The latest addition to my studio is a big help when editing in ProTools (although it works with MANY other programs as well). This would be the ShuttleExpress by Contour Design. By using the Shuttle with my left hand and the mouse with my right, I rarely need to use the keyboard shortcuts, thereby saving me time by no longer moving my hands back and forth on the keyboard and looking down to be sure I’m hitting the correct key.
While it comes with some presets for using with ProTools, every button, wheel and knob is completely programmable, so I have mine customized with the features I use the most during playback and editing. Once I decided on how I wanted to set it up, it took practically no time to get the hang of using it. It makes editing so much easier and faster. I’m hooked.
Actually, there was one little problem. I have a rather small keyboard tray at this desk, so the Shuttle just barely fit with room for my mouse and over-sized keyboard. So…I shopped around and found a nice, compact, minimalist keyboard, and all is good. : )
BTW, as I said earlier, the Shuttle has the ability to work with many applications — it’s not just for audio. It comes with presets for pretty much every Adobe program out there, including Photoshop, and most every Microsoft Office application, too. The list is huge, so it’s pretty likely there is some program out there that would be made easier with a ShuttleXpress. It comes highly recommended by yours truly. : )
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Today I recorded a little mic comparison (thanks, Jim, for allowing me to borrow your mics for this test). I have been using an MXL 990 Condenser microphone, mostly because it was recommended as a good basic microphone for voiceover. It does have a nice sound, it’s pretty sturdy, and is not expensive. Mine actually came “free” with the purchase of my preamp from Musicians Friend. I’m sure the price on the preamp was just bumped up a little so that they could say the mic was being thrown in for free — whatever. So, overall this has been a good microphone for the past 3 years. Now that I am moved into my new sound-proofed studio, the MXL’s flaws are a little more noticible. Again, it’s not bad, but there is definitely some low volume electrical noise on my recordings that is coming from the mic. Hence, the comparison test.
Audio engineer friend, Jim, recommended a couple of microphones and has allowed me to borrow two of them to pit against my MXL and against each other. Being put to the test we have the Rode NT2-A and the AKG C 3000-B.
Both the Rode and the AKG are noticeably quieter than the MXL during periods of silence. The overall sound may be a little richer with these two mics as well, although the sound quality of MXL isn’t bad. When I first tested the Rode and the AKG against each other, I set the filter switch on the AKG, and my voice sounded much “thinner” than with the Rode. I recorded a second test with the filter off and I have a hard time hearing much difference between the two. I have sent my samples to audio guru friend, Jim, for his professional opinion, which I will post along with some audio samples, for those who may be interested.
For now, my eBay watch list has both the AKG and the Rode in it. We’ll see what ends up being the better deal for me.
The day has finally arrived. I’m movin’ in! The mess of cables and connectors has never been so exciting. : ) Once it’s all set up and plugged in, the moment of truth arrives — how will it sound? I do a quick sample recording and send it off to Mr. Audio Engineer for his professional opinion. It sounds great. Whoo Hoo! Finally, a place to record anytime in peace and quiet — just in time for lawn mower and weed wacker season! Even those springtime downpours don’t inhibit me anymore. A truly professional, sound-controlled environment.
Of course, as much as I love the professional sound booth, the office, in my opinion, is to die for! : ) Take a look at my new space. Talk about having the “corner office”… I’ve been told that I’m spoiled. Yup, I would say I am.
The completed studio
The new office
Room with a view
While the ceiling tiles definitely helped to make a difference in the recording studio and mixing area, the recording booth is still a bit of an echo chamber without anything on the walls to help absorb all of that sound bouncing around. So…more fiberglass panels to be hung — on the walls this time. I picked out some fun, colorful fabric to decorate my studio walls, then did more measuring, cutting, ironing and stapling. These panels got individually wrapped before being hung by impaling them onto nails in the walls. Once these were up, what a huge difference in the sound! Now I am hearing only my true voice, without all of the extra reverberations. Perfect. Just what I was hoping for.
Me wrapping the wall panels
Posing with my completed panels
Nails for impaling
First panels up
Nails for the last one
Looks like a Studio!
OK, now that the lovely Owens Corning 703 2″ Fiberglass Duct Board is all over my ceilings providing the necessary acoustical treatment, it’s time to cover it up (it’s not exactly pretty to look at, you know). So…it’s time for me to work over my head. Well, I actually started on the floor measuring and cutting the fabric I chose for the ceilings, then ironing it (I hate ironing BTW). Once the fabric was cut and ready to hang, the over your head work began. It took two of us a number of hours, but eventually all of the fabric was stretched tightly across the panels and stapled to the frames. I thought that 3 or 4 people would have come in handy to help hold and stretch the fabric at times, but we couldn’t think of anyone else with enough patience to work well together. : ) Anyway, once the trim was up (to cover the staples), I think it turned out rather nicely.
Recording Booth Ceiling
Acoustic panels are placed on the ceiling of recording studios for obvious reasons, but why should I bother with treating the ceiling of my office? Well, my office is also my editing / mixing area, so I need to be able to hear what I have recorded accurately. And, in case you haven’t noticed, that area is almost entirely glass. Talk about “the corner office”! : ) I love the view, but acoustically speaking…it ain’t so good. Hence, sound panels go on the ceiling of the office area as well as the recording booth. Here are some pics of the process.
The Fiberglass Tiles on the Sound Booth Ceiling
Dad Cutting the Fiberglass Tiles
Placing the Panels over the Mixing / Editing Area
View from Office on a Cloudy Day (still beautiful!)
Here are a few pictures of the ceiling framing I described, prior to the fiberglass acoustic panels being attached.
The Recording Studio Ceiling
Work on the Office Ceiling
Every day is now a little closer to “move in day”! It will be good to get back into a productive routine of auditions and jobs.
When most people think of a recording studio or radio booth, they picture the acoustical foam that sort of looks like an egg carton all over the walls. While this is good, that is not the type of sound conditioning my studio designer has recommended for me. Instead, my recording booth walls and ceiling will be covered with fiberglass panels that I will decorate with the fabric color/pattern of my choice (ugh, another decision!). These panels are actually a fiberglass duct board (yes, actually used to insulate duct work), yet you can purchase them at audio supply stores such as Ready Acoustics, where they even sell “Ready Bags”, which are fabric bags made to cover the fiberglass panels. We, however, found the panels through a building supply company for a lower price than having them shipped from Ready Acoustics, and I’ll just choose my own fabric to wrap them in.
Since my office/editing workspace is mostly glass, we are installing these panels on the ceiling there as well to help improve the sound playback quality.
I certainly appreciate my contractor (Dad) for patience and his work on this project, as this was one of the more “challenging” parts of the construction. The framing is now on the ceilings of the recording booth and the office, so the next step is attaching the fiberglass panels. I will also be wrapping some panels to use on the walls of the sound booth.
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted any progress reports on my new office and recording studio. A lot has been accomplished, and we are now very, very close. I’m excited, but still a little overwhelmed with final decisions that still need to be made. Here are a couple of pics of how things are shaping up.
The Walls and Doors Are Up!
And Now…in Color!!
Acoustic Panels are next, and then the carpet. Soon…it’s time to move in!
Every day brings me closer to working from my new office and recording studio. Drywall is up, doors have arrived, wiring is almost complete, acoustic panels have been ordered. Now it is time to choose the carpet and paint colors. Which also means it is time to WARM UP!!! No more waking up to snow on the ground (even if it is just a dusting), and no more 30 degree temperatures. Doesn’t April know that the paint can recommends 65 degree temps?
