Drum Room

[fiacovaz]

I've been doing quite a bit of re-arranging of the rooms in my house and have decided to take over a small bedroom and convert it into my drum room. The room measures 10' x 13', not very large but, enough for my purposes. What I want to know is what suggestions any of you might have to sound proof the room. Are there any materials that I can put on the wall such as foam or cork or some sound absorbing tiles? If I knew that I was not terribly distrubing anyone, I would put in some practice time. Appreciate it.

[Bish]

The pro stuff is very expensive. Upwards of $75 a square foot.


Depending if you are going to insulate inside the walls or just on top of...heres a start.

http://www.controlnoise.com/pyramids.html

[drumrbychoice]

fiacovaz-
That sounds really cool to have the dedicated room. You're soooo lucky... A person could sure get some work done. You might try carpet padding. Depending on your floors, Doors and windows are always problematic too. That's real cool, Let us know how ya come out on it.

[STICKSWIZZARDDRAGON]

I've been doing quite a bit of re-arranging of the rooms in my house and have decided to take over a small bedroom and convert it into my drum room. The room measures 10' x 13', not very large but, enough for my purposes. What I want to know is what suggestions any of you might have to sound proof the room. Are there any materials that I can put on the wall such as foam or cork or some sound absorbing tiles? If I knew that I was not terribly distrubing anyone, I would put in some practice time. Appreciate it.

HOLA COMO ESTAS' FIACOVAZ*FRANK *MI AMIGO CREATIVE ARTISTIC DRUMMER ARTIST (CAT) THATS ROJO CALIENTE*VERY COOL **
I hope that this PROJECT works OUT Fantastic for you MI Amigo GRACIAS

[ThePloughman]

Check out TACK BOARD.

Its a sound board material covered with a fabric........ for pin tacking things to the wall. its easy to install, easy to cut, has J molding cap, outside corner cap, and butt joint molding. I do not think it is very expensive......... much cheaper than foam.
It applies using liquid nails adhesive or powergrab or any good quality construction adhesive will do. It is aprox. 1/2 inch thick, comes in 4x8 or 4x10 foot sheets. All teh moldings are 10"

[crazydrummer]

the cheapest, most practical method would be to find a bunch of thick carpet, and staple it to the walls. i have done this, and it works GREAT...there`s sound absorbent you can buy...just google it, but as the guys have said, its very expensive, and wont do much better than some thick carpet...

[Riouel]

thanx for all the info guys

i will do the same take a room in the basement because i can't practice when i want

very nice post

[bassist learning drums]

If you have windows, I suggest building a frame. Measure the thickness of the window area. You may be able to use 2x4 for thickness. Next measure the dimensions. Make your perimeter with 2x4(if it is deep enough) and nail plywood to one side. Stuff the "box" with foam or other noise absorbing material. Close the box with another piece of plywood. To mount it, you can use hinges or latches. I would suggest more foam on the room side for an extra barrier. Put a handle on it, so you can remove it, for sunlight and aeration.

[fiacovaz]

The pro stuff is very expensive. Upwards of $75 a square foot.


Depending if you are going to insulate inside the walls or just on top of...heres a start.

http://www.controlnoise.com/pyramids.html

************************************************** **********************


Bish...thanks for the info and the website. That's kind of what I had in mind but I will do a lot of research before I actually do anything other than paint the room and ready it. Years, ago, the lower level walls were just the poured concrete form. I framed and insulated each of the rooms then dry walled and paineted. In the family room I went so far as to run conduit and additional wall outlets and wire into the breaker box. The room I have in mind is insulated as I said and carpeted. I don't think it would take a great deal more to add some sound insulation.

[fiacovaz]

Thanks to all of you who responed...some excellent ideas. Having already framed and insulated the room years ago, I think I have a good start on the project. I'll keep you all posted as I go along.

[ScreaminSGs]

We have a shop that is separate from our house. I walled off an 18’ by 24’ room to use as a music room. For the walls I used 2x6 top and bottom plates and 2x4 studs staggered so that the only direct connection between the inside and outside wall panels is the top and bottom plates. I wove insulation horizontally through the wall. Inside I have painted drywall ceiling and walls. The walls are partially covered with blankets. The ceiling has some blankets and some acoustic tiles. I left some of the bare walls exposed for some sound reflection.
I can crank the PA and the highs and mids don’t make it outside at all. The bottom end gets out, but not too bad. The neighbors are all happy!

We walled off a section of the room with 2 very large sliding glass door panes to make a drum room. The glass is very reflective so we still have a lot of fine tuning to do. I always use headphones because the drums are so bright.

I have a friend that did his garage. He totally carpeted the interior. He also has carpeted panels hanging in the air. It is way too dead. Everything has to be cranked just to hear it and the sound falls off immediately.

A friend of mine’s family does windows for large projects. He told me how to make sound proof windows. Make your own double pane windows with 2 different thickness panes. Don’t mount the panes directly parallel. Taper the gap between the panes. I haven’t tried it but it supposed to do a good job.

Anyway, that’s my experience with soundproofing.

Good Luck

[crazydrummer]

We have a shop that is separate from our house. I walled off an 18’ by 24’ room to use as a music room. For the walls I used 2x6 top and bottom plates and 2x4 studs staggered so that the only direct connection between the inside and outside wall panels is the top and bottom plates. I wove insulation horizontally through the wall. Inside I have painted drywall ceiling and walls. The walls are partially covered with blankets. The ceiling has some blankets and some acoustic tiles. I left some of the bare walls exposed for some sound reflection.
I can crank the PA and the highs and mids don’t make it outside at all. The bottom end gets out, but not too bad. The neighbors are all happy!

We walled off a section of the room with 2 very large sliding glass door panes to make a drum room. The glass is very reflective so we still have a lot of fine tuning to do. I always use headphones because the drums are so bright.

I have a friend that did his garage. He totally carpeted the interior. He also has carpeted panels hanging in the air. It is way too dead. Everything has to be cranked just to hear it and the sound falls off immediately.

A friend of mine’s family does windows for large projects. He told me how to make sound proof windows. Make your own double pane windows with 2 different thickness panes. Don’t mount the panes directly parallel. Taper the gap between the panes. I haven’t tried it but it supposed to do a good job.

Anyway, that’s my experience with soundproofing.

Good Luck

thats good info..sounds like a nice room too....

[Bish]

************************************************** **********************


Bish...thanks for the info and the website. That's kind of what I had in mind but I will do a lot of research before I actually do anything other than paint the room and ready it. Years, ago, the lower level walls were just the poured concrete form. I framed and insulated each of the rooms then dry walled and paineted. In the family room I went so far as to run conduit and additional wall outlets and wire into the breaker box. The room I have in mind is insulated as I said and carpeted. I don't think it would take a great deal more to add some sound insulation.

Your welcome and from the sounds of things, you've got the room in close to ready condition as it is. GJ!

[quikstang2]

I've read the best way to do it is to build a room within the room using pretty much everything listed above.

[1DrumBum]

The best way to soundproof a room is to use sheathing in multiple layers with different thicknesses and densities. Example= 1/2" sheetrock, 3/8" foam, 1/2" soundboard, then carpet would make your walls virtually soundproof. Make sure you do not layer together 2 things that are the same thickness or density. The difference between each layer disrupts the soundwaves and makes it weaker when it gets to the next layer, much like the windows that ScreaminSGs was talking about. Actually, the best windows for sound issues are triple paned ( 3/16", 1/4", 5/16" glass ) with different thicknesses. This is standard soundproofing 101 for areas that are around airports, train stations, etc. If you have an existing window in the room, you might want to swap out the inside panes (if it is double paned) for glass that is a little thicker. You could also add some plexiglass (different density than real glass) to the inside, but make it so it can be removed so you can ventilate the room. Air gets pretty stagnant in a room that is totally sealed up.

Speaking of sealed up, 2 things that most people overlook are:

1. the door. Make sure you put some foam weathstripping around the door, especially along the bottom.

2. Heat / Air conditioning vents. If they are not covered while playing, they act as metal sound tubes that allow sound waves to be carried throughout the entire house. You could have your room 100% soundproof, but if your ducting is left open, everyone will be able to hear you anywhere in the house.

There really are a lot of ways to soundproof a room and no one way is really right or wrong (unless you create a fire hazard, then it's wrong). All rooms are built with different materials, are different sizes, etc., so experiment and see what works for you. I have done 4 different studios and have had to use different materials each time to get the best performance. It's just the nature of the beast. And yes, money is always a factor.

Let us know how it goes!

[backtodrum]

Frank I am 1/2 teasing here, but what about having the room rhino lined you know the truck bed coating. I really wonder if it you work, I bet it would be expensive but is certainly would be durable. they advertise that the line the walls of the pentigon with the stuff.........

[crazydrummer]

Frank I am 1/2 teasing here, but what about having the room rhino lined you know the truck bed coating. I really wonder if it you work, I bet it would be expensive but is certainly would be durable. they advertise that the line the walls of the pentigon with the stuff.........

If its good enough for the pentagon...its good enough for me.....

[bongobro]

the cheapest, most practical method would be to find a bunch of thick carpet, and staple it to the walls. i have done this, and it works GREAT...there`s sound absorbent you can buy...just google it, but as the guys have said, its very expensive, and wont do much better than some thick carpet...

If you choose carpet, Frank, get a simple basic color...and here's why...

Until 1979, the radio station where I once worked was set up in a cluster of converted mobile homes near Granite City. The station owner used relatively inexpensive carpeting, stapled to the walls as crazydrummer recommended, to minimize unpleasant sounds. It actually worked up to a point--

but the carpet he used was 70s-style shag carpeting in a red-white-and-blue pattern I think someone thought would sell big during the Bicentennial in 1976. It didn't, and as the years went by (and as the engineers smoked in the studio), it got increasingly grungier and more ugly! (Yeah, engineers smoked in the studio until the day we moved to St. Louis, including yours truly, who fired up more than a few cigars on weekends!)

Now obviously you won't have a smoking problem, man, but that red-white-and-blue shag dated our studios almost from the day it was put up. To me it looked like something you'd find in a swinger's bedroom (and I think my predecessor as PD used it in HIS bedroom, too!), and it looked really unprofessional...

This is one time where keeping it simple is the best way to go!

[rmandelbaum]

So I want to ask a question, I am going to be moving soon, I the area that i live it is very common to have 3 car garages with 9" + ceilings in the garage. That is one of the main criteria my wife and I have agreed upon in the search. So I plan on building the room in a room scenario. So to my question, how do you have climate control that does not leak sound?

[backtodrum]

If you choose carpet, Frank, get a simple basic color...and here's why...

Until 1979, the radio station where I once worked was set up in a cluster of converted mobile homes near Granite City. The station owner used relatively inexpensive carpeting, stapled to the walls as crazydrummer recommended, to minimize unpleasant sounds. It actually worked up to a point--

but the carpet he used was 70s-style shag carpeting in a red-white-and-blue pattern I think someone thought would sell big during the Bicentennial in 1976. It didn't, and as the years went by (and as the engineers smoked in the studio), it got increasingly grungier and more ugly! (Yeah, engineers smoked in the studio until the day we moved to St. Louis, including yours truly, who fired up more than a few cigars on weekends!)

Now obviously you won't have a smoking problem, man, but that red-white-and-blue shag dated our studios almost from the day it was put up. To me it looked like something you'd find in a swinger's bedroom (and I think my predecessor as PD used it in HIS bedroom, too!), and it looked really unprofessional...

This is one time where keeping it simple is the best way to go!

Bongo, that Radio station would be worth seeing for its sure unequivocal tackiness. It is kind of like grace land. Didn't Elvis have a basement room covered in pea green sculpted carpet, or something to that effect.

[cadesonT14]

my teacher uses foam squares shaped to absorb the sound it's cheap and not exactly sound proof but it soaks up extra noise moving off of the walls for a better sound. It's the closest thing to sound proofing that is very cheap.