"Old Pro" Mix Tips

[mazz]

Greg, that's a tough one!! I'd say the larger room. The tile is going to be an issue. Generally you don't want to deaden every square inch because you will tend to diminish the high frequencies and not do very much to the low frequencies, giving you a muddy sounding room.The idea, as I understand it, is to first minimize the ability of the sound to ping pong back and forth from one surface to another. That usually means either absorbtion or diffusion on the parallel surfaces, leaving maybe one alone. Don't forget the floor to ceiling reflections. A rug on the floor will probably do the trick and some sort of absorbtion on at least three of the walls, maybe blankets hung a few inches away from the walls.Bass trapping may also be necessary if your recordings end up sounding a bit boomy.Use your ears. Talking and clapping in the room will tell you a lot right away. You'll probably hear some "ringing" from the sound bouncing off the nice tile surfaces.Good luck with this!!Mazz

[mojobone]

If you're recording acoustic guitars, a lively tiled room can be very nice. I would choose the room with the high ceiling.

[gongchime]

I went with the small room with high ceiling because I could hear rumble from the river that's only like 5 feet away from the larger room. I put something on the floor and hung something over the door to deaden things a bit. The tile only goes half way up the wall. You can hear the result on the recording I'm about to post in Peer to Peer that will be called something like Gongs, Voice and Bowed Spike Fiddle. I'll look around for a proper carpet and a way to hang the blankets when I redo it. I've only mocked my voice up in that composition. Trying to get a female vocalist to do it. Hmm.... better clean the toilet.