How To Soundproof A Recording Studio

By Author: Kevin Richard
Total Articles: 240
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There are various blogs and websites out there that have different choices on how to soundproof a home or a commercial recording studio in the best way possible. The quality and type of the recordings will decide how much soundproofing you should have to accomplish the best quality recordings in the studio.

There are many aspects to consider while considering a professional recording studio.

In a commercial area, where there are traffic and city noises that can enter normal walls, you may set a goal of at least 56 STC windows of the studio. Usually, you will be able to get studio windows and doors that will meet this STC rating. A recording studio that has a 56 STC rating would be what most producers would consider a professional quality studio where any professional band or musician can record.

Most of the major recording studios have a STC rating of up to 80 STC, but these studios take millions of dollars to build and most of us don’t have that type of money to put into a studio.

While constructing a commercial ...
... or even a home studio, the first thing to consider is the ceiling areas and the walls. What can be done to soundproof these areas to offer the best soundproofing ambience for recording? If you are working with open studs and joists, I would suggest putting rock wool batt insulations into the wall and ceiling cavities. In a ceiling application, the rock wool would be adhered to the roof area or the sub floor between the ceiling joists. Rock wool both absorbs and blocks noise and actually assists to dampen the structural members in a ceiling assembly or wall. In a ceiling application, once you have the rock wool installed in the cavities, it would be a great idea to fill the rest of the cavity with standard fiberglass batt insulation.

The next step will be to get a layer of 1 pound mass loaded vinyl to the bottom face of the studs and joists on the walls. The MLV would be nailed or stapled to the wood studs or screwed to steel studs with self-tapping sheet metal screws. It is suggested that you overlap the seams by at least half an inch and caulk the overlap also and the perimeter with an acoustical caulk. Once the MLV membrane is sealed, you reach the crossroads. You have the option of layering over the MLV with a drywall and then taping, mudding and painting the drywall or you can add a second layer of drywall. The Green Glue would damp both the layer of the drywall and would prevent the drywall from being able to transmit sound. This would provide you with very safe industrial sound barriers and ceiling assembly and soundproof wall.