DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Ask questions and get answers about how to make music in any particular way. Hardware or songwriting or whatever.
Post Reply
User avatar
ken
Hot for Teacher
Posts: 3870
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
Pronouns: he/him
Location: oakland, ca
Contact:

DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by ken »

Hey All,

If you wanted to make some acoustic baffles to help with your recording environment, Tape Op magazine posted this: https://tapeop.com/tutorials/34/acoustic-baffling/

If you wanted a more professional product, I suggest GIK panels: https://www.gikacoustics.com/product/fr ... anel-gobo/
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!

i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
User avatar
ujnhunter
Ice Cream Man
Posts: 1804
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 pm
Instruments: Bass, Keyboards, Crummy Guitar & Animal Noises (especially Donkeys)
Recording Method: Reaper 5.9x, Tascam FireOne/Behringer UMC202HD/Avid Eleven Rack/Line 6 UX2, Win 7 PC / Win 10 Laptop
Submitting as: Cock, Chth*.*, D.A.H. (Der Alter Hahn)
Pronouns: His Infernal Majesty
Location: CT, USA
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by ujnhunter »

I don't know man... sounds like you may be better off just putting in a carpet and a couch or something for that price. I mean... unless you live/record in an empty bathroom... it shouldn't be so bad that you need to buy $250 padded gobos. I say this because after replacing my bathroom window this past weekend and painting while the bathroom was empty... sure, you could hear the environment sound in the empty bathroom was bad... but just by putting the rug and the towel dresser back in after I was done painting... it sounds almost as fine as any other room in my house does.
Last edited by ujnhunter on Wed Jul 03, 2019 4:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
-Ujn Hunter
Photovoltaik - Free 6 Track EP - Song Fight! Liner Notes
Billy's Little Trip wrote:I must have this....in my mouth.....now.
owl
Panama
Posts: 974
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 1:29 pm
Instruments: vox keys uke guitar
Recording Method: REAPER
Submitting as: Vowl Sounds, miscellaneous owl
Pronouns: she/her
Location: Madison, WI
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by owl »

ujnhunter wrote:
Tue Jul 02, 2019 12:30 pm
I mean... unless you live/record in an empty bathroom...
Hey, man, you don't know my life!
User avatar
ujnhunter
Ice Cream Man
Posts: 1804
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 pm
Instruments: Bass, Keyboards, Crummy Guitar & Animal Noises (especially Donkeys)
Recording Method: Reaper 5.9x, Tascam FireOne/Behringer UMC202HD/Avid Eleven Rack/Line 6 UX2, Win 7 PC / Win 10 Laptop
Submitting as: Cock, Chth*.*, D.A.H. (Der Alter Hahn)
Pronouns: His Infernal Majesty
Location: CT, USA
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by ujnhunter »

owl wrote:
Tue Jul 02, 2019 2:33 pm
ujnhunter wrote:
Tue Jul 02, 2019 12:30 pm
I mean... unless you live/record in an empty bathroom...
Hey, man, you don't know my life!
"But they know
They know everything
"
-Ujn Hunter
Photovoltaik - Free 6 Track EP - Song Fight! Liner Notes
Billy's Little Trip wrote:I must have this....in my mouth.....now.
User avatar
fluffy
Eruption
Posts: 11029
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
Instruments: sometimes
Recording Method: Logic Pro X
Submitting as: Sockpuppet
Pronouns: she/they
Location: Seattle-ish
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by fluffy »

This happened to show up on my YouTube recommendations just now:

User avatar
Lunkhead
You're No Good
Posts: 8106
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:14 pm
Instruments: many
Recording Method: cubase/mac/tascam4x4
Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Merisan, Tiny Robots
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Berkeley, CA
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by Lunkhead »

Ooh, those are pretty slick, look great and nice details like the glued in nails on the back.
User avatar
fluffy
Eruption
Posts: 11029
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
Instruments: sometimes
Recording Method: Logic Pro X
Submitting as: Sockpuppet
Pronouns: she/they
Location: Seattle-ish
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by fluffy »

Yeah it's probably the most elegant approach I've seen in DIY acoustic treatments. The comparison bit at the end is also pretty great, I was surprised at how effective they were.
User avatar
grumpymike
Push Comes to Shove
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:12 pm
Instruments: Rage and curmudgeonry
Recording Method: Zero-turn lawnmower
Submitting as: Grumpy Mike

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by grumpymike »

"Cheap and easy - all you need is a 3d printer" How many panels could I buy with a 3d printer?!

Personally, my two novel takeaways from this thread are:
* used sheets
* bed foam

The wood frame and backing + insulation + acoustic fabric is a fairly common formula and that's what both acoustimac and Ken's aforementioned gikacoustic sell individually for DIYers.

Personally, I can't see making nice small wall panels. I'd rather receive them fully assembled to save my time and to look better. But if I want to cover a ceiling in a less stylish way, or make a temporary barrier that won't be a home decoration, bed foam and used sheets seems like a good strategy. (and just buy a cheap 4x4 or 2x4 MDF panels from Home Depot and put cheap wood around the edges)
User avatar
fluffy
Eruption
Posts: 11029
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
Instruments: sometimes
Recording Method: Logic Pro X
Submitting as: Sockpuppet
Pronouns: she/they
Location: Seattle-ish
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by fluffy »

The 3D printer doesn't really seem all that necessary in the build. You could cut those end pieces out from any number of rigid materials.

Also 3D printers are pretty cheap now, and are useful for a lot more than just making acoustic panels. And like the presenter said, there are plenty of places where you can borrow a printer.
User avatar
grumpymike
Push Comes to Shove
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:12 pm
Instruments: Rage and curmudgeonry
Recording Method: Zero-turn lawnmower
Submitting as: Grumpy Mike

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by grumpymike »

Don’t get me wrong- I want a 3d printer. I just thought it was slightly ironic.
User avatar
fluffy
Eruption
Posts: 11029
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
Instruments: sometimes
Recording Method: Logic Pro X
Submitting as: Sockpuppet
Pronouns: she/they
Location: Seattle-ish
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by fluffy »

It's less ironic given some of DIYPerks' other videos, I think. He is very much a Maker Porn type. I mostly watch his channel because he has a soothing/relaxing voice, not because I have any intention of building any of the fiddly overwrought stuff he makes. The acoustic panels are probably the first thing he's made I have any interest in actually building.
User avatar
ken
Hot for Teacher
Posts: 3870
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
Pronouns: he/him
Location: oakland, ca
Contact:

Re: DIY Acoustic Baffling Article

Post by ken »

You also need a drill and glue gun. It is like any DIY project, that ONLY costs $X. It assumes you already have an arsenal of tools at your disposal. If you did enough of these projects though, you would.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!

i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
Post Reply