Help setting up a (basic) home studio, that can still create great results?

[QuestionAsker]

My workspace up until now has been putting my laptop on my dresser drawer, an SM57 w/ boom arm, and a MCA SP1 condenser mic balanced within one of the dressers.

My aim is to set something up something cheap and basic, yet that can provide professional results.

I only really need to record voice, acoustic guitar, and plugged guitars (bass, electric guitar).

Looking for tips on how to best utilize my space to create professional recordings.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to get started? - like what might be the best way to arrange my room for recording music? Where to put sound deadening panels? Best way to setup a vocal booth in my closet?

My plan currently is to:

Build a desk, to go right next to the closet. There's about 73 inches (185cm) from the closet to the bed, so I was thinking of using most of that space for a desk (~70 inch desk).

Rig up some sort of vocal booth in the closet. Use hanging clothes as sound insulation, and perhaps put egg cartons on the walls all around the hanging clothes. Open to suggestions if there is a better solution.

Not sure what else to do in the room to ensure good results. Any suggestions?

Here are pics of the space:

https://imgur.com/a/5X5b45R

https://imgur.com/a/TuWGP29

Alternate bed positioning: https://imgur.com/a/K06h8T1

https://imgur.com/a/Yr53QLf

https://imgur.com/a/TDQFhUx

[shufflebeat]

Don't bother with the egg cartons.

"Professional" results are not guaranteed just by buying gear and furniture. Invest in learning and practising with what you have (plus a basic interface - I don't see one mentioned).

...and some duvets,

...and a mic stand.

[Arpangel]

That’s an OK space, token room treatment is a waste and unnecessary, just make sure you put microphones pretty close to guitars, voice, otherwise you’ll get a "probably" unpleasant room sound, in this type of situation, it’s not worth spending a lot of money on anything, apart from your instruments!

[amanise]

I have a not ideal room that sounds a bit 'boxy'. However, I know what it sounds like using references. What I try and do is work as much 'in the box' as possible - and only use mics when there's no alternative to DI. So for me that means just the vocal parts as I rarely use acoustic instruments. I make use of lots of hanging clothes on my wife's dress rail, heavy curtains on the window, and cork pin boards for pictures and music sheets. Its a very small room about 10ft square. You'll get to know the space. For example, I have a big lamp that rings a bit when I sing. You can see it in Isotope if you can't hear it. So I drape that before I do any voice work. However, sometimes I might leave a nice bright parabolic plate ring in there if I'm in the mood to. I do most of my tracking on headphones, a lot of the initial mixing as well. Then I switch to room monitors for the last stages of mixing and when I do my version of mastering. But keep checking back on the headphones. If you have a great room you can do that the other way round. I use a mic isolation thing which fits on top of a mic stand. Since I got that a cracking little thing called an 'IsoCube' came out - which fits on the top of the actual mic. Those are great and really cheap. Best thing you'll buy. Your space evolves as you get to know it, and it sometimes shapes your style nicely. Think Motown. Enjoy it.
Adrian.

[Matt Houghton]

If I were looking to use that space and were on a budget, I'd hang a thick polyester duvet over the front of the closet, maybe going round the corner a bit too. Then stand with my back to the closet/duvet, and start with the SM57 (plus pop filter) fairly close to the mouth to increase the voice:room ratio in the signal. The absorbent duvet goes behind the performer as that's the direction in which the mic is most sensitive, and spacing it from the wall makes it more effective in drying up the sound lower down the frequency spectrum. You could hang another one behind the mic (eg over a tall mic stand with the boom mounted horizontally, to form a T bar, or over a portable clothes rail or whatever) if you wanted to (or use some other kind of absorber), which will filter out some of the sound going out into the room, and so prevent/break up reflections.

And see how that sounds. If a bit too boomy, it might be due to proximity effect boost — apply a high pass filter or low-shelf EQ to correct for that. If you're still getting too much 'room' consider a way to erect a 'tent' to put some duvet above you as well, which will help to remove ceiling reflections. And you can put something (eg rug) on the floor if that reflection bothers you.

Alternatively, if you have lots of money to throw at the problem and don't need the space to be too flexible, you might consider something like Imperative Audio's Portable Vocal Booth.

Similar tactics for acoustic guitar, though (a) floor reflections can help that sound natural/bright. And for both voice and ac guitar I'd experiment with both mics and see what you prefer.

For electric guitar, you can go direct into your interface and use modelling amps in software. Though you need to be able to run at low latency if you want to hear that while you're playing. A good amp-sim pedal or an amp that has a speaker-emulated output would be a decent alternative — you can use your interface's near-zero latency foldback monitoring to listen to that as you play. OR if you have an amp and like the sound, it's hard to go wrong by sticking an SM57 in front of the speaker and experimenting with placement and angle (on axis ie. pointing straight at the amp or nearer the centre of the speaker = brighter; off axis ie at an angle or more towards the edge of the speaker = duller/warmer).

For monitoring, I'd be looking at getting hold of some decent headphones. In fact, after duvets I'd put most of my budget into that (depending on the audio interface).

You might find some useful pointers in this article when it comes to capturing a good basic vocal/dialogue sound.

[QuestionAsker]

Don't bother with the egg cartons.

"Professional" results are not guaranteed just by buying gear and furniture. Invest in learning and practising with what you have (plus a basic interface - I don't see one mentioned).

...and some duvets,

...and a mic stand.

Thanks ShuffleBeat - I use a Focusrite 2i2 with Ableton Live 10, and also Logic Pro X sometimes.

I was thinking of getting one (or both) of these pieces of gear:

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Adjus ... r=8-5&th=1,

https://www.amazon.com/penypeal-Microph ... ld&sr=8-31.

Would that work as well as duvets? (I'm assuming you're referring to hanging the duvets behind, or around, the mic, to dampen sound?)

[QuestionAsker]

That’s an OK space, token room treatment is a waste and unnecessary, just make sure you put microphones pretty close to guitars, voice, otherwise you’ll get a "probably" unpleasant room sound, in this type of situation, it’s not worth spending a lot of money on anything, apart from your instruments!

Thanks Arpangel - I'm trying to spend as little as possible on room treatment, I'm a firm believer in "less is more" - trying to figure out what that means for my situation.

I'm also a firm believe in being really good at one thing, vs a jack-of-all-trades. I originally wanted to just write great songs, in the form of demos, and then work with a producer to get them out. But in this day in age, that seems cost-prohibitive. It seems like a decent bedroom studio is a prerequisite to any music creator these days. So trying to find that balance - keep spending most of my time on writing songs, without going down an audio production rabbit-hole for the next few months.

Right now thinking of just getting a desk and these 2 additions for $30 USD or so, vs creating a closet recording setup. Think these would work well, as the only additions?

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Adjus ... r=8-5&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/penypeal-Microph ... ld&sr=8-31

[QuestionAsker]

I have a not ideal room that sounds a bit 'boxy'. However, I know what it sounds like using references. What I try and do is work as much 'in the box' as possible - and only use mics when there's no alternative to DI. So for me that means just the vocal parts as I rarely use acoustic instruments. I make use of lots of hanging clothes on my wife's dress rail, heavy curtains on the window, and cork pin boards for pictures and music sheets. Its a very small room about 10ft square. You'll get to know the space. For example, I have a big lamp that rings a bit when I sing. You can see it in Isotope if you can't hear it. So I drape that before I do any voice work. However, sometimes I might leave a nice bright parabolic plate ring in there if I'm in the mood to. I do most of my tracking on headphones, a lot of the initial mixing as well. Then I switch to room monitors for the last stages of mixing and when I do my version of mastering. But keep checking back on the headphones. If you have a great room you can do that the other way round. I use a mic isolation thing which fits on top of a mic stand. Since I got that a cracking little thing called an 'IsoCube' came out - which fits on the top of the actual mic. Those are great and really cheap. Best thing you'll buy. Your space evolves as you get to know it, and it sometimes shapes your style nicely. Think Motown. Enjoy it.
Adrian.

Thanks Adrian - I agree about the Motown thing, letting my room shape the sound. Why not. At the end trying to control everything drains a lot of energy.

I did see something like the IsoCube you mentioned - it seems like that will be a must have for my situation. Do you find they work better than the curved isolation shields? Like this one?:

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Adjus ... r=8-5&th=1

I'm also just trying to find the least amount of treatment, to create something that can be considered "professional" - or at least not "crap", ha. I feel like it really shouldn't take that much, but that's what I'm trying to figure out.

Perhaps just a decent desk, and an IsoCube as you mention, might be the only real requirements?

(I would like to record my acoustic guitar on a condenser mic, even though it does have a pickup (Martin Custom X). Seems like it gives a fuller sound, the pickup seems a bit tinny typically, I believe). But bass would be DI, and drums would be programmed (or done by a friend at his studio).

[QuestionAsker]

If I were looking to use that space and were on a budget, I'd hang a thick polyester duvet over the front of the closet, maybe going round the corner a bit too. Then stand with my back to the closet/duvet, and start with the SM57 (plus pop filter) fairly close to the mouth to increase the voice:room ratio in the signal. The absorbent duvet goes behind the performer as that's the direction in which the mic is most sensitive, and spacing it from the wall makes it more effective in drying up the sound lower down the frequency spectrum. You could hang another one behind the mic (eg over a tall mic stand with the boom mounted horizontally, to form a T bar, or over a portable clothes rail or whatever) if you wanted to (or use some other kind of absorber), which will filter out some of the sound going out into the room, and so prevent/break up reflections.

For monitoring, I'd be looking at getting hold of some decent headphones. In fact, after duvets I'd put most of my budget into that (depending on the audio interface).

You might find some useful pointers in this article when it comes to capturing a good basic vocal/dialogue sound.

Thanks Matt, great advice in there! I didn't think about using the duvet I already have - you said a polyester one could work? I have a cheap old polyester duvet I'd be glad to use.

I had never thought about setting up the closet in the way you describe. Do you think I could use one of these (or these) in front of me, with my back to the closet wall / duvet?

(That way I would be facing the glass window on the other side of the room. Or should I use that in conjunction with another duvet hanging from a T-Bar, like you mentioned? Or just the duvet/T-Bar would be enough?)

In terms of headphones, I've been using the Sony 7506's, for vocal tracking, and also mixing. Would those work?

Also, would the SM57 be much superior to recording vocals with the MCA SP1?

In terms of interface, I have the Focusrite 2i2.

[Arpangel]

Thanks Arpangel - I'm trying to spend as little as possible on room treatment, I'm a firm believer in "less is more" - trying to figure out what that means for my situation.

I'm also a firm believe in being really good at one thing, vs a jack-of-all-trades. I originally wanted to just write great songs, in the form of demos, and then work with a producer to get them out. But in this day in age, that seems cost-prohibitive. It seems like a decent bedroom studio is a prerequisite to any music creator these days. So trying to find that balance - keep spending most of my time on writing songs, without going down an audio production rabbit-hole for the next few months.

Right now thinking of just getting a desk and these 2 additions for $30 USD or so, vs creating a closet recording setup. Think these would work well, as the only additions?

https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Adjus ... r=8-5&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/penypeal-Microph ... ld&sr=8-31

I think rather than spend money on things like this, just go for the duvet option, and a cheap pop filter.
Mic's make a difference, but not that much, the key here is to just experiment, depending on what type of music you make, and you didn’t tell anyone, no one would know if you’re using a U87 or a Shure 57, and once you start to ad processing, forget it.

[amanise]

...I did see something like the IsoCube you mentioned - it seems like that will be a must have for my situation. Do you find they work better than the curved isolation shields? ...

...I'm also just trying to find the least amount of treatment, to create something that can be considered "professional" - or at least not "crap".....

....I would like to record my acoustic guitar on a condenser mic, even though it does have a pickup ...

I'd start with the cheapest thing and see if it does what I need it to do - so Isocube first probably - then if not happy next level of spending up. Hopefully you get what you need before you're spending £30 grand on a garden studio and giving up your lawn.

Don't forget the feel of your space in an inspirational sense. Make it a space you want to have ideas in as well if you can, or there's no point. Some of the best sounding rooms I've been in feel disturbing - and spending any time in a truly dead room will require medication.

Martins are great. For that I'd use the pickup DI'd on one channel, and a room mic (doesn't have to be amazing) nearby (on another channel) to get a bit of the room sound - and mix that in until you can just get a feeling of a natural space.

[Sam Spoons]

I'm going to disagree with Arpangel when he says :-

That’s an OK space, token room treatment is a waste and unnecessary, ...

... it’s not worth spending a lot of money on anything, apart from your instruments!

IME investing time, and some money, on room treatment is the single most effective way of improving your recordings. even minimal treatment can make a dramatic difference to the sound of your room. Strategically located duvets are a perfectly satisfactory alternative if permanent broad band absorbers are not a practical option (but the latter don't need setting up each time and can be made to look fine even in a domestic environment).

[BigRedX]

IME the most important things in getting great results in the studio are having a great engineer, and a great producer who know exactly how the space sounds and how to get the best out of the artist(s) performing there. The actual equipment is all secondary.

[Arpangel]

Rolls of loft insulation, cheap bass traps.

[Sam Spoons]

And no fibre shed if you leave them in their packaging (and they will work just fine like that).

[Arpangel]

And no fibre shed if you leave them in their packaging (and they will work just fine like that).

Yes, cover them with a material of your choice, job done, also, they serve as as great punch bags on sessions when drummers are involved.
These ones are obviously designed for the job Eko Roll!

https://www.diy.com/departments/knauf- ... lsrc=aw.ds

[Drew Stephenson]

These ones are obviously designed for the job Eko Roll!

The typical modern house has a just-less-than 2.4m ceiling so wrapping two of these together lengthwise and sticking them in a corner should do a good job on bass trapping.

[Arpangel]

These ones are obviously designed for the job Eko Roll!

The typical modern house has a just-less-than 2.4m ceiling so wrapping two of these together lengthwise and sticking them in a corner should do a good job on bass trapping.

I have a friend who is 6ft 7inches, and he can almost stand up in our basement, he has to bend, a little bit.

[QuestionAsker]

I think rather than spend money on things like this, just go for the duvet option, and a cheap pop filter.
Mic's make a difference, but not that much, the key here is to just experiment, depending on what type of music you make, and you didn’t tell anyone, no one would know if you’re using a U87 or a Shure 57, and once you start to ad processing, forget it.

Thanks Arpangel - probably best to keep it simple and do it like this.

For now, going to buy a desk, a chair, and a the Pop Filter Isolation Ball, and keep it at that. Then setup the duvet in the closet for vocals.

I think that'll be plenty to get the ball rolling, and a great improvement over what I currently have.

[QuestionAsker]

I'd start with the cheapest thing and see if it does what I need it to do - so Isocube first probably - then if not happy next level of spending up. Hopefully you get what you need before you're spending £30 grand on a garden studio and giving up your lawn.

Don't forget the feel of your space in an inspirational sense. Make it a space you want to have ideas in as well if you can, or there's no point. Some of the best sounding rooms I've been in feel disturbing - and spending any time in a truly dead room will require medication.

Martins are great. For that I'd use the pickup DI'd on one channel, and a room mic (doesn't have to be amazing) nearby (on another channel) to get a bit of the room sound - and mix that in until you can just get a feeling of a natural space.

Thanks Adrian - Not sure if I'll be able to hear whether just the Pop Filter Isolation Ball will be enough, but I'll post the results on here, and go from there to see if anything else needs to be added

I have been thinking about making the room nicer to be in, by adding a lot of plants. Was even thinking about one of those living walls with plants behind the desk (as it's very dry here, so an automatic watering one would up the humidity in the room). Though that will be the next step after I setup the desk and closet vocal booth.

[QuestionAsker]

IME the most important things in getting great results in the studio are having a great engineer, and a great producer who know exactly how the space sounds and how to get the best out of the artist(s) performing there. The actual equipment is all secondary.

One idea I had was paying a local producer (or sound engineer) for a consultation to check out my room and give me advice on just that.

Do you think that would be a worthwhile option? (Before I buy a desk and start setting things up)

[QuestionAsker]

The typical modern house has a just-less-than 2.4m ceiling so wrapping two of these together lengthwise and sticking them in a corner should do a good job on bass trapping.

That's a good idea, I hadn't though of that. Seems much simpler than building one of those corner ones, and I'm sure it gets the job done just the same.

[QuestionAsker]

And no fibre shed if you leave them in their packaging (and they will work just fine like that).

I also had someone recommend to me taking old bath towels and sowing a few of them together, and using that instead of the fiberglass. I hear it works just as well, and don't need to worry about fibre shed.

[BWC]

I wouldn't record anything in the closet, unless I wanted it to sound like it was recorded in a closet. The idea with the duvet was to use the closet as a trap, not a booth. I don't think you really need a booth.

[Arpangel]

A room isn’t finished unless it’s got plants in it.