Final Project (How To Build A Studio) By Sean Aka StRo“The New Jack”

1. Final Project(How To Build A Studio)By Sean Aka StRo“The New Jack”

2. Table Of Content • Budget • Preparation Process • Building Materials • Purchasing Material Process • Vendors Selection • Building Process • Studio Software & Hardware • Initiating Classes To Teach Kids………

3. Budget • When planning to build a studio or any other project it is important to count the cost. Come up with a spending limit according to the money you have in pocket. This is called a budget. If you don’t have money there are always ways to get materials to build studio. Use your resources to acquire materials like extra or unused foam, mic’s, doors ect. from friends and co-workers in the music field. • There are many ways to obtain a budget for a studio. You can either do a fundraiser or write a grant. It is better to show your initiation for the project. From that other’s will see you work and want to help out. • We at the Salvation Army obtained a matching grant from the Mustard Seed Foundation, which allotted us 30,000 in total. The agreement is that we raise 15,000 and they will match us with 15,000 = 30,000 • The total building of the studio including construction & Materials cost $11,000. Computers, recording programs/hardware and software cost approximately $4,000; Equaling $15,000 in total.

4. Materials • Wood (2x4’s) Used to build frame for studio’s control room, live recording room and vocal booth. • 3” Thick Stage One-Bullet Proof Glass Window (Purpose to keep sound from transferring between the control room and vocal booth). Bullet proof glass is much cheaper than regular 45stc rated sound proof windows and is as effective and better due to its 3” Thickness. • Doors (Purpose – Studio & Booth Entry. Also used to keep sound from escaping and entering into the room from outside of studio.) • Lights • Carpet (Purpose to dampen sound in control room where mixing is done.) • Wood (Purpose to give live room an ambient like sound while recording.) • Vinyl Noise Barrier (Purpose to block a great amount of sound from entering in and exiting from the rooms. It is very effective for blocking sound.) • S10 Quiet Rock-Sheet Rock (Purpose to Dampen sound from entering from the out side of the room). (You can also double up on regular sheet rock. But it comes out to about the same price and effectiveness). • Foam Padding-Egg Crate (Purpose to absorb high and low sound frequencies) The foam padding will be used in the mixing room where a major amount of sound frequencies travel due to music being played back thru speakers in the studio’s control room. • Acoustic Wall Panel(s) (Used to absorb sound and prevent it from bouncing around the room which creates unwanted sound which comes out in recording). • Insulation (R-13) (Purpose to insulate and keep unnecessary heat from escaping the room).

5. Purchasing Materials • Research - Check internet for vendors that carry materials needed to build a studio. • Do a Price Comparison (When searching the internet or other source(s) be sure to check and see who has the best price) Make sure to compare apples to apples- Meaning to make sure to compare the same product against it’s self while searching for the lowest price. • Negotiate – Call Company’s and let them know that you found the same product at a lower price and ask them could they beat that. Usually they will. I would continue to do this several times to ensure getting the lowest price. • Print out Quotes (May Not apply to all) – This process was necessary in order print out checks for Vendors. Printing out Quote’s also helps to keep physical documentation of what you are spending. According to your budget you can see how close you are to your budget limit and see if there is a need to re-negotiate, take away some materials you could do with out or replace certain products with a more cost effective product that is not as good but will not take you away from your original sound proofing goal.

6. Vendors • Sound Away Corp. • West Wood Building Materials • Pacific Bullet Proof Co. • The Foam Factory Inc. • Acme Doors • Lumber Liquidators • Hollywood Carpet

7. Building Process • Use 2x4’s to build a frame inside of your existing room with the help of a contractor or knowledgeable, experienced builder. Keep up with fire safety code(s). Find out what they are if you do not know. Ignorance could lead to paying unnecessary fine(s) from your local Fire Marshall. What ever is done in darkness will come to light. Do what is right. • Hire an electrician to rewire room for the sake of preventing a socket blow out and unnecessary electrical fire. • Once this is done you can then begin to insulate room by shoving R-13 insulation between rooms frame work/wood beams. • Next apply vinyl noise barrier over the wood beams with a nail gun the same way you would put plastic over a car with no window. Be sure to nail vinyl noise barrier to the studio’s inner wood frame. The vinyl noise barrier is to be applied to all walls and the ceiling. • When this is done apply drywall over vinyl noise barrier (drywall should be applied to wall structure and ceiling also). • Install window if you have one (it is not necessary that you have a window). Framing is important make sure to get a rough opening for the size of window you are going to get. It is better not to have one because once you remove the space for a window you then have to replace the empty space with a window that has the same sound proofing effectiveness as the wall once had if not better (unnecessary spending). You don’t need it most people do it for the look attempting to match the big wigs……lol

8. Carpet should be installed after the drywall and window if applicable: (experienced carpenter is highly suggested). • Last step to completing a studio is to pad the wall with foam padding (egg crate shape is highly suggested). We went a step further and purchased acoustic padding for our live room. If you have more than one room then repeat the same process.

9. Studio Software & Hardware • Studio Software & Hardware • (Suggestions) • These are just suggestions for music software and hardware based on my knowledge of what is widely used with in the music/film industry. • Hardware • Computer - (pc or Mac) Mac’s are highly suggested because of there ability to process music. • Mixing Board – (Need when recording multiple instruments. A mixing board has multiple outlets.) • Mic - (Condenser mic is needed to record vocals strictly. Do your research and ask around to find the best mic for what every type of sound you are trying to achieve.) For recording Instrument’s you need an omni directional mic or a ribbon mic which is very sensitive (Sure has good mic’s do by according to quality and your budget). • Pre-Amps make all the difference between a so recording and a very crisp recording. Pre-Amps help to pick up sound you wouldn’t normally pick up while recording with just a regular interface. It also helps to capture the fullness of an artist’s voice during recording. • XLR Cables (Male & Female) for proper connections. • Interface (This helps to give a little boost to speakers and helps computer speakers

10. monitors and mic’s all co-inside together). Digi 003 or an M-Box are highly suggested and used greatly thru out the music and film industry for professional quality recordings. • Monitor Speakers (Needed to acquire a flat sound for mixing). M-Audio BX 10’s are suggested along with M-Audio’s Subwoofer. These two together help you to get the full sound that you would in a car w/ or with out bass and helps you to mix better than most regular stereo speakers. • Software/Computer Programs • Protools 8 LE (Used for Recording) • Fruity Loops (Production/Beat Making) • Reason (Production/Beat Making)

11. Initiating Classes To Teach Kids • Here are a few classes that can be initiated to teach kids about music. Trained individuals to teach are suggested and encouraged but at the same time experience in the context to spending hours practicing with various pieces of equipment has helped me to learn more effectively as far as retaining how different pieces of studio equipment is concerned. • Here are the Classes Suggested: • Beat Making/Production • Music Arrangement/Composition • Song Writing • Music Business • Recording Engineering