*Home Vocal Booth - DIY vs. Manufactured

[mojobone]

It's gettin' hard to find the wooden ones with the metal spring...

[southpaw]

Got the vocal curtain installed! I took pictures to post, but the camera on my video camera just wont take clear pictures in my small room, and cannot zoom out far enough to really see it... I'll try to get a hold of a digital camera which will work better.What i did was sew the comforters together, and sewed 10 thick thread loops on the end to hang it up. I used nails and 18 guage hanger wire to hang it up. Since i have a small room i decided to use a treated corner as the backdrop, and suspended the curtain on three walls and the flap (that opens and closes) being the open side (no wall behind it) and is also my mix position when im not tracking. I thought this would utilize my limited real estate most efficiently. I just recently got my new guage and now look forward to testing it all out! Phase 1: complete. ill post up some samples if i get a chance. (And try to get up some pics if anyone wants to see it)Jamie

[derekmcfarland]

I went down a similar path of research and built vocal booth using Auralex products. It is really quiet and I have used it a bunch. However, I find recently that I like recording in one of our larger rooms with hardwood floor and a rug. I use a Rode K2 and a mod Presonus Eureka. The open space sounds much better, and I'm fortunate to be in a quiet neighborhood. I especially prefer it for acoustic instruments and strong vocals. Intimate vocals always in the booth.All this to say that, in hindsight, I placed too much emphasis on the booth. Good technique and equipment had more of a positive impact on my satisfaction.

[southpaw]

Pleased to report, the curtain is working great! Really cuts down on the reflections and doesnt completely deaden the sound as most booths would. It has a good deal of versatility too. Placement and technique dictate the way it sounds and there is quite a bit of variation i can get based on the type of sound im going after. Really cool! The best part i have found to be that it allows both an upclose and a distant/more agressive vocal to be captured - cleanly and smoothly.

[chriscarter]

Glad it works for you Yes, the beaty of it is that you can get a lot of variation based on where you put the mic & performer in relation to the curtain (one reason it's nice to have the curtain as large as reasonably possible). BTW - if you have hard floors there, you might consider getting a tiny area rug to cut down bounce between the floor/ceiling (or treat the ceiling right there)... or do both floor and ceiling if you want things REALLY dead.The best part, aside from the flexibility (and cost!) is that you aren't "trapped" behind some contraption or in a clostrophobic space, you have good mobility to get to your computer (if tracking alone), and good sight lines between performer and producer.