In this article we show you exactly how we designed and built our soundproof recording studio from an existing garden shed outhouse - Sheds don’t have to be used just for storing lawnmowers you know!
Our Previous Recording Studios
In 2017, Rodel Sound embarked on a massive project outside of our usual music and multimedia production work. We set out to design, build and soundproof a new recording studio. Sound simple? It wasn’t, especially when the starting point for such an ambitious project was a humble garden shed.
Up until that point Rodel Sound operated out of two separate studios. Both of these spaces were not fit for the job of professional recording, but they did serve us well over the years.
Rodel Sound 2010 - 2015
Rodel Sound 2015 - 2017
In both our previous studios sound leaked in from the outside world which proved challenging when microphones were armed and ready to record. With this build, we chose to address this by going all out on soundproofing. A building method known as “a room within a room” was chosen as this, if built carefully, reduces airborne noise transmitting into the studio from the outside world and vice versa.
Soundproofing A Shed To Be A Recording Studio
The cabin (garden shed) was our starting point. From a soundproofing point of view the timbre structure wasn’t going to add anything to the soundproofing properties but the space inside was ample and the foundations were strong. We chose to use the shed as the starting point to save some money as a building project of this nature can quickly get expensive.
Watch our video we published before the building started to see the space in it’s original form…
The Studio In Its Original State Before We Started Soundproofing
Our studio build took several weeks to complete. We hired the brilliant builders from Weldon Bespoke Furniture who did an amazing job We followed every piece of soundproofing advice we received to the letter from our friends at iKoustic, who are specialists in acoustic design.
If you skimp on one aspect of a soundproof design you run the risk of failing to meet you objectives… that and you potentially waste a boat load of money as well! When soundproofing a room, the devil will always be in the details.
The Devil’s In The Detail In Soundproof Studio Builds
Tiny cracks need to be sealed, mass needs to be added, air gaps need to be carefully placed… the list goes on, building a soundproofed studio isn’t for the faint hearted… but it is mighty rewarding and a dream come true if one of your aspirations is to one day have your very own purpose built creative space.
We have published severals free articles on our partner site Production Expert which explains each process we took in this build - Read here.
Below you can watch our full studio build documentary video. We captured hours of footage which we’ve edited together to help those who wish to convert their garden cabins or sheds into a soundproof recording studio. We proved it can be done, watch the video to see how.
This is video is part of Production Expert’s video subscription platform. You can watch this video and hundreds of others like it which teach music production skills free for seven days.
Learn these super simple and often overlooked tips to help you breathe easy when singing. Whether you are a performer, studio singer or somebody who just likes to sing for the sheer fun of it, apply one or two of these techniques today to take you singing skills up a gear.