How to Reduce Noise in a Small Home Studio
If you are reading this, chances are you are a music producer, an artist, or a voice talent setting up or upgrading your home recording studio. We often focus on the hardware and software quality when delivering a professional audio output. The right equipment and state-of-the-art audio technology will give you top-notch recording, but the studio itself is often overlooked, especially its acoustic treatment. Your home studio’s soundproofing is equally important as the gear you use. Upgrading your home studio’s acoustic treatment is a great way to enhance your recording journey. Here are some ways to improve and reduce noise in your small home studio.
Find the perfect room
This is one of the most straightforward and important steps. The quality of your future recordings will depend on your chosen room. Make sure to use a room that is situated away from the road, noisy neighbors, and other sources of loud sounds. If available, go for a room with thick walls, doors, and no windows. Evaluate the room, and think hard about the possible noise source, and pick the quietest one for your home studio. If you are unsure which room has the lowest noise level, use a decibel meter or a smartphone app.
Close the gaps and openings.
Soundproofing your small home studio means sealing all the cracks and openings to prevent sound from entering and exiting the room. You must first address the cracks and holes in the walls, windows, and doors. One common technique is filling the spaces around doors, outlets, and windows with acoustic caulk, foam tape, and weather stripping. Adding a door sweep is also a simple and effective way to reduce noise in your studio.
Increase the room’s mass
Sound waves do not penetrate easily if something has a high mass and density. Increase the mass of your walls, ceilings, and floors to help with sound absorption and block the noise from the outside. You can use vinyl, drywall, or acoustic panels to slow down sound waves and stop them from traveling through the structures in the room. You can DIY some of your sound barriers to avoid additional expense. You can use some household items, including blankets, rugs, curtains, and cloth, to cover some surfaces and absorb sound waves.
Acoustic treatment
Soundproofing refers to preventing the sound from entering and exiting your home studio. On the other hand, acoustic treatment refers to controlling the sound you are creating, be it vocal or instrument. In other words, treating your studio’s acoustics will result in higher-quality, professional output. With acoustic treatment, your studio can control the reflections and reverberations by absorbing them and “deadening” the room for a perfect environment for recording and mixing. Some of your options for acoustic treatment include bass traps, acoustic panels, and diffusers.
Invest in a vocal booth
The vocals of your audio output are the most important part. A top-notch vocal recording means little to no external sounds. Building a vocal booth is the surest way to minimize the noise in your recording. By isolating the vocalists and the instruments, unnecessary noise is avoided, giving you professional output. Portable kits are vocal booths with complete components that can be set up easily. These kits are perfect for your small home studio. If you are running on a tight budget, you can DIY your vocal booth using acoustic foams, blankets, and heavy curtains. Just hang these materials around an enclosed space, and you will have your makeshift vocal booth.
Consult a professional
Reducing noise in your small home studio can be straightforward with all the online resources and tutorials. However, nothing can beat a professional’s opinion. When you did all your research and DIYed, but your home studio still records low-quality output, it’s time to consult with professionals. Not only do they have the technical knowledge on how to soundproof and treat your studio’s acoustics, but they also have vast experience and connections that can be vital when you want to expand your career outside your home studio. These experts can address all your concerns about your equipment, acoustic enclosures, audio software, and acoustic panels.
Conclusion
If your business is recording top-notch audio recordings, writing and composing music, or singing at the top of your lungs, having a home studio that is soundproofed and acoustically treated is crucial. There are available resources and tutorials online that can help with the step-by-step process of reducing the noise in your small home studio. Some of these steps are straightforward: sealing the gaps and cracks, installing acoustic panels, increasing the mass and density of your walls and floor, choosing the perfect room, installing a vocal booth, and consulting with professionals. You can DIY some of the steps, but some need professional help. The quality of your recording will depend on the soundness of your home studio and gear.