Need recommendation on book - anything on "Building a Soundstage" at DVinfo.net

Christopher C. Murphy · March 31st, 2005, 07:20 AM

Hi all,

Does anyone have any idea where I can get a "Building a Soundstage" type book? Anything similar out there? If you've built something similar please point me in the direction you went! Thanks!

Oh, I have a huge barn that's split into sections big enough for one large soundstage and another smaller one. Also, I have workshop in there so I can build sets etc. I need to know more about converting it into a full blown soundstate....electric, materials etc. Any help is appreciated - I've looked on Amazon and nothing has come up!

Thanks!

Ken Tanaka · March 31st, 2005, 11:41 AM

I've never seen such a reference. I can't imagine it would be considered a DIY-type project, certainly not common enough to support a published market. Building a true "sound stage" done properly would require many specialized design and construction capabilities. It would be more useful to contact an architect or general contractor with some grounding in such projects. You'll likely have to hook up with one sooner or later to get building and habitation permits for that barn.

As a side note, the typical construction of barns would not be a good starting point for such a production facility. But that's really off-topic for this section. Better to pose those questions elsewhere in DV Info.

Rhett Allen · March 31st, 2005, 02:08 PM

I have a book somewhere about some of this stuff, I'll see if I can find it for you, it's been a few years since I've looked at it.
Key things to remember are, nothing can touch, meaning rubber absorption materials under twin framed walls (two walls framed right next to each other but not touching) and a sand (or rubber) base under a separate flooring structure that also does not touch anything else. (rubber absorption material where it meets the rest of the floor. You are basically building a room within a room and padding the contact points.
Sound transfers thru solid materials by vibration so if you break the path, it can't continue the travel. Sound hitting one wall won't transfer to the other side of it if they're not touching. If you are looking to produce a "clean" room you would add tons of absorption materials to all the walls and ceiling (maybe even the floor) but this can take on different designs as well. If you want to keep "some" atmosphere in there you could add a bunch of traps but this doesn't usually work as well unless it's for a recording studio.
As for electricity, put in a separate panel, the biggest the lines will carry. Maybe 300AMPs or more and lot's of 20-30AMP breakers (10x on 300A is your max at 30A) FYI, most modern houses have 150-200A panels and 15A breakers.

The coolest part is that you could blast your music in there without the neighbors ever knowing, of course, if it's in a barn, something tells me the neighbors aren't very close anyway.

Christopher C. Murphy · March 31st, 2005, 04:47 PM

Wow, very good information! Thank you!

Rhett, it's a barn next to my production studio and also my house. I have 3 seperate buildings. The barn is huge with one huge roof that starts about 30-40 high and makes it way down. The last "stall" of the barn is still big enough to have a truck rolled in. Each part of the barn has huge doors that open - it's really nice. The sound thing is definately an issue - the roof is tin. The pieces around about 10x10 and lay on top of each other all the way to the bottom. When the weather is bad...it's loud. So, an alternative roof or not shooting suring bad weather might be the only issue.

I need to learn more about sound barriers - it sounds like from what you said I could insulate via a "room within a room"? If that's possible, I could probably build moveable walls and the ceiling could be something that's moved on the set. I'm not sure exactly how it will work, but the barn is so huge it has to be possible. If anything it could be a simple design that isn't meant to be for extremely serious stuff...maybe certain things like green screen? I don't know exactly just yet. It's just to big of a resource to go unused!

I found something on "Soundstages" - it's DVD supposedly for building one:

http://www.videobusinessadvisor.com/...und_stage.html

But, I'm not sure if it's worth the cash. If anyone has reviewed this...please tell!!

Xiaoli Wang · March 31st, 2005, 07:25 PM

This article from the ASC might be helpful:

http://www.theasc.com/resource/advice/burum/stage.htm

Christopher C. Murphy · April 1st, 2005, 07:42 AM

Great link Xiaoli, thanks!

How do you pronounce your name??

Xiaoli Wang · April 1st, 2005, 12:59 PM

It's pronounced "show-lee".

Christopher C. Murphy · April 1st, 2005, 02:33 PM

cool name

Glenn Chan · June 26th, 2005, 11:48 AM

Books on acoustics will have information on sound-proofing and acoustic treatment. A good one should be F. Alton Everest's
How to Build a Small Budget Recording Studio from Scratch With 12 Tested Designs

Christopher C. Murphy · June 26th, 2005, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the info! I've been waiting on building the soundstage until I got some concrete information. This book might be the ticket!

Thanks again Glenn!

March 31st, 2005, 07:20 AM	#1
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Need recommendation on book - anything on "Building a Soundstage" Hi all, Does anyone have any idea where I can get a "Building a Soundstage" type book? Anything similar out there? If you've built something similar please point me in the direction you went! Thanks! Oh, I have a huge barn that's split into sections big enough for one large soundstage and another smaller one. Also, I have workshop in there so I can build sets etc. I need to know more about converting it into a full blown soundstate....electric, materials etc. Any help is appreciated - I've looked on Amazon and nothing has come up! Thanks! __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

March 31st, 2005, 11:41 AM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	I've never seen such a reference. I can't imagine it would be considered a DIY-type project, certainly not common enough to support a published market. Building a true "sound stage" done properly would require many specialized design and construction capabilities. It would be more useful to contact an architect or general contractor with some grounding in such projects. You'll likely have to hook up with one sooner or later to get building and habitation permits for that barn. As a side note, the typical construction of barns would not be a good starting point for such a production facility. But that's really off-topic for this section. Better to pose those questions elsewhere in DV Info. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 31st, 2005, 04:47 PM	#4
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Wow, very good information! Thank you! Rhett, it's a barn next to my production studio and also my house. I have 3 seperate buildings. The barn is huge with one huge roof that starts about 30-40 high and makes it way down. The last "stall" of the barn is still big enough to have a truck rolled in. Each part of the barn has huge doors that open - it's really nice. The sound thing is definately an issue - the roof is tin. The pieces around about 10x10 and lay on top of each other all the way to the bottom. When the weather is bad...it's loud. So, an alternative roof or not shooting suring bad weather might be the only issue. I need to learn more about sound barriers - it sounds like from what you said I could insulate via a "room within a room"? If that's possible, I could probably build moveable walls and the ceiling could be something that's moved on the set. I'm not sure exactly how it will work, but the barn is so huge it has to be possible. If anything it could be a simple design that isn't meant to be for extremely serious stuff...maybe certain things like green screen? I don't know exactly just yet. It's just to big of a resource to go unused! I found something on "Soundstages" - it's DVD supposedly for building one: http://www.videobusinessadvisor.com/...und_stage.html But, I'm not sure if it's worth the cash. If anyone has reviewed this...please tell!! __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

April 1st, 2005, 07:42 AM	#6
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Great link Xiaoli, thanks! How do you pronounce your name?? __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

April 1st, 2005, 02:33 PM	#8
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	cool name __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

March 31st, 2005, 02:08 PM	#3
Rhett Allen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 607	I have a book somewhere about some of this stuff, I'll see if I can find it for you, it's been a few years since I've looked at it. Key things to remember are, nothing can touch, meaning rubber absorption materials under twin framed walls (two walls framed right next to each other but not touching) and a sand (or rubber) base under a separate flooring structure that also does not touch anything else. (rubber absorption material where it meets the rest of the floor. You are basically building a room within a room and padding the contact points. Sound transfers thru solid materials by vibration so if you break the path, it can't continue the travel. Sound hitting one wall won't transfer to the other side of it if they're not touching. If you are looking to produce a "clean" room you would add tons of absorption materials to all the walls and ceiling (maybe even the floor) but this can take on different designs as well. If you want to keep "some" atmosphere in there you could add a bunch of traps but this doesn't usually work as well unless it's for a recording studio. As for electricity, put in a separate panel, the biggest the lines will carry. Maybe 300AMPs or more and lot's of 20-30AMP breakers (10x on 300A is your max at 30A) FYI, most modern houses have 150-200A panels and 15A breakers. The coolest part is that you could blast your music in there without the neighbors ever knowing, of course, if it's in a barn, something tells me the neighbors aren't very close anyway.

March 31st, 2005, 07:25 PM	#5
Xiaoli Wang Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 94	This article from the ASC might be helpful: http://www.theasc.com/resource/advice/burum/stage.htm

April 1st, 2005, 12:59 PM	#7
Xiaoli Wang Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 94	It's pronounced "show-lee".

June 26th, 2005, 11:48 AM	#9
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Books on acoustics will have information on sound-proofing and acoustic treatment. A good one should be F. Alton Everest's How to Build a Small Budget Recording Studio from Scratch With 12 Tested Designs

June 26th, 2005, 02:05 PM	#10
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Thanks for the info! I've been waiting on building the soundstage until I got some concrete information. This book might be the ticket! Thanks again Glenn! __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer