It's easy to remove too many high‑frequency reflections with absorption, making the room sound dull, and leaving a honking resonance at the bass end.īecause low‑frequency resonances (room modes) are some of the hardest acoustic problems to treat, especially in small rooms, consider the role that digital room correction (DRC) of the uneven frequency response might play. Lining the walls with inappropriate material only serves to make the room smaller, and might even lead to false confidence in your mixes. Given that every absorption material has a characteristic frequency response, using one type of absorber on every surface will bias the room sound towards that particular response - so you may need fewer absorption panels or tiles than you think. Correct positioning of acoustic treatment and monitors, or just decent monitor stands, can reduce the amount of absorption required to correct acoustic problems. Acoustic consultants sometimes have to specify that all existing 'treatment' is removed, as a first step towards improving the sound of a particular room. That way, you can be sure that you won't be buying the wrong type or too great a quantity of treatment materials, causing unnecessary waste. The greenest thing you can do is to plan your studio build carefully, based on solid research. I'm also going to factor in the cost and availability of these alternative materials if they aren't affordable or easy to find, then they are unlikely to be specified in studio building projects.
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In this article, I'm going to look at alternatives to conventional room treatment materials, with regard to acoustic performance, environmental credentials, fire safety, and suitability for DIY installation. The drawback is that large quantities of these light, airy materials can be required to absorb bass energy. Both types of material trap millions of tiny air pockets within a maze of very fine strands, creating a low‑density substance that is lightweight and relatively easy to cut or shape. Conventionally, absorptive panels have been made of either melamine foam or mineral fibre, which have some similarities in structure. As all Sound On Sound readers know, we achieve this balance using a combination of absorptive and reflective construction materials.
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Whether we're tracking, mixing or mastering, our number one priority is, of course, that our rooms sound right for the task - with reverberation and echo (the time domain) under control, and without unwanted tonal coloration (the frequency domain).
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After all, if your musical or production skills are in demand, you'll be spending a lot of time in the studio, so you might as well make sure that you're going to be healthy, comfortable and happy in your chosen habitat. We humans are part of the environment too, and so enlightened self‑interest has a role to play in studio building (or rebuilding). Green building is a hot topic right now, as many people are considering their impact on the environment when planning a construction project. Now there are affordable, 'green' alternatives, but how suitable are they for the home studio? Traditional acoustic materials from mineral and synthetic sources are subject to environmental concerns and possible health issues.