DIY Home Recording Studio

If you’re a musician, or you know someone who is musically-inclined, chances are you understand that music lovers see the world a little differently. For instance, one person might see plates, knives, and glasses as a dining room set, while a musician sees a full drum kit (sorry, mom). The same can be said for an extra closet space. Closets make for excellent recording booths due to their small size and enclosed space. If you’re ready to mix your new album and wondering how you can turn your closet into a recording booth, here are some important steps and tips to consider.

The key to creating your own recording booth is to make sure the walls and floor are both padded so that you reduce the amount of bounce back into the microphone. Without any padding, your recording will be flat, and depending on the height or size of your closet, you may even get an unwanted echo effect. To make the most out of your space, pad the walls with acoustic foam. This can be found on eBay or through a retailer, and should be readily available for less than $150. Alternatives to foam are soundproofing blankets or even moving blankets and egg crates.

If you’re going the more expensive route using acoustic foam, the first thing you’ll want to do is measure your closet space to determine the correct amount of foam blocks to purchase. It’s always a good idea to get a little more than necessary, in case you run into a small amount of space that needs filling. After you purchase your foam, you’ll want to buy some adhesive spray, which can be found at almost every home improvement store. Once you have your adhesive and foam, simply shake the can of adhesive and lightly spray the back of the foam blocks, placing them one by one onto the wall. There is no need to apply an overly generous amount, as a little adhesive will go a long way. Apply each block next to each other, alternating the pads so the foam lines run vertical on one block, and then horizontal on the next, going from left to right and up the wall until the entire surface is covered. Finally, if you need carpeting, simply lay a square of carpet so it covers the floor space completely.

Alternatively, if you’re going the cheaper route with blankets and egg crates, the first step is to pin up the blankets as a base layer. This can be done with tacks, screws, nails, or however else you’d like. The end goal is to make sure the blankets hold up on the wall well, and that there is no naked wall showing. Next, you’ll put up your egg crates. You can buy egg crates in bulk from retailers such as Wal-Mart. These will be tacked directly onto the blankets, covering the entire wall. After the crates are up, you’ll want to move onto the floor. If you’ve got carpeted flooring, you can skip this step, as carpet will do just fine when it comes to sound absorption. If you have hardwood floors, a pad or carpet on the floor will do to absorb the sound.

Whether you’re trying to reduce noise complaints or simply improve your recording capabilities, soundproofing a closet is a fun, affordable, and easy project. Your neighbors will be happy and your recordings will sound much, much better. Also, it is nice to know that you have a place in the house where you can be as loud as you want, and can feel confident that no outside sound will creep in and no internal sound will leak out. Now that you’ve got your DIY studio setup, get to playing!

Author Bio:

Cameron Black has written blog posts and social content for a plethora of companies across a variety of industries. In 2017, he published his first novel, Irrepressible Souls.

In addition to writing, Cameron holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UCLA and is an avid saxophone player. He likes to write about topics that align with his interests, such as travel, culture, music, tech, and the environment.

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