How to Soundproof a Home Recording Studio

More and more musicians these days are moving away from recording albums in massive (and expensive) professional recording studios and toward self-production.

In recent years, music recording equipment has improved and become more accessible to the general public.

While you can certainly just throw some recording equipment in a room and get going, your recordings are going to sound much better if they are made in a soundproof room with the appropriate acoustical treatments. 

In this article, I will walk you through how to soundproof a home recording studio, but first, let's go over the difference between soundproofing and acoustics.

What’s the Difference Between Soundproofing and Acoustics?

Soundproofing and acoustics are both essential things to consider when building a high-quality recording studio. That said, they are entirely different concepts, and it is essential to understand the difference between them before you get started on soundproofing your home recording studio.

Soundproofing

Simply put, soundproofing is the process of blocking sound from entering a space.

Whether you want to prevent the music in your studio from being heard outside the room or keep outside noise from entering the studio, you’ll need to focus on soundproofing.

The most effective way to soundproof a recording studio is to add mass to the barriers of the home recording studio and seal the air gaps in the room.

Acoustics

Rather than focusing on blocking sound, acoustical treatments are designed to enhance the sound quality in a space. Acoustics are very important for any room that needs to have good sound quality, including amphitheaters, auditoriums, movie theaters, podcast rooms, meeting rooms, and recording studios.

Acoustical treatments absorb sound, reducing the echo and reverb and improving noise clarity.

This allows you to get a clear, authentic sound in your audio recordings.

Have you ever been in a room where every sound seemingly bounces off the wall ten times?

That room could probably use some acoustical treatment.

How to Soundproof a Home Recording Studio

Now that you know the basics of soundproofing and acoustics let's dive into how to actually soundproof your home studio.

Add Mass/Density

As I mentioned above, the most effective way to block sound is to add mass/density to the barriers in the room.

The walls in a standard room aren’t built with recording studio-level soundproofing in mind. To block sound waves from entering or exiting the room, you must add to the walls, windows, and door.

Extra Layer of Drywall

The walls are one area that you’ll have to pay extra attention to when soundproofing a home recording studio. Otherwise, you are definitely going to get some complaints from your housemates and neighbors.

The best way to add density to your walls is to add an extra layer of drywall. It is always best to use ⅝” thick drywall for soundproofing, as it is much denser than ½” thick drywall.

Add the extra layer of drywall to your walls, applying a layer of Green Glue Noiseproofing Compound between the two sheets.

Solid-Core Door

The door to your home recording studio is another important area to address, as it is generally more vulnerable to sound transfer. NEVER use a hollow core door. Hollow-core doors are just one step away from not having a door at all. If your recording studio has a hollow-core door, replace it with a heavy solid-core door.

If you want to get serious about your soundproofing, you can also consider using a specified soundproof door. Products like the Sound Lock Soundproof Door are built to block out a TON of noise and are your best bet if you have a high budget and want the best results possible.

Upgrade Your Windows

The windows are the other apparent weak point in a room.

If you have a lot of street noise (traffic, dogs barking, ACs whirring) coming through your windows, consider covering them up, upgrading them, or installing window inserts at the very least.

Chances are, your recording studio doesn’t need a window, so one way to remove the weak point is to cover up the window with mass-loaded vinyl or get rid of it entirely.

If removing the window or upgrading it to a double-paned window aren't options, you can also install window inserts. These are affordable, easy to install, and can block up to 80 percent of the external noise from your windows.

Seal Air Gaps

Adding mass to the barriers in the studio is one thing, but you’ll still get a lot of sound transfer if there are gaps for the sound to pass through. Here are some of the best ways to seal the air gaps in your home recording studio.

• Use acoustical caulk around the perimeter of the walls, floor, windows, and any other areas where sound could potentially pass through.
• Install a door seal kit on the door to your studio. These seal kits will prevent sound from passing through the gaps between the door and the door frame.
• Avoid canned lights. Canned lights are installed into the ceiling, creating a hole in which sound can easily escape.

Decoupling

The final aspect of soundproofing I will go over is decoupling.

If you clink two glasses together, they are going to make a loud noise, right? But place a soft object, such as a piece of foam, between the glasses, and you will greatly reduce the noise. This is because the noise created is essentially a series of vibrations, so when you place foam between the two glasses, the foam absorbs some of the vibrational energy.

This concept easily translates to your recording studio soundproofing. Here are some tips for decoupling sound in a home recording studio.

Don’t Place Amps or Speakers Next to the Wall

Speakers vibrate. So, if you place your speakers or amplifiers directly against the wall, the vibrations are going to hit the wall and travel through to other rooms.

Use a Drum Mat

Drums are notoriously hard to soundproof for. Drum sets create a lot of vibrations that can pass through the floor and be heard throughout the neighborhood. To avoid noise complaints from your neighbors, place a rubber drum mat under your drum set to absorb some of the vibrations and decouple the drum set from the floor.

Install Carpets

Carpeting is by far the ideal flooring for recording studios. Carpet is soft, so the vibrations from amps, drum sets, and speakers will not travel as far as they otherwise would with hardwood or tile flooring. Carpets also absorb sound, which improves the acoustics in the studio.

Why soundproof a home recording studio?

Soundproofing your home recording studio is a non-negotiable if you want to get good-quality recordings without outside noise interference. Soundproofing keeps away outside noise and contains the sound from inside your studio. This allows you to record music peacefully without disturbing your neighbors.

How to Improve Acoustics in a Home Recording Studio

The next step is to improve the acoustics in the room.

This doesn’t have to be an expensive project, as there are plenty of budget options that will enhance acoustics. Acoustic panels are the most efficient way to absorb sound in a room, but you can also use open-celled foam or carpets.

Acoustic panels have a pretty large price range, but if you don’t care too much about the appearance of the panels, you can get them for a fairly affordable price. Acoustic panels will reduce the echo in your room and give your recordings a clearer and more professional sound.

Amazon always has a bunch of these, so they're pretty easy to come by.

Wrapping Up

Soundproofing your home recording studio offers many advantages, including improved sound quality, better concentration, and reduced disturbance to your family and neighbors.

With careful planning, the right soundproofing materials, and some acoustical treatment, you can transform your space into a haven for creativity.

You’ll be producing and creating professional-grade recordings in no time.

Feel free to leave questions, comments, and even share your own experience/expertise in the comments section below.

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