The Studio - Television Production

  Studio Considerations

This article is written with you in mind, you, the community access television producer. Whether you film in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens or Staten Island, if you are studying television production or if you are in the television production business at a community access studio, you will find some helpful hints inside this article. This article is about community access television production, in general, not specifically about any particular studio or station.

This topic, the studio is a very broad topic. I will try to tell you as much about the studio that I can pack into this short article. First I will note that all studios are different. So this description is a description of some studios and in some cases, most studios for community access television.

The Building: Generally the buildings that house these community access studios are very secure. There are uniformed security guards in most of the buildings, and some have security downstairs and upstairs. There are sign-in books downstairs and upstairs, so there is double security. In the Staten Island community access building, the surrounding area of the building is secure in that there is a linked fence around the parking lot/entrance and a security guard right at the entrance to the parking lot. In the Brooklyn building, there is no parking lot (and sometimes parking can be near impossible). The area is secure in the respect that there is no parking and no standing -on the entire block of the building. There are no meters and no suggestions that anyone need park anywhere near the building. There are patrolling police officers in the neighborhood (It is a high-traffic -both vehicle and pedestrian- area). As always, the Manhattan building is in a busy part of Manhattan, goes without saying that parking there is probably near impossible unless you want to pay rent for your car. Most ideal situations in all three of the studios is to use public transportation, bike, bus or walk to the studios. (The Staten Island building is most accessible by automobile). Once inside the building, no matter what your "outside" life or personality is like, producers, staff, administration and interns expect respect and dignity. If you are drunk, high or in a particularly obnoxious aggressive mood, try and wait until you are feeling better before you approach the studio building. This will save you embarrassment and possibly suspension from the services of the community access studios.

Access: Most of the buildings have elevators and stairways to use to gain access to the studios. Most of the buildings have dressing rooms and rest rooms, and some have water coolers, cups and conference rooms. (Check with each individual studio to find out more details). There are certain rules and regulations that all visitors and producers must abide by. These are general courteous rules (that I have mentioned in some of my other articles). This is a place of business, so treat it that way. Generally there is no smoking and no drinking inside the buildings. Generally there are no animals permitted inside the buildings. If you need special permission to bring animals inside, ask Administration ahead of time. Generally, the law permits seeing-eye dogs or dogs needed due to physical disabilities,but it would be nice if you let people know -ahead of time -that you are bringing these into the building. The reason you need to alert staff is because sometimes staff changes and there might be new people on who have not yet learned policy. Another reason to alert is because if you need something special -for the animal , or special accommodations, then staff will know about this ahead of time. Almost everything will be done to accommodate you when you put reasonable requests in to Administration. Of course it goes without saying that most likely you will not receive permission to do anything dangerous inside the building (i.e. to bring in starving, growling pit bulls -that is just an example). So always ask permission when you need to do something that is generally against the building or studio policy.

Timing: Each studio, and each Administration has their own rules about timing. Follow these rules and you should have no troubles when producing your own shows. (For example, the Brooklyn and Manhattan studios have regulations about how long they will "hold" the studio for you if you do not show up at your appointed time. You might lose the spot for your show if you are too late. There are other timing rules about how far in advance you can reserve the studio for your own use, and other timing regulations that state when you must vacate the studio after your production is over. For complete details, see the studios manuals and or ask Administration what the latest rules are or if the manual has been changed in any way. Do not take anyone's work for timing or other issues. In the past, producers have been wrong with information, so take it straight from the manual or from Administration's word.

Availability: Most times, the studio is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. That means that if you want to reserve for a particular time or date, you need to arrive at the studio in well advance of that time or date to reserve the studio. Do not wait until the last minute. You will not have your spot for the time that you want it. Most times after seven P.M. are hard to reserve. If you want this time, you need to prepare to be at the studio well in advance of your reservation date. Check with your own studio for full details. Sometimes the easiest time to reserve might be o. n a Saturday or Sunday morning, but this is usually the hardest time to recruit producers to help on those shows. Nothing is impossible, so do not be dismayed. These are just examples. Arrive at your own studio to receive full details of what your studio expects. Never believe hearsay; just check it out for yourself.

The Studio Area: This area is for the actual filming of the show. The studio area (depending on which studio you are in) is an area that might have a small stage. Some studios have carpeted platforms that you can use. Some studios have pianos and almost all have the set of professional lights -in the ceiling area, and lights on light stands. Most have gels, mic stands and many different kinds of microphones. The Brooklyn studio has lavalieres, wireless microphones, boom mic stands, a large variety of light stands, and tons of other equipment for your show. The studio also has robotics cameras and regular studio cameras. If you find any equipment needing repair, always mention it to the staff or anyone working in the Public Equipment room. If you are given broken or rough equipment for your show, report that to Public Equipment and ask if there is a replacement for that. Do not plug any of your own equipment into the wall boards. These wall boards are for the studio equipment not for outsiders' use or for your own equipment. If you want to use your own equipment in the studio, first you need to report that you are bringing it inside the studio (to the security guard at the desk). He or she will record the serial number, model number and other information into the security log book. Then if you need to connect it anywhere, you cannot do that without permission from Public Equipment. The studio area is for studio shows, and it is not for field shows, so only qualified, certified studio producers will "count" towards your producer count to enter the studio. (Each time you do a show, you are required to have a certain number of certified producers with you or you will not be allowed inside the studio area). Only studio producers count towards this number of producers. Your family members can work as producers on your show after they have passed the courses that are for studio producers. Once they become officially certified you can have them work on your shows. Before that time, they are permitted in the studio only as hosts, guests, talent, performers, speakers, audiences or co-hosts. Your family or friends are not permitted to handle any equipment at all until they are officially certified producers.

Trash, Garbage & Recycling: It is to your advantage to take all of your trash, garbage and recycling out of the studio and control room areas. (No food or drink is permitted inside these areas). If you see trash in there when you arrive, clean it up and remember that you need to leave the areas clean for the next producers. No one wants to use a dirty studio. Most of our professional producers have consideration for the other producers and they do clean up. If you are one that leaves trash around; change your habits at least while you are at the studio. The way we producers succeed in business is by being courteous, respectful, reasonable and clean in all of our productions.

Hierarchy and Rank: We are in America here, so a good thing to remember is that you are no better than any other producer in the studio. You are a producer, they are producers. If you think that you have higher rank in community access just because you have produced hundreds of shows or because you are at the studio for years, then you have a mistaken idea. What you do have is more experience, that is all. So treat all producers with the same respect. Treat new producers with the same respect that you treat seasoned producers. We are all of the same rank, even if we are not all of the same experience. Everyone can learn from someone and most everyone can learn something from somebody else. You can learn from new producers as much as you can learn from a seasoned producer. it is all in the attitude and the attention that you give to your work. If you meet a producer who appears bigger than life, walk the other way and work with producers who are your equals. When you meet professional producers, they will treat you with respect, no matter how long you have been with the studio or in the business. Only egotists will look down on the newer producers, and those are the ones that you need to avoid if you want to be happy and successful in your productions. Of course, that is your own choice; everyone is an individual, and if you enjoy working with egotists that too is your own choice.

Responsibility: As the Executive Producer of the show, you are completely responsible for all equipment. You sign for it and you stick to your agreement. Therefore this is a great reason to ask only responsible producers to help out on the show. They will be handling the equipment, so recruit producers carefully.

ASK; Don't Tell: This is probably some of the best advice that anyone can give you while you are in television production. Ask people, do not tell them. Ask them how you can help. Do not tell them what to do. You can offer suggestions or you can say, "This is the way I do it, you make your own choices". By asking and not telling people what to do, you can develop better relationships with producers, staff and interns. No one wants to be told what to do as if they are a child or as if they do not know anything. Put yourself in their place. So, ask don't tell (and even this is a suggestion to you). Of course, you will make your own choices when it comes to your own productions. If you are close friends with someone, perhaps you might tell them something, but even then, your words and ideas are more accepted or listened to if you just put them across as ideas or suggestions not as demands or orders. One way to really turn people off is to type in all capital letters as if you are more important than they are (You come across like that when you type complete sentences or titles in capital letters). People can see your type; they can read your type so why shout at them? Notice the difference in how you get someone's attention? See what it looks like? It is like, HEY YOU MUST READ THIS! Some people feel that bold or italics are shouting also. The key here is to use the bold for one single word or for topic leads or titles (as I use the bold in this article at the head of each section. I bold the first words so the reader can skim the article and read first what he or she wants to read. Then the reader can go back and read the rest of the article. When people type in all caps, they are coming across as quite bossy and sometimes even inconsiderate of others. And when anyone comes across like that it is dull, boring, and most times uninteresting because humans want to be treated as equals. And producers are human too. (Read any book at all about blogging or groups or online conversation and you will read the same thing. Caps are shouting and there is no need to shout at anyone at all. If you use caps for one single word, that is a little different. But you can use bold for emphasis or a different font for emphasis or even quotation marks for emphasis

So, now, at the studio, hopefully no one is shouting at anyone, and if you did your homework correctly, with proper observation and good networking and also with good volunteering, you will have a great crew for your studio and field shows.

The magic of the recording studio has often mystified even the most seasoned professionals. With all the knobs, switches and buttons on various gear and large format consoles, no wonder confusion sets in to most non-techies. Many people, especially artists, composers, producers, and engineers, will end up putting together their own studio for writing and pre-production, with some eventually deciding to take the plunge and create a full-fledged recording complex that is capable of recording major albums. This article will try to shed some light on the considerations to take into account when making a studio, be it a small home studio or a professional recording studio.

Is size important? Some may say it is so but this is not always the case. The dimensions of the studio are very important. A room too large may become over-reverberant or full of unwanted echoes. A room too small may sound tight and unnatural. It is important that the room size and room sound is relevant to the type of music you are recording. You don't want to go into a very small tight room to record BIG rock drums. Although, big room sounds can be achieved by adding external reverb effects to simulate rooms at a later time when necessary.

It is best to find the room that suits the sound you are trying to achieve from the beginning of the recording process. The smaller the room, the smaller and tighter the sound will be; this is not necessarily a bad thing. Small tight rooms can be good for vocals, guitars and percussion if you are going for a tight clean sound. Larger rooms have more air for the sound to travel in, so it will be in fact a bigger more open sound. The sound has a longer travel time for the sound wave to move, therefore the reflection from the walls will take longer to bounce back creating a bigger more spacious sound. The decision of size and sound has to be made early on before the recording starts. One advantage that a larger room will have is the ability to be scaled down by closing up the room using modular baffles or gobos (go betweens). Gobos are structures that are partitions, that help to block sound by placing them in between the musicians, instruments, and microphones. Placing the gobos around the microphone at a close distance will help a large room with too much ambiance sound smaller. This will eliminate the reflections coming off of the walls that are further away.

Small rooms can produce big heavy tight sounds with the absence of the decay from the reverb that is caused from big rooms. Sometimes a large room can sound like it's washed out, or far away. With a good engineer any room can sound amazing with a little adjusting. A poor sounding room can be manipulated to sound good, although it requires much more work and time. Deciding on the proper room size for your needs is critical to the sounds that get re-produced. This will highly dictate the type of sound the microphones will pick up.

Clapping your hands in a room can give a good representation of what a room will sound like. The reflection coming off the walls will be picked up by a simple hand clap. The true test is to try out some instruments or vocals and position them in various sections of the room until reaching the optimum sound quality. If one side of the room sounds bad try a different spot or move around into a corner until the sound is improved.

Experimenting with different sections of the room also keeps the sound fresh when recording many instruments. If the acoustic guitars are recorded in the center of the room, when the time comes to record the electric guitars you may try recording them in a corner of the room for a different room sound. This gives clarity on the final mix creating separation and providing more distinction on various sounds.

If you are starting your own studio, remember that the bigger the studio the higher amount the bills will be. The benefit is that larger studios can charge more for their studio rates.

Getting the Necessities

If you happen to reach that elite 2% and become that million dollar, hit selling, famous producer or artist (or if you just win the lotto), then you might eventually think about buying serious studio gear and setting up your own producer paradise.

Acquiring the proper equipment and labor is key to a great studio and successful recordings. Studio gear is expensive and the knowledge of those who use the gear does not come cheap. Hiring the right people can save money and time in the long run. Studio designers also are specialty breeds that can make or break your studio. Your buddy Joe the carpenter may be able to help build it for less, yet if the studio is not properly isolated for sound it is a great waste of time, energy and finances.

The studio engineer is also the focal point of the sound that is created. Having an experienced engineer involved in the process will make your sound have a character of its own. He is the extra set of ears that gives another dimension to your productions. He is also a critical consulting partner when building or choosing to rent a studio. Let the experts help you with advice, it will create less of a headache in the long run. The experienced engineer can fill you in on all the equipment needed for recording the music that is relevant to your world. He can also give some guidelines on how the studio should be setup before having to consult a designer. There is no room for guessing or assumption on these issues.

Check List: Part 1

When purchasing studio gear it is wise to research only what is absolutely essential for your style of music. If you're not recording live drums in your studio, there is no need to buy a plethora of microphones for them. By being patient and shopping around for the best prices, a mass amount of money can be saved in the end. When you save $50 to $100 bucks on each piece of gear it really adds up in the end, and there is a ton of gear needed to put a proper studio together.

Below is a basic studio checklist that will be discussed in further detail in later articles. These are the essentials of modern day recordings and the tools that are most commonly used in the best studios around the world.

The Studio Gear Checklist:

Recording / Mixing Console

The engineer or producer operates the console that controls all of the levels for recording, playback and mixing.

This is the big board that has all the buttons, switches, knobs, faders which control the levels and signal routing for each instrument. This could be referred to as a board, console or mixer. The most common consoles in major studios are SSL (Solid State Logic) or Neve. The console is the most important piece of gear in the studio. It controls the overall operations of signal flow and sound manipulation. The console allows for each instrument to be on its own channel on the board. Each channel may then have effects inserted into its signal path to enhance the sound. A signal may also be routed to external gear for further manipulation. Anything that can be imagined, can be done. There are no rules for experimenting with sound. A signal can be sent to reverbs, delays, compressors, guitar amps, speakers in hallways for re-recording

Each channel strip on a decent console will contain: Faders, Preamps, Panning, Equalization, Filters, a Routing Matrix, AUX Sends and Returns, Dynamics, Muting, & Solo.

Other Features Of The Console: Inserts, Outputs, Monitoring, Automation, Fader Grouping, Bussing, Splitting...

Patchbay

Allows the studio to combine interconnectivity with all the equipment by using patch cables. The patchbay can be configured for each studio's specific equipment requirements. All of the outboard gear, console and recording devices inputs and outputs are hard wired to the patchbay. The Patchbays can be be analog or digital. The most common is the bantam TT cable configurations.

Check List Part 2:

Microphones Microphones pickup the initial sound source. The mic is the first source in the recording process receiving and converting the sound wave into electrical energy to be amplified, transmitted and recorded.

Preamps Amplifies the original signal coming from the mic or instrument. Gives initial control of the recording levels. Preamps are located on the console or as external outboard gear.

DI Boxes The Direct box is used mainly for instruments such as keys and bass to be compatible with mic inputs. The DI box transforms line levels of instruments to mic level for console and preamp inputs.

Compressors Helps to further control levels and dynamics coming from the preamp or console. Usually comes in rack mounted outboard gear or software plugins for DAWs. Compressors keep levels from peaking into distortion levels and help to bring lower levels louder.

FX Processors For special effects like adding space, dimension, pitch and time delays on signals and recorded tracks. Usually comes in rack mounted outboard gear or software plugins for DAWs. Multi-FX processors may have reverb, delay, flangers, EQ, compression and more all in one unit.

FX Pedals Small floor foot pedals originally designed for guitar FX processing. These pedals are created for distortion and special effects, which add space, dimension, pitch and time on guitars mainly, but are an inexpensive alternative used as outboard gear for other instruments.

DAW The Digital Audio Workstation is like an entire studio inside of a computer. Protools, Logic and Nuendo are just a few DAWs that provide a digital multi-track recorder, a virtual console, a wide variety of effects, editing, and sequencing(musical programming) possibilities. The DAW uses software, hardware and computers in combination to operate.

Check List: Part 3

Control Surface The control surface acts as a console that controls a DAW or external machine. The control surface usually has faders, knobs and buttons that are controlled by the computer connected to a DAW. This makes operating the DAW similar to analog operations by being able to put your hands on faders instead of clicking a mouse. Some control surfaces have all the same features as a console. The most common control surfaces are made by Digidesign.

Clocking Digital recorders use different clocking formats to operate properly. Digital units sample the sound to be replicated. Clocking refers to the amount of time in between samples taken for reproduction. If the digital clocking is off it will sound jittery or add noise to the sound in the analog to digital conversion. A quality clock will improve the sound. Some common digital clock sources can be found in products made by Prism, Rosendahl, DCS, and Aardsync to name a few. Some clocks have sync generators built in to lock up with other machines.

Sync Generator Generates tones to allow communication between machines so that several recording devices can be synchronized together and operate at the same speed. Clocking works with synchronization (sync) when analog and digital equipment is combined. Sync uses SMPTE, MTC (midi time code), Midi Clock, MMC (midi machine control) to allow recording on several DAWs and tape machines to be linked up together.

CD Recorder Records and plays back compact discs. Gives the ability to record stereo mixes and playback these mixes on other CD players. CD standard for consumer playback is a sample rate of 16 bit and a sampling rate of 44.1kHz. Sony, Tascam, Alesis, and Yamaha all make good studio CD recorders.

Tape Machines Recording machines that use analog or digital tape for recording and playback of music. Some purists in sound recording prefer the sound of analog tape. There are many digital tape machines used for recording both music and video.

Cabling Literally miles of various cabling could be needed for a single studio. Common cables in sound reproduction are XLR balanced mic cables and Unbalanced 1/4 inch instrument cables.

Monitors / Amps Speakers in the studio are referred to as Monitors. Powerful clean amps are needed to run monitors. Many monitors are self powered, which means that they have built in amplifiers. Monitors usually consist of high frequency tweeters, low frequency woofers and cabinets that contain the speakers and components.

Headphones / Distribution By using a set of earphones this allows communication between the control room and the studio, also allows pre-recorded tracks to be heard during the overdubbing process. Headphones are also referred to as cans.

Instruments / Keyboards / Drums / Guitars These are more of the tools of the craft. You may have all the best studio gear in the world, but if the instruments sound bad you are starting in the wrong place. Anything could be considered an instrument if it makes noise that could possibly be recorded on a record.

Amplifiers This is often referred to as an amp. Amps increase the amplitude or volume of electrical signals from sound waves. These are used in powering speakers. Guitar and Bass amps can be used for many other applications such as running a vocal or snare drum through them.

Microphone Stands A wide variety of sizes and styles are needed for a proper studio. The mic stand helps to get the microphone placed properly for the best sound quality possible.

Studio Furniture There are many types of racks and furniture designed to hold consoles and outboard gear. The interior decoration of the studio completely sets the vibe of the working environment.

Electricity

Nothing will work without electricity unless you're jamming at the local drum circles down on the beach. Electrical installation studio power is often overlooked. Studios will setup a "clean feed" that is a separate breaker from the rest of the general power that is being used for air conditioning, lighting and the basic necessities of the rest of the building. Have you ever plugged something in and heard that horrific buzzing sound coming from the speakers or guitar amp? This is usually due to bad electrical wiring, which causes ground noise. This is the first thing to listen for when going in to a studio session. A simple solution to the problem would be to use a simple ground lifter on the gear or lift the ground from a direct box which can also solve the problems. We will go into details later.

Isolated electrical circuits for each individual room are a must in a recording studio. The proper amount of amperage is also a must. Not enough amperage will surely cause your breakers to blow. Consult with an Electrician who is familiar with studio setups to insure that wiring and voltage is regulated and conforming with local codes.

Unregulated Power Supplies (UPS) should also be in place just in case there is a power failure. This will insure that valuable equipment will not blow up or cause a fire. If there is a case of a power outage the UPS will provide enough time to backup important computer files and safely turn off your equipment. Some studios will have complete generator systems in place to keep the studio running for the remainder of the session.

Improper lighting can also cause buzzing ground issues, especially fluorescent bulbs. Avoid using these in any studio. Dimmers can also cause many problems. The average household dimmers will surely put a damper into a clean sound. Make sure that professional grade dimmers are installed to avoid ground noise. Always listen carefully to signals being recorded before committing to a final take. There are a countless number of accounts that the engineer discovers electrical noise on takes during the mix process.

If you are serious about your studio, may I suggest balance power or a separated panel with neutral power conditioning. The evil problems of ground issues are a direct reflection of sources returning or looking for a different ground. Voltage potential between neutral and ground will certainly change your way of looking at things... for example, .5 volts between neutral and ground is the maximum allowance by UL code that electronics will operate optimally without potential induction issues. I would suggest having a meter installed to rate this. Logging this information and having a good rapport with the local electric company would not hurt at all.

Air Conditioning/HVAC

This is another very important area that is often not considered. Studio gear gets very hot. The lack of adequate cooling could result in equipment failure or damage. Blowing up equipment is no fun and it gets very expensive. Some recording studios have a separate Machine Room for computers, tape machines and power amps that is highly air-conditioned to keep everything cool. This also cuts down on the noise from the fans on such units, which can distract concentration from listening in detail in the control room. Having too much air conditioning could also result in moisture or condensation build-up that may also damage the gear. Water in general is bad for electronic gear.

The return air system is used to pull heat out of needed areas and also provides an air intake for the AC units. These are placed in key areas where there is a build-up of heat from the gear, for example near the console or in the machine room.

Separate Rooms: Control Room

Most studios have several isolated areas for recording, mixing, and production. Soundproofing is the main agenda when creating multiple rooms in a studio. To achieve this, the main objective is to make the rooms airtight. If air cannot leak in or out of a room, there will be less chance of sound leaking in or out as well.

Most pro studios have double doors that create a sound lock to help prevent noise leakage. They also have very thick double walls with interior air gaps to also help trap unwanted sound. The floors in the studio should also be floated which means they are lifted from the ground to help further prevent extra vibrations and leakage.

The first focus would be the Control Room where the mixing console and outboard gear are contained. This is where all of the recording and mixing is controlled, hence control room. The acoustics in this room should be designed for hearing the exact sound that is being recorded or mixed. The sound of the room should be as natural as possible for accurate representation of the original sound translated to the speakers in the room.

The first rule for an appropriate acoustically treated room is that there should be no parallel walls .If you were to clap your hands in a room with hard parallel walls you would here the sound bouncing back and forth, this is known as a flutter echo. This is neither good for recording or mixing. The trapping of unwanted bass is important for a room to sound great as well. Twenty five percent of the room should be assigned for bass traps for an adequate mixing room.

Separate Rooms: Live Rooms

The next focus of equal importance would be the Live Room where the music is recorded. This is where the musicians and vocalists perform on the microphones. Live rooms should have more versatility to be able to adapt to different recording situations. Wood floors for example are great for reflection of sound, which creates a brighter tone. If a warmer tone is wanted, one could simply place a rug on the floor. Many live rooms also have a great deal of glass to see between rooms for communication. This is also very reflective. Many studios use curtains to control the amount of reflections coming off glass or hard walls. Non-parallel walls are again needed to eliminate any flutter echoes.

Some studios also contain a vocal booth within the live room. This would be a smaller room designed for vocals. They may also be used for guitar amps and other instruments. There are no rules for what this can be used for; its main purpose is for additional isolation during the recording process. Glass doors or windows are used for visibility of the artists and those working in the control room.

Many elaborate studios may have multiple control rooms and production suites. Lounges and proper bathroom facilities are important in keeping the creativity flowing. A dining area and kitchen are also a consideration if budgets permit. Many hours are spent in the studio when working on projects. It is important to have all the comforts of home to keep everyone happy.

A few proper offices are necessary for the client to be able to have private internet access and to handle business without any distractions. All studios are designed differently. Whatever can be imagined can be created. There are no rules, only guidelines.

Acoustics

Sound is a wave, much like the ripples on a still body of water when a rock is dropped into it. The larger the wave, the lower the tone. Lower tones, known as bass frequencies, travel in wide long waves while higher tones known as treble frequencies travel in a tighter, shorter wave. Frequencies heard by the human ear range from 20Hz to 20K. Just as an indication, a piano's range, probably the widest range of any instrument, is from 39Hz on the low note and 3Khz on the high note.

Sound is measured in decibels also represented as dB. An average concert is about 95-100 dB while a heavy rock concert or hip hop concert could reach levels of 130dB. This is above the threshold of pain; so don't forget to wear your earplugs which are designed to protect your hearing when in extreme sound levels. Interestingly enough, whales can actually produce levels of up to 180dB. It should be remembered that taking care of your ears is the most important thing you can do to prevent damage and have a sustained career. So don't hang out with any whales and put some protection in your ears when exposed to loud volumes.

Absorption is the act of a sound wave being soaked up by a particular material. This is measured by co-efficient ratings. The higher the sound absorption co-efficient rating, the more sound that is being eliminated from troubled spots in your room. Different section of the room may require different co-efficient ratings. Remember that studios start off as an empty shell. Hard surfaces and walls need treatment to provide for a great sounding room. For example, 20 gauge theater curtains are commonly used in studios. They consist of a thick velvet material, which is excellent for absorbing high-end frequencies. The thinner materials soak up higher frequencies.

The thicker materials soak up lower frequencies. This is why thick bass traps are very large and contain ports or holes to trap low-end frequencies. The larger the port, the lower the frequency absorption.

There are endless amounts of products and designs that are used in the industry. Wall panels are also commonly used to absorb sound. These are made from a fiberglass product wrapped in a cloth material. Various sizes and thickness are used for problem frequencies. Again the thin materials eliminate high end and thicker materials absorb low end.

Reflection is the opposite of absorption. Think of the sound as a wave hitting a mirror and bouncing back. This can be used as an advantage for a brighter tone. If a room has too much absorption causing the room to sound too dead, hard surfaces such as wood panels can be placed in strategic locations to add a more live sound to the room.

Some studios have reversible hanging panels that can be flipped between reflective and absorptive to change the room sound at will. For vocals the room may need a more dead sounding absorptive room. Drums may require a more live sounding room. John Bonham, from Led Zeppelin had an amazingly huge live reflective drum sound. This became the goal for the big Rock drum sound.

Prince is underestimated as a drummer. He has a great tight drum sound on his first record where he played all of the instruments as well as the drums. The drums have just the opposite effect using absorption in a small tight room creating a very in your face heavy Pop drum sound.

These are not rules, only guidelines. Using your ears is always the key to getting the best sound.

Designing a studio is quite an undertaking to do professionally. Each room is completely separated and isolated from one another. The most common method is to actually build a room inside of a room. The inner walls do not touch the outer walls, which creates an air gap that traps sound. Each wall can be many feet thick and multiple layers of thick glass and doors divide the rooms.

The floors in each room are floated from the ground with spacers that also create an air space to lower vibrations and help to trap unwanted sound leakage. All floors have different characteristics in the way sound waves bounce off from their surfaces. While wood floors have a warm tone, concrete and tile have a brighter tone. This also holds true for walls.

A solid plan is needed to run cabling between rooms so that each room can be interconnected with each other for microphone signal lines and headphone communication systems. Custom made cable troughs or PVC tubing is used to send groups of microphone cables from a panel to the control room. From the control room the Headphone lines would be run through the walls for communication between all of the rooms.

Materials and Tools

Drywall is needed for walls. The more layers of drywall added will increase the thickness of the studio walls. By using varying thicknesses of drywall stacked and shifted, alternating at the seams will help minimize sound transmission between rooms. Many drywall screws and a good electric drill will definitely come in handy if you are building a studio.

Fabric is used for making wall panels and ceiling clouds that control the absorption in the studio. There are specific fabrics that are designed for different frequency absorption. Each thickness and texture has varying co-efficient ratings at multiple frequency bands.

AC Duct Board and other fiberglass products are wrapped in fabric with spray glue to create absorbing panels called Wall Boxes and Bass Traps. Thermal Fiber or Fiberglass Insulation is inserted in between two sets of walls and ceiling to create an additional thickness providing an alternate texture, containing fiberglass, which is superb for capturing sound.

Sand is also an excellent alternative choice for filling walls to prevent sound wave transmission. Wood provides the skeleton for frames that hold the panels and boxes. Larger Bass Traps with large ports could be made from wood or fiberglass. RPG panels are a series of wooden slats mathematically designed to absorb and refract, or soak up and scatter sound inside a room. Wood can also be used to create custom racks to hold the outboard gear, console and patchbay. Custom studios can be designed for any situation and style.

Doors, Walls and Windows

Doors and walls are the single most important item where recording studio sound bleed is concerned. A small 1/4inch air gap at the bottom threshold of a door will release 30% of the sound. Creating airtight rooms are the first step in sealing all the gaps for optimum sound proofing. The transitions between where the rooms are connected have more possibilities for sound leakage https://boomcaster.com. All corners, gaps and frames for door and window cutaways must be sealed with a silicon or caulking material. Keep in mind that if air can escape through any passage then sound will surely go through as well.

Great Tips On How To Invest In Real Estate

Investing in real estate can be very profitable over time. However, in order to do well you much know what you are doing. The information gathered here is the first step to take before becoming a genius in the field.

If you want to get into real estate investing, but do not have enough money to buy a piece of property on your own, do not fret. Look at real estate investment trusts. Operating much like mutual funds, you can invest what funds you have available into a larger group pool and still make some money off of real estate mortgages.

Try not to overextend yourself. Don't get overeager. Start small and work your way up. Don't just assume that you can spend a great deal and make that money back. That's an easy way to back yourself into a corner. Wait until your smaller investments can fund some of your more ambitious ones.

Interact with others who invest in real estate. It is important that you get the advice of investors who are more experienced than you. Friends who know about investing in real estate can be a great asset. You can find like-minded people by looking online. Join some online forums or investigate real-world meetings.

When you invest in real estate to rent the property, make sure you're able to get your money back within a reasonable amount of time. If it takes you years to get the money back in rental payments, then it will be hard for you to use the money on anything property related.

Never assume that property values are always going to rise. Sometimes, you will lose money, which could cost you a lot. You should probably just stick with properties that you know you'll get cash from right away. Property value appreciation will definitely be good for your income.

Find a contractor to work with that you can get along with. There's no reason to get someone to help you with fixing up the real estate you invest in if you don't like how they operate. You can save yourself a lot of frustration if you just find someone that you know will work well with you.

Consider building up a real estate rental portfolio that can continue to provide you with consistent profit for retirement purposes. While purchasing homes to sell for profit is still possible, it is less of a reality in today's world than it has been in the past. Building up rental income by purchasing the right properties is trending vs flipping homes due to the current housing market.

Build your real estate investment buyers list with online ads. For example, you could use social media, online ad sites such as CraigsList and/or the local newspaper to draw attention to the properties you have on offer. Be sure to retain contact information for every person who shows and interest so you will have a well-rounded contact list as you accrue new properties.

Be patient when first starting out. Your first real estate investment deal may be more time consuming than you expected. There may not be any good properties available, or perhaps the terms of the deals you are offered are not right. Don't let your anxiety cause you to invest in a scenario that's not ideal. This will be a poor investment on your part. Wait until a better deal comes along.

You may want to use a property management service. This will cost a little but will help a lot in the long run. Property managers can screen prospective tenants and manage repair projects. This gives you time to find other properties to invest in.

When investing, you should purchase properties located near you. You know the neighborhood already, which prevents leaps of faith from losing you money. Plus, if you're renting, you can be more secure in the fact that you know what's going on in the place. To handle the investment you need to live near it.

Find a Realtor you can trust. A Realtor can be a real ally when you are searching for investment properties. He can help you to negotiate great deals and make the entire buying process easier. Take the time to interview several Realtors, and make your final choice an important part of your team.

Reputation is important in the investing world. Therefore, always tell the truth and try not to make any enemies. Most importantly, follow through on what you say you are going to do. If you are not sure if you can do something, do not make the claim in the first place. Your reputation could suffer and affect your business as a result.

Be careful not to lose focus during a bidding war. Bidding wars get people emotionally charged up. That can lead to bad mistakes like paying too much for a home or bidding against yourself. Remember, the numbers never lie. Stick to your initial numbers and bow out when the price goes over them.

Stick with the same type of real estate if you are just starting out as an investor. While certain properties and prices may look good, you will be more successful if you develop expertize in one sector first. Become familiar with regulations, rennovation prices, what lenders are looking for and other relevant details and build your investment skills from there.

Be prepared for failure. Failure is part of the learning process. You are going to make mistakes. Make sure you have a few exit strategies and some money put back just in case. Don't let your failures discourage you. Don't give up and quit. Learn from your mistakes and keep going.

You need to consider the worst case scenario if you were unable to sell a property you were invested in. Could you rent it or re-purpose it, or would it be a drain on your finances? Do you have options for that property so that you can have a back up plan if you can't sell it?

It is an unarguable fact that real estate investing has made many individuals wealthy. It can be hard to figure out. Hopefully, you've just been given the advice you need to set you on your way.

Real estate is one of the most popular forms of investing, but it has its hazards that you need to watch out for. Whether you're a veteran investor or a beginner, it pays to know what the potential pitfalls are. Use these tips to make successful investments.

Never give up if you ever experience a setback with your plan and strategy. The real estate market is filled with many great and bad times, so make sure to stay strong if you hit a lull in your search. Persistence is the key to success when dealing with real estate.

Reputation is important when you are stepping into this arena. You always want to keep an open and honest relationship with your clients. This allows you to be credible where you're living so that people can be loyal to the company you run.

Be sure to stay in a comfortable niche. You will find more success by focusing your energies on a particular type of investment. Get to know your market type and continue with it for repeated success.

Be careful about choosing properties with strange room layouts. You may personally find it interesting, but many people don't like these strangely developed properties. They can be extremely hard sells. Picking one up without a potential buyer in mind can lead to it sitting in your inventory for months, if not years.

Choose popular, well-known locales that will pique the interest of potential clients. This is very important because it could give you the best amount of resale when you go about your purchase. It's also a good idea to look for properties that will not need a lot maintenance.

When investing in residential real estate, make sure you know the neighborhood you are buying in. Some neighborhoods offer better resale potential, while others are better for long or short term rentals. By knowing your neighborhood, you can create a smart business plan that nets you the highest potential for future profits.

When considering what real estate to purchase, the word "location" should come to mind. However, many people forget to think about all the concerns that are factored into "location." Find out all the information you can about the neighborhood, such as surrounding home values, crime rates, schools, employment and more.

You may get a property management company to deal with tenants. Since these tenants are what essentially pays your mortgage, it is important that these people have a good credit standing. Otherwise, you may end up losing money.

The best real estate investment you can make is purchasing and renting out one bedroom condos. Most people that are in the market for a rental property are single may they be young singles, divorced middle-agers or older widowed people. It is not only the easiest property to rent, but also the simplest to manage.

Your ventures in real estate will not pay off immediately. You should have money saved up in the bank. You should not quit your day job. There are many expenses that can turn up as you invest and manage your real estate. Without a stable income, you can fall behind.

Remember, you should only invest money that you could lose without causing seriously financial pain to your family. This means that going into debt to invest or using equity from your family's current home is not the right solution. Find other sources of income to protect yourself from the worst possible situations.

Be careful not to lose focus during a bidding war. Bidding wars get people emotionally charged up. That can lead to bad mistakes like paying too much for a home or bidding against yourself. Remember, the numbers never lie. Stick to your initial numbers and bow out when the price goes over them.

If you've lost money on an investment, take the time afterwards to understand why it happened. Look at your books and see where you went over-budget. Think about the things that you could have done differently to keep the numbers in check. Since big money is involved here, you need to learn as much as you can from your own mistakes.

Your loved ones may attempt to dissuade you from investing in real estate. You should largely ignore them as long as you are willing to do the hard work and learn. Some exceptions are people that have much more funds or more experience than you have.

Certain costs included with real estate investment don't always yield directly traceable and tangible benefits. These include marketing and inspections. Yet, you need to always treat these as investments, because they mean you find possible deals and prevent yourself from getting involved in bad ones that lose you a lot of money.

If the area you are looking at seems to have a lot of vacancies or the city seems to be in decline, avoid it. Instead, invest your money in real estate located in stable, well-established, growing cities. In this way you can be sure your investment will continue to grow in value. Real estate located in a depressed area is bound to cost you money and cause you headaches.

Think cautiously when getting involved in real estate investment. Don't look at a property for how much money it can make you. Instead look at it at how much of your money it will let you keep. You want the property value and rental income to maintain the overall investment of your portfolio that you put into it.

Have an extra exit strategy or two https://www.penidaland.com/. When it comes time to sell, you might find it takes longer than you would like. By having a back up plan or two, you can keep yourself financially safe so you are able to move forward in your investment property career.

When you being to make real estate investments, you'll notice there are a lot of things you must look out for. The more you educate yourself about things before beginning, the better you'll do. Keep this information in mind as you enjoy your successful real estate career.