Cheap way to reduce sound transfer to rest of house

[ElmerJFudd]

https://www.inputmag.com/tech/walls-with-empty-bottles-embedded-in-them-can-significantly-reduce-noise

 

'Walls with empty bottles embedded in them can significantly reduce noise

 

Researchers have found that empty bottles are highly effective at capturing and neutralizing noise. Their solution could turn up in the offices of the future.'

 

 

Not a complete solution for music makers. But an interesting option depending how much reduction you need and paired with other methods like stud and joist isolation.

[MathOfInsects]

Plus a defensible excuse for creating a bunch of empty bottles.

[KuruPrionz]

Interesting. A form of diffusion?

 

Last week we played a place that has hard floors, hard walls (lots of glass exterior walls), is big enough to be an echo chamber and somehow was not so much. The entire ceiling had a wood lattice, hung about 6" from the real ceiling. It was about 10" deep and maybe 12" squares. I guess sound goes in there, bounces around and becomes so unfocused that some of it cancels and some of it is so "off" that it cannot build up. It was an easy room to play, despite my misgivings while setting up the gear.

[The Real MC]

Forget it, another snake oil solution like egg cartons.

 

The plain fact is, low frequencies will radiate through any framework that is connected. Professional musicians with home studios had found that the only way to get complete isolation of sound is a separate building not attached to the main dwelling.

[Al Coda]

... the only way to get complete isolation of sound is a separate building not attached to the main dwelling.

 

QFT !

 

A.C.

[cphollis]

.... or wear headphones ....

[Sospiri]

I was always told that empty vessels make the most noise!

[ProfD]

Headphones or volume control. If that fails, hit the power button to turn off the offending device or unplug it.

[cp-the-nerd]

Sound deadening studio panels are really inexpensive on amazon. Is that too obvious of an answer?

[Docbop]

Been nice to see how thick the wall of bottle is sound like that is a big part of the de-engerzizing the sound waves.

 

Rehearsal studio I worked for wasn't that big so needed to get as many rooms as possible with minimal leakage between rooms. Our basic walls that worked well for us was... Double drywall on walls then the cavity left between walls was filled with sand that compacted over time. Then carpeting on the walls about half way up and a lot of that was to protect the walls from gear and cases being run into it. A couple rooms had rough cut wood for a bit more thickness and a rustic look. They were easy to build, repair, and add more sand from the top when needed. Some time someone would really smash something into a wall enough to breakthru both sheets of drywall then wonder what the hell was going on seeing the wall bleed sand. That part of why we added the carpet. Studio was open over 20 years until covid forced it to close.

[cphollis]

Sound deadening studio panels are really inexpensive on amazon. Is that too obvious of an answer?

 

It's a trap that a lot of people fall into. The panels, foam, egg cartons, bottles, grids, etc. are great at softening hard sound reflections and reverb, but they do not contain sound to any significant degree. They just make it more pleasant to listen to when inside. The lower the frequency, the more power sound has and it'll transmit through concrete, foam or anything else that is solid. As mentioned elsewhere, if you want real soundproofing, you'll have to build a room that is physically isolated.

 

After trying and failing in multiple rehearsal studios, the answer was to get a place right near the airport. We can get as loud as we want, as the town has zoned the neighborhood for high levels of (ahem) ambient noise.

[DJkeys]

Sound deadening studio panels are really inexpensive on amazon. Is that too obvious of an answer?

 

It's a trap that a lot of people fall into. The panels, foam, egg cartons, bottles, grids, etc. are great at softening hard sound reflections and reverb, but they do not contain sound to any significant degree. They just make it more pleasant to listen to when inside. The lower the frequency, the more power sound has and it'll transmit through concrete, foam or anything else that is solid. As mentioned elsewhere, if you want real soundproofing, you'll have to build a room that is physically isolated.

 

After trying and failing in multiple rehearsal studios, the answer was to get a place right near the airport. We can get as loud as we want, as the town has zoned the neighborhood for high levels of (ahem) ambient noise.

 

This is correct. The only solution is to build a room within a room where there is air space between the two sets of walls. I don't think there is an inexpensive way to accomplish this-

 

-dj

[ElmerJFudd]

If your space is a blank canvas and you are the one studding it out, and you have the time and budget, then of course you build a box and isolate it, decouple it from the main structure of the building. Rubber footings and stud/beam isolators. Baked/dried sand between walls. And don"t forget to baffle your HVAC. But all of this ads up to $$$ very quickly. So, again, I thought this notion was interesting for cost and dependent upon how much sound do you need to dampen/isolate.

[cedar]

I'm not even sure that this method would be particularly inexpensive. But the science is interesting.

[KuruPrionz]

Buy them all earplugs.

 

If the interior walls are not insulated, fill them with dry gravel. Solid core doors won't hurt.

 

Windows allow more sound in, therefore more sound outside. Any where air can go, sound will go. The cracks between door and and frame will allow sound to flow through.

Ventilation - including air conditioning and heating - that's where sound will leak every time.

 

Ceilings and floors are often overlooked.

 

There is no easy or inexpensive answer to making a sound proof room.

 

There are lots of easy and inexpensive ways to make less noise, except for singing.

I live in a multi-unit condo. I cannot be loud most of the time. I often record "in the box" with headphones on. Vocals are done mid day. Most of setting up a mix can be done with cans, it's better to listen to speakers if you need to start tweaking EQ and such.