Monday Mailbag – I Need Help With My Drum Booth Acoustical Treatment

Hi Dennis,

I need help with my drum booth acoustical treatment. I want to build my own drum booth in my studio to help with the sound bleed my neighbors keep complaining about. The room is 11 by 14ft. It has a large window one end and I’m planning to put the booth at the other end in one corner.

I want to use some big 70mm insulation sheets on the floor with wood above and then carpeting. I’d do the same on the ceiling whilst on the walls I was going to use double glzed style patio doors.

Would that work from both a noice reduction level (to get my neighbors off my back) but also from an acoustic level, namely, will the glass badly affect the sound/bass boom?

Thanks
Sascha

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Hi Sasha,

Your room size is not a bad start for drums. Cover the window and fill the cavity the window is in, so it is flush with the wall surface.

You need two acoustic technologies to assist you. You need sound isolation using barrier technology to keep the drum sound in the room and out of the neighbor’s room or probably house. You will also need to manage the energy within your drum room, especially if you intend to record drums in your room which I would strongly suggest.

The treatments you are considering will do nothing towards room absorption or sound transmission loss towards your neighbor. Your project and the acoustical technologies required, should be done by a professional. Your issues are past the do it your self stage.

Thanks,
Dennis