge, and a few other noisy items.
Then paint and install the console desk.
Acoustic treatments will begin with the common “superchunk” bass traps in the four vertical corners of the console room. Then the room will be acoustically tested and more treatments will be added based on the readings. Tested again, treatments added/moved, etc. This will continue until the room sounds good.
So,. any questions?
(this really isn’t as much a proper “ask the” type thread as much as it is about my new studio :D)
I don’t know what half of what you describe means, and I’m still drooling all over myself. Congratulations! I hope the rest of the build goes smoothly.
How long before you can start using it? Are you building it as a commercial venture or are you just doing what a lot of us would do given the means? In what part of the world are you building*?
Thirty synths? Good lord, will you even need any other instruments? (that’s a joke, in case anyone takes it serious) Are you planning any isolation booths (I’m wondering more about drums more than anything else)?
I’ve always been fascinated by how recordings are done and I hope you’ll keep us posted on how it’s going.
*and do you need a really cheap house drummer or an intern? I’ve always wanted to learn more about recording.
What are the gems of your synth collection? I play keys and have a small collection as well. Actually, you don’t happen to know any good techs in the New England area do you? I have an OB-8 that needs a little love and care.
Also, are you running Vista or XP? I’ve been having a b**ch of a time getting my MOTU/Sonar combination to play nice in Vista, and am thinking of dropping back to XP.
If everything goes as planned I should be up and running within about two months.
I’m in Vancouver Canada.
The only commercial aspect I have in line will be sound work for a software company. I also often do mastering for people I know. I’m kind of picky on the projects I take on (I don’t really like the music industry). The rest of the time the studio will be for my own projects.
The live room will be like an isolation booth. There will be a room within a room. The outside wall will be 2x6 with hardie board as a siding on 3/4" plywood - the studs will be insulated with rockwool. The inside room will be 2x4 or 2x6 with rockwool insulation and 2 layers of 5/8" drywall. The inside rooms walls, ceiling and floor will be decoupled from the outside structure so no sound can vibrate through (in or out). Ideally, I should be able to play acoustic drums at 2am and no one will hear it unless you’re closer then about 10 feet from the building. Of course we will see how that pans out.
My last studio was constructed like this only I used 1/2" drywall. Only the lowest of low notes escaped if it was load enough.
Inside the live room I’ll have a section for vocals - mostly some treatments in one corner and movable self-standing acoustic treatments to help box in the corner and make a vocal booth.
I have a couple like-new synths. A Roland Jupiter 6, an Akai AX-80 and a first series DX-7. All three are in perfect condition. The Jupiter 6 was quite a find at a fair price. I’m the third owner. The DX-7 I’m the second owner. Both synths were bought in the 80’s, played for a short time and then stored for 20 years as the owners moved on to other things. I’m not sure of the back story behind the Akai, but it was well cared for over the years. All three of those I found locally in Vancouver.
I have a Crumar Bit-one which is somewhat rare. My recent cool find is a near perfect Oberheim Matrix 6R (the rack mount version). Just a few scuffs on the front panel.
Outside of that it is the regular business. D-50, Fizmo, Wavestation, MS2000, Juno 106, JP8000, Polysix, Poly-61, Ax-60, Korg Ex800 and Ex8000, etc.
I mostly gave up on non-MIDI gear. Most of my older than MIDI gear just collected dust. Mostly because I sequence all parts in MIDI before I commit the audio tracks. Non-MIDI gear was out of the loop (cough: a little MIDI joke there). All the Moogs and analog goddies got sold several years back. I thought I’d miss them but I don’t.
Too bad about the OB-8. There is nother worse then a sad Oberheim :(.
I don’t know anyone who works on Oberheim gear. Sorry. My Crumar has a bit of an issue as well and I can’t track down anyone who will even look at it.
I’m running XP pro. I’ve not had any problems.
The new DAW is going to run XP 64bit (I want 8+ gigs of ram). I hear XP64 plays well with Sonar and Motu as they both support it. Of course I’m only keeping the Motu for a short time until I get the new Audiofire 12 (unless I move the motu to another computer for softsynth/sampler work - which could happen). We will see.
It is a list from Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, the co-founders of Steely Dan who are deservedly reputed as insufferable, OCD, perfectionist studio cranks known to be very hard on their musicians and almost impossible to work with.
A Fizmo, eh? That’s an unusual piece. I’ve thought about one on and off, but never really had a reason to justify the purchase. Love the sounds on it though.
I recently got a DX7 II for next to nothing that has a couple keys that are depressed; it’s going to be my first fix-it project on a keyboard, since it’s purely a mechanical issue and not electronic I’m not too intimidated.
Well, I envy you. I can’t wait for the time when I’ve got a place of my own where I don’t have to have a bedroom studio.
My friend used to play “Hollywood Music Producer” in the studio. He loved getting on the talkback mic and say things like “super baby. keep up that energy” and “We love that thing you do man, but give us more of that thing you do.” We got some great talkback recordings from him.
It also earned him the nickname of Kyle Superbaby.
