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Soundproofing A Music Room
Author: Sturgeon Christie
Last Updated: February 9, 2024
Read Time: 8 Minutes
Soundproofing A Music Room
Author:
Sturgeon Christie
Last Updated:
February 9, 2024
Read Time:
8 Minutes
Author: Sturgeon Christie
Updated: Feb. 9, 2024
Read Time: 8 Minutes
Are you looking to take your music practice space to the next level? You deserve to practice in a soundproof room that won’t bother others, but also has the right acoustics to allow you to actually enjoy the music you play. Improving the acoustics of your practice music room is the difference between being able to hear yourself and get in the zone while you record or rehearse and being blown out of the room by your band mates all playing over the top of each other. Whether you plan to improve the sound quality by reducing echo and reverb or blocking sound from escaping the room, we have all of the insider tips you could possibly need!
Are you looking to take your music practice space to the next level? You deserve to practice in a soundproof room that won’t bother others, but also has the right acoustics to allow you to actually enjoy the music you play. Improving the acoustics of your practice music room is the difference between being able to hear yourself and get in the zone while you record or rehearse and being blown out of the room by your band mates all playing over the top of each other. Whether you plan to improve the sound quality by reducing echo and reverb or blocking sound from escaping the room, we have all of the insider tips you could possibly need!
Noise Issues in a Music Room: Soundproofing vs Acoustics
It is important to determine what kind of noise issue you are dealing with before you get started. It is easy to get soundproofing issues and acoustical issues confused, so let’s break down the difference between the two.
Soundproofing
If you are looking to reduce the amount of noise that is transferring from your music room to other adjacent rooms, then you should look into soundproofing. To ensure your room is soundproof, you must plan ahead and use products that can achieve high STC ratings. It is also very important to seal up any gaps in the surfaces of your room. Sound travels like water, flowing towards any weak points in the wall or door. Properly sealing the surfaces of your room will make a world of difference when it comes to reducing the noise that escapes the room.
Acoustics
Acoustics are very important for music rooms. Without sound absorption, your instruments and voices will sound muddled, and the echo and reverb may distract you from what you’re there for – to make awesome music. The cause of poor acoustics in a music room is generally lots of hard reflective surfaces. Installing absorptive materials in your room is the best solution for this.
How to Soundproof a Music Room
Here are some of the best ways to soundproof your music room and prevent your band practice from disturbing other rooms in the house.
Step One: Soundproof the Doors in a Practice Room
The first area to focus when soundproofing your music room is the door. The door in a room is one of the biggest weak points. If you have a hollow core door, the first thing you will want to do is replace it with a solid core door. Hollow core doors are NOT at all effective at blocking sound, and using one in your music room will ensure that the adjacent rooms will hear your jams.
A solid core door on its own may be better at reducing noise than a hollow core door, but sound will still be heard on the other side of it. Sound can also easily leak through the gaps around the perimeter of the door. The best solution for this is to use our Sound Lock Door Seal Kit, which is a high performing attachment for a solid core door that can raise the STC rating up to 51.
If you are looking for a high performing recording studio door, your best bet is to invest in our Sound Lock Soundproof Door. This super dense, hefty, soundproof door will vacuum seal your music room and has an STC rating of up to 56.
Step Two: Soundproofing Walls in a music room
Now that you’ve sealed up the door, the next area of focus is on soundproofing the walls and ceiling. Your walls need to be dense enough to block sound. To reduce the amount of noise coming from your music room by a decent amount, you will likely have to add to your existing wall.
Green Glue and ⅝” Thick Drywall
The most effective way to add density to your existing wall is to add an additional layer of ⅝” thick drywall. Screw a new sheet of 5/8” drywall to your existing wall with Green Glue between the two drywall sheets. This easy installation will make the walls and ceiling much more effective at blocking sound.
Acoustical Sealant
Use our Acoustical Sealant to close off any gaps or penetrations in your wall. Without sealing these gaps, sound will still be able to escape despite the density of your walls. Key areas to watch for are behind the baseboards and behind plastic plates on outlets and switches.
Building a New Soundproof Wall
If you are building a new music room from scratch or rebuilding the walls, there are plenty of good options. Check out our article on soundproofing a wall for more information on this topic.
For the best possible performance, you should be installing a sound isolation clip system (RSIC clips). Another good option more comparable to Green Glue is to install mass loaded vinyl directly to the studs, before installing the 5/8” drywall. You also can combine these soundproofing methods to max out your soundproofing if you’re a professional music room or just want to hit those standards. Reach out to an expert at Second Skin to discuss your project!
Step Three: Soundproofing the ceiling in a music room
All that good stuff we just talked you through with soundproofing a wall…applies to the ceiling as well. There are multiple options for soundproofing a ceiling without building a new wall. One way you can lower the overall sound level, and improve the noise quality and clarity in the space is with acoustical material being added, and the ceiling is a great place to add acoustic material. We’ll cover acoustics for the space in a little bit!
People Also Soundproof These Areas in a Music Room
The walls, ceiling, and door may be the most important surfaces to soundproof, but if you want the best results possible, you must soundproof all 6 surfaces of the room. (Yes! That means the floor!)
Window SOundproofing in a music room
Windows are another weak spot in a room where sound can enter. If you’re considering soundproofing, you will need to have soundproof windows in the room. The best option for soundproofing your exterior windows is our Fantastic Frame Window Inserts. These inserts are highly effective at reducing sound and are easy enough to install by yourself.
If you are building a professional music room, an interior facing window should use our Tru Acoustics Soundproof Window. This window has several versions, with an STC rating of up to 56!
Floor Soundproofing in a music room
People always want to skip the floor! If you do, you’ll cap out at about 70% of your soundproofing results as the sound flanks under a wall. We’ve run into scenarios where the sound passing through the floor went into a basement and then was being heard in every room in the entire building. Even if you’re on the ground floor, banging out a drum solo is going to disturb other people in the building without floor soundproofing treatments.
The best option is to install our 10mm UnderBlock Rubber Floor Underlayment. This dense rubber mat can be easily rolled out and used under just about any finished flooring.
Improving the Acoustics in a Music Room
If the sound quality inside the room itself is the issue, here are our top tips for improving the acoustics of your room.
Treating the Walls
The best way to absorb sound and improve the acoustics of your music room is to install acoustical materials on the walls. We use a combination of acoustic panels and bass traps to soften the reflective surfaces in your room and control reverb at a variety of frequencies. The exact needs depend on the project. We offer many different designs to choose from, making it easy to match or enhance the aesthetics of the space.
How Much Material Do You Need?
To calculate the amount needed, we’ll need to know more about the goals for the music room. To get an acoustical analysis done on your room, reach out to us with the plans or details of your room!
What Materials We Recommend
There are many different acoustic panels to choose from, depending on what style you are going for. Here are some of our recommended options.
Fabric Wrapped Panels: These are our most high end acoustic panels. They come in a variety of different colors and can be made with any fabric. They look great in almost any setting and are high performing as well!
PolyZorbe: These polyester panels are more affordable than fabric wrapped panels, but still look very high-end. We offer them in a standard 24” x 48”, but can also cut them to customize for your space.
Timberwool: These acoustic panels are made of acoustic wood wool panels. They are super easy to cut to size and can be painted whatever color you wish, so they provide a unique aesthetic to your room. We can even do shapes or engravings! If you want a unique wood look, Timberwool is the option for you!
Budget Options: EcoVerb and CelluZorbe are cost effective products that can be used as DIY acoustic panels. Both of these options are extremely budget friendly and excellent at absorbing sound. EcoVerb even comes in a variety of colors. CelluZorbe is commonly used instead of a fiberglass core for DIY panels.
Now You Have a Soundproof Music Room
Now that you have all of the tips and tricks to soundproof your music room, you and your band can enjoy amazing sound quality without disturbing family or the neighbors!
If you want to discuss your project more or any other soundproofing queries, feel free to reach out to one of the experts at Second Skin. Just a phone call is all it takes to get a custom quote from a soundproofing expert!