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Forum Posts: 1
Member Since:
August 4, 2018
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August 4, 2018 - 2:20 pm
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Hi I see you all have a nice and new forum! That is great! Look good!

I have been working with music for a short while as a hobby. I like to make electronic music. I use Propellerheads Reason as my main DAW. I rarely use any other software, although I have an older version of Cubase, Ableton Live, Fruity Loops, Audacity, … to name a few. I prefer the sound and familiarity with Reason and have been a registered owner since 2007. I am here to learn more about my studio and how to improve it. There is so much to learn, and improve on. I am aware of some of the basic concepts with audio physics and room response, but in practice, I lack the skills and experience to know what my room SHOULD sound like.

I hope to achieve some goals while learning here. I am a do it yourselfer who can built just about anything. My career as a helicopter mechanic, to welder/fabricator, to artist and designer, I have natural skills that just help with taking things apart and sometimes putting them back together.

So far I have made a few mistakes, we all do that. Some were conscious mistakes and even though I knew there were better options, I simply could not afford said resolution at the time. That said I have still moved on and pushed forward of achieving a goal- to create an in home studio for sound design and possible mixing as well. If I hold myself to said standard, I have to admit, I’m aware mixing studios and mastering studios are different, the gear is different, and the room dimensions should also reflect this. My goal is to be an in house artist that can create an overall decent sound, and to be able to represent himself in his music without having to pay for expensive mixing and mastering. At least to start off. When I can afford it and I have a contract, if that ever happens, that may change. For now, my goal is to make a song from start to finish and to be able to mix it, and master it, in one room… then put it on the web for release.

That said I guess I have quite a challenge. Minimal investment with a ridiculous expectation to make a great sounding product. lol. I do believe it can be done.

I’m running entry level gear, I know from the bottom of my heart, if I mean it well and make it sound good, it can be a great product. I need to refine my studio to reflect the issues it has, and the rest will fall into place. Its all in the music, and I got that covered. What I don’t, is the physics in my studio.

I have Presonus sound gear,

2 Eris 8 inch near fields
1 Temblor t10 10 inch subwoofer

Studio is rectangular, I built a wall to create an acceptable ratio, dimensions are length 13 ft x width 11 ft x height 8.4 ft

I do my sound design and mixing at a relatively lower volume however. I got the larger drivers and the sub for low reinforcement, but I play them at a lower volume. I like the sound. I am aware of the basic nodes and nulls in my room and have a basic 45 hz standing wave that is noticeable.

I have watched hours and hours of tutorials, read books, I have years of unprofessional experience djing, mixing, playing instruments, etc… enough to know when I am ready to move to the next phase: from beginner home studio, to invested home studio.

I purchased 250 sq ft of soundproofing rockwool for homemade corner traps, bass traps, reflection panels a year and a half ago. It instantly made my room sound better! But it did bring my attention to some faults and other ways to tackle the problems my room has.

My room is dedicated for sound and is rather symmetrical but not square. the ratio is odd and the lengths are not even or, the same. Also it helps I have a 6 inch futon mattress directly behind my sub along the front wall, my picture should reflect. The idea was to start tackling basic relfections and absorbing the corner bass and wall bass to some degree. I do after all live in an apartment building. No complaints yet!

There is a sweet spot, and I noted, apx 1/3 off the front wall is my listening position, with my mixer at 25% off the wall and my monitors at around 15% off the front wall.

Monitors are (center to center) 2 ft off each the front wall and side walls, apx.

I have a big desk that sits on milk crates lol and that works! my computer by one side an the sub slightly off center and sticking out past the monitors by about 6-10 inches. there is room behind the sub before mattress, which sits against the wall flush, and has a homemade reflection/absorption panel sitting on top of. The rest of the studio you can see clearly, except the closet. There isnt much in there… some boxes, and sleeping bag, other stuff. Nothing rattles, you have to turn up the sub quite a bit to make that happen. It sounds bad with too much sub energy, so I literally have the sub turned way down.

monitors are set at unity volume with no curve or reduction, and the sub is @ 200 hx roll off with around -24 to -20 volume. the sub is strong and a but loud for this small room but it means I can hear it nicely if tuned correctly, and it does, sound great indeed! I dont play anything louder than around 75-80 db … or else you loose the sweet spot.

So with the basic knowledge I have or lack. I need to tackle assessing the specific problems my studio has and making changes to improve them. The first goal was to make a studio and treat it it some degree and I have done that. I have a studio. now I need to make it tuned correctly. I dont care if I end up throwing away the previous materials, as I only invested a few hundred bucks in materials. But I think we can use them.

Either way, Im aware I know nothing, and that its a bad idea to master in a room you mixed in and that its may be bad to mix in the room you did the sound design in. I guess my goal would depend on one thing. Can one get a decent starting point in product, by using one style of room or listening environment?

If not, then I suppose Id need help in prioritizing which needs are most important and going that way. Thanks for any help!

Ill post some pics soon@

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