Soundproofing a room or a Booth?

fortepiano50 · Regular Member Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 11

I need to buy either a soundproof booth or soundproof a 10' X 11.5' room.

There are a few youtube trumpeters using booths and I am wondering about the dimensions needed for horns, stands, computer, microphone etc...

Thanks in advance for your experiences or advice.

JayKosta · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 8:55 am Post subject:

There are lots of options, but a basic starting point is to build a separate a vibration isolated 'room' inside the existing room. Soft foam on all 6 sides (foam under the floor) to prevent sound (vibrations) from reaching the structure of the existing room. For HVAC use soft flexible ducts and minimum size.

Size? using 2 4X8 foot plywood for floor?
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kehaulani · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:02 am Post subject:

Well, before you get too far into this, is this to be a permanent structure? 'Cause if you're a nomad like me, you're going to lose your a@@ on room rehabilitating after you leave.

If you stay in one structure for decades in the future, then it's a different answer.
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jengstrom · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:22 am Post subject:

The booth that I built is 6x6, but if I was doing it again, I would go 6x8 or 8x8. I have a small set of shelves, a small table attached to a wall to hold a laptop, a music stand, 2 horns on stands, 2 guitar stands, and a folding chair. It’s cramped, even if I only have 1 guitar in there. You’re going to pack this more than you realize.

I built panels, 2x4 insulated construction, 2’ wide, that I can disassemble if I move (which I’ve done). It is has a window and is lined with heavy rugs on the walls to help deaden the sound. It ain’t pretty, and it’s not perfectly soundproof, but it’s good enough that I can practice 24/7 without bothering anyone.
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fortepiano50 · Regular Member Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 11

Brothers-of-the Valve,

Thank you for your input regarding soundproofing. We do not plan to move
for a while, but that could change.

I am glad to hear that you would go to a 6' X 8' if you had to build it again.

Ebay has some used soundproof booths but they are still pricey.

I appreciate your replies.

All the best

Mike Sailors · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:21 pm Post subject:

When I bought my house in 2021, the first thing I did was build a 10x10 ADU in my backyard that is totally soundproofed. My wife started working from home due to the pandemic, and I figured she had suffered through my practicing long enough up to that point.

I started with literally no knowledge, so here's my advice.

Unless you're going to build a new structure, buy one of those sound booths you've been looking at. It will be a lot cheaper and A LOT more effective than picking a room in your house and trying to soundproof it.
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Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596

To build a truly recording studio-grade soundproof room/booth is a huge project.

I went "close enough for my needs" and built essentially a room inside a spare bedroom and did it in a modular fashion so it can be broken down into parts - used carriage bolts everywhere wood joins wood, made the ceiling two sections bolted together. Used 2x4s, drywall, insulation between the inner and outer walls. The air vents on opposite sides of the booth are built so as to make any sound have to go through interior holes and around corners which sound doesn't do very well. I have one of these air purifiers with clothes dryer ducting going to the outlet side on one side of the booth. The purifier is very quiet.

I also made a "plug" of the same basic construction to go into the window to cut way down on sound intrusion. If a plane is going overhead or the neighbor fires up their lawnmower it might be measurable in software but you're not going to hear it in a mix.

A true studio sound booth uses what's called a floating floor to isolate the booth from low frequency noise as well but I didn't fool with it.

Is your need for a booth to keep noise out of recordings or to keep your noise from bothering others? If you're recording only trumpet the gain levels are going to be so low not much will intrude on your recordings.

These are a couple of things I did in an untreated living room with a shallow cathedral ceiling, no bass traps, diffusers yada yada adding the solo horn in one, a virtual section in another to online karaoke performances. The only "sound treatment" is the carpet, bookshelf and a couch. I doubt anyone would know the difference if I didn't tell them.

https://on.soundcloud.com/wJR4h

https://on.soundcloud.com/dVMbG
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stuartissimo · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 10:38 pm Post subject:

trUMBet67 · Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 4:19 am Post subject:

Times ago I was experimenting with boxes for audio speakers. One of them, quite big, has a good internal insonorisation, so for joke I played with the trumpet bell into the 8" speaker bore.

I could play very loud with low noise level, comparable to a silent brass mute. Interesting..
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