I used to think soundproofing meant buying expensive foam panels

Last month I had a buddy over who builds recording booths for a living, and he laughed at my studio walls covered in those wedge foam squares. He said I was basically just stopping echo, not actually blocking sound from getting out. Then he showed me how he uses mass-loaded vinyl and double drywall with green glue in between to really isolate the room. I spent about $400 on materials last weekend and added a second layer of drywall over the existing wall in my backyard shed. The difference is night and day - my neighbor actually texted me asking if I stopped playing guitar. Has anyone else switched from foam to real mass-loaded solutions for their studio?

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia_barnes9710d ago

A lot of people get way too caught up in this stuff. For a backyard shed, does it really matter if your neighbor can hear a little bit of guitar? I mean, you spent $400 on drywall and glue because your buddy the expert gave you a hard time. Seems like overkill unless you're trying to record a professional album in there. Most folks just need something to knock down the worst of the noise, not a full recording studio setup.

riley5810d agoOG Member

Man it's like everything has become a competition about who can do it the most "right" these days instead of just doing what actually works. I see this all the time with people remodeling kitchens or building decks too, everyone just copying what the internet says without stopping to ask if they really need it. A little bit of noise through the wall isn't going to start a war with your neighbor, especially if you're just jamming for an hour after work. People seem to forget that half the stuff you read online is written by someone trying to sell you something, not by someone who's actually living with the results.