DIY Acoustics

So, I’ve been looking into the best way for beginners (or pros) to do their own acoustic treatments in their studio or production spaces. Here are a few of my fave DIY treatments that can be done on the cheap with truly pro results.

Wall, Ceiling and/or floor construction

Staggered Stud Construction: For new construction, this is the way to go. In all the videos that I’ve seem on this they talk about the added air cavity. This misses the point … it’s actually about the direct transmission through the walls when traditional, un-staggered construction is used.

Cement Sheeting:

LEDE

This comes under the “Dave’s personal preferences” category. Over the years, I’ve become a huge fan of the LEDE (Live End – Dead End) approach to acoustic treatment.

25/25/50 treatment

• 25% absorbstion

• 25% reflection/diffusion

• 50% normal room

I couldn't find much info or any decent videos on LEDE ... stay tuned.

DIY Absorbers

Since the very beginning, I’ve been making my own absorbers. It’s fun, easy and affordable. If you’re one that has those foam absorbers hanging around, I’m sorry taht you spent a lot of money on something that doesn’t work. Although this video shown how the pros make absorbers, the same techniques can be scaled to meet you needs and budget. Here’s a tip: spend some time thinking about your fabric and fabric colors. For example, since my studio is partially underground, I chose sky blue fabric to fool my brain into thinking that we’re outside.

Diffusion doesn’t have to be expensive. You can make your own (as shown in the video below) or you can do what I did to the back of my studio space. I put up a number of bookshelves that, when filled with all the things that one needs in the studio, naturally creates a scattering and diffusive effect.