Tips on organizing a Studio

[EricBarker]

Hey KCers! I'm about to move into a new apartment, and for the first time I will have a dedicated office/studio room. I'm actually pretty skilled at acoustic treatment (been treating my bedroom studios for years), and will do the same, but I'm looking for tips in general setup and organization. Just little tidbits you've found over the years. Any tips would be great, though here are a few specifics that have confounded me over time:

 

A) What's the best way to organize cables and small gear? I have cable ties on everything, and stuff them into plastic drawers, but no matter how well I try to organize them, they're always a pain. Doubly so for the mass of power supplies, USB cables and adaptors.

 

B) I'm constantly rehearsing and gigging, and moving equipment in and out of my studio space has always been a challenge. I'm thinking of buying duplicates for EVERY cable and smaller piece of gear that live permanently in a gig bag, and NEVER use them in the studio.

 

C) General arrangement of keyboards and gear that are functional and attractive, I hope to setup some cameras so I can easily do videos. I think I'll be putting my primary stand directly to my back if I'm looking at the computer, looking out into the room, so I can look out into the room while rehearsing, instead of facing a wall.

 

BONUS: I use a two-screen setup with my computers, which makes setting up nearfields a bit tricky. I'm considering having one screen facing forward with near fields on either side, and then a second screen a bit off to the side... or has anyone successfully been able to push two screens together without the Nearfields being too wide?

 

Any ideas would be helpful!

[Konnector]

Having a duplicate set of cables for gigging is a good idea. That's what I always did when I was gigging.

 

Nearfield monitors should be about the same distance apart as they are from you. Don't want them too wide.

 

I make sure I always have space between the main desk / monitors, etc. and the rear wall. Keeping monitors about 3 feet of so from the wall will help your overall sound and give you easy access to cables, cleaning, etc. (Depends of course on how much space you have.)

 

Don't know how big/small your two computer monitors are, but if they're 27" or bigger, then your nearfields might be too far apart if you're sitting right in front of them.

[EricBarker]

Yes, one is a 27in iMac, the other is about 24in. Not sure what to do in this case.

[KuruPrionz]

Hook up everything that you must have in your studio. Find a place to store any cables that are left over (unless you need them for gigging}.

In a small room, any and all extra stuff is a hindrance more often than it is a convenience.

 

Set up your best vocal mic in the most convenient place possible and leave it there. If the room is small, micing up acoustic instruments is a phasing nightmare and a real clutter bomb. The more you can record direct, the more efficient and convenient your space will be to work in.

 

I have my studio desk set with the backside of the desk in the center of the room. That puts the monitors out in free space and it also makes it very easy to get at the backside of the one rack with gear in it that is more or less my studio. I play guitar so I have a rack that can hold 5 in reasonable safety, stored vertically. Guitars are generally held close in use and don't take up much space horizontally when played as many keyboards do.

 

If I played keyboards I'd consider getting a single X-Key 37 and using all plugins. That would minimize clutter and cables to a great extent while providing lots of options for sounds.

[dazzjazz]

Definitely do (B) to the letter!

Instead of plugging mics directly into your interface, consider getting a stage box/snake so the inputs are somewhere convenient.

[EricBarker]

I have my studio desk set with the backside of the desk in the center of the room. That puts the monitors out in free space and it also makes it very easy to get at the backside of the one rack with gear in it that is more or less my studio. I play guitar so I have a rack that can hold 5 in reasonable safety, stored vertically. Guitars are generally held close in use and don't take up much space horizontally when played as many keyboards do.

 

This is an interesting thought, and worth considering. However, this is going to be a difference between guitarists and keyboardists. With a guitar you can sit in front of your computer and play out into the room. Keyboard racks are going to need to go to the side of the computer, or behind me. If I use this room for practicing with others, it would be better to have the keyboards facing out into the room. I really hate being "pianist in the corner", and having to crane my neck to look at other musicians. Also, in the foreseeable future, I will be producing other people's albums, and it would be nice for them to have room to sit out in the space.

 

I'm taking to heart the need for space behind the speakers. I'll likely pull the desk out a few feet into the room. Also, what do you feel about putting absorption right behind the speakers? Shouldn't that take care of some of the acoustic problems with the speakers being near a wall?

[MathOfInsects]

I do B) and recommend it. I have dupes of every power cable and instrument cable that live in the studio, at point of use. I use my gigging keys there, since a lot of time is spent making patches or setting up sounds/playlists, but I never have to touch my cable bag. Being able to just plug-n-play makes a huge difference in how motivated I might feel to set up that day (or not).

[Al Quinn]

After trying a lot of different setups I"ve learned that facing the room is key for me (with the mix station behind me and within reach). This setup feels good and allows for interaction with others while playing. Also, when I"m practicing with my back to the room I get uncomfortably startled when someone comes in the room. When I was setup this way my wife would ring a bell before entering the room which worked well. All in all, much better to be facing the room for me.

[Jonathan Hughes]

I keep all my excess AC adaptors in individual ziplock bags in a plastic storage bin. It keeps them from getting tangled up together, and it makes them much easier to find. If it's not something obvious, like a Boss adaptor, I'll label it.

[KuruPrionz]

I have my studio desk set with the backside of the desk in the center of the room. That puts the monitors out in free space and it also makes it very easy to get at the backside of the one rack with gear in it that is more or less my studio. I play guitar so I have a rack that can hold 5 in reasonable safety, stored vertically. Guitars are generally held close in use and don't take up much space horizontally when played as many keyboards do.

 

This is an interesting thought, and worth considering. However, this is going to be a difference between guitarists and keyboardists. With a guitar you can sit in front of your computer and play out into the room. Keyboard racks are going to need to go to the side of the computer, or behind me. If I use this room for practicing with others, it would be better to have the keyboards facing out into the room. I really hate being "pianist in the corner", and having to crane my neck to look at other musicians. Also, in the foreseeable future, I will be producing other people's albums, and it would be nice for them to have room to sit out in the space.

 

I'm taking to heart the need for space behind the speakers. I'll likely pull the desk out a few feet into the room. Also, what do you feel about putting absorption right behind the speakers? Shouldn't that take care of some of the acoustic problems with the speakers being near a wall?

 

As some have mentioned, you don't have to put your monitors on your studio desk. You could run a computer as part of a keyboard work station instead of using a desk, for one thing.

I am certainly no expert on the finer points of sound control, I suspect bass traps and diffusion would do the trick behind speakers but the since just moving them back takes up precious space without making access to the back of everything super easy, this time I tried working out from the middle. I like it.

 

In my experience, whether anybody else likes it or not, the best way to "remove" the room from the equation in a smaller room is headphones. They probably aren't your best choice for mixing/mastering although they have their place but they are not bad for tracking. Late at night in a multiple unit condo, they are just about the only way I can get something done - especially in warm weather when it's so nice to have the windows open.

[EricBarker]

I keep all my excess AC adaptors in individual ziplock bags in a plastic storage bin. It keeps them from getting tangled up together, and it makes them much easier to find. If it's not something obvious, like a Boss adaptor, I'll label it.

 

I've ordered a label maker, and have tons of rubber bands at the ready. I'm going to label them all up, wrap up the wires and band them, and stick them in a drawer. But damn, ziplocks is a great idea too, maybe I'll do that! Just have a ziplock dispenser that lives inside the drawer. Great thought!

 

Also, when I"m practicing with my back to the room I get uncomfortably startled when someone comes in the room. All in all, much better to be facing the room for me.

Oh hell yeah, this is me to a "T". My wife gets exasperated because every little sound startles the crap outta me. Facing into the room will be nice. Unfortunately, my day job will require me to face the computers, so this is both a strike for and against facing into the room! But what you said about musical interaction is spot on, and I think more important. I should get a bell for the door for when I'm working, though.

 

It'll be interesting to test how loud I can be in this unit. It's the end of a townhouse 4-plex. Unfortunately the room I'll be using boarders the neighbors. FORTUNATELY this is Fairbanks Alaska, insulation city. It seems the units are constructed as if they're standalone, with 12in thick walls... which means (I shit you not) 24in thick walls between units!!! I'll try to get to know our neighbors and do a test of how loud I can be.

 

Unfortunately my go-to drummer is deathly allergic to cats, so I won't be having jazz rehearsal in there any time soon.

[KuruPrionz]

I keep all my excess AC adaptors in individual ziplock bags in a plastic storage bin. It keeps them from getting tangled up together, and it makes them much easier to find. If it's not something obvious, like a Boss adaptor, I'll label it.

 

I've ordered a label maker, and have tons of rubber bands at the ready. I'm going to label them all up, wrap up the wires and band them, and stick them in a drawer. But damn, ziplocks is a great idea too, maybe I'll do that! Just have a ziplock dispenser that lives inside the drawer. Great thought!

 

Also, when I"m practicing with my back to the room I get uncomfortably startled when someone comes in the room. All in all, much better to be facing the room for me.

Oh hell yeah, this is me to a "T". My wife gets exasperated because every little sound startles the crap outta me. Facing into the room will be nice. Unfortunately, my day job will require me to face the computers, so this is both a strike for and against facing into the room! But what you said about musical interaction is spot on, and I think more important. I should get a bell for the door for when I'm working, though.

 

It'll be interesting to test how loud I can be in this unit. It's the end of a townhouse 4-plex. Unfortunately the room I'll be using boarders the neighbors. FORTUNATELY this is Fairbanks Alaska, insulation city. It seems the units are constructed as if they're standalone, with 12in thick walls... which means (I shit you not) 24in thick walls between units!!! I'll try to get to know our neighbors and do a test of how loud I can be.

 

Unfortunately my go-to drummer is deathly allergic to cats, so I won't be having jazz rehearsal in there any time soon.

 

Few things are nastier than finding an ancient rubber band wrapped around something you wanted to use. They don't age well, avoid.

There are zip ties that can be easily unlocked and re-used, a much better solution.

[bfields]

I'm not a fan of label printers, for what it's worth. A roll of label tape is easier to deal with.

[EricBarker]

I'm not a fan of label printers, for what it's worth. A roll of label tape is easier to deal with.

This is one of these mechanical label makers, where you press it in character-by-character. Only reason I'm getting it is my mate and his wife got two by accident, so he sent me one as a gift.