Soundproof and insulation problem.

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Post Reply
Arnold-Rimmer
Posts: 63
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:59 am
Location: Aboard the mining ship Red Dwarf

Soundproof and insulation problem.

Post by Arnold-Rimmer » Thu May 01, 2008 2:01 pm

I have recently moved into a new house and have setup my music studio in my attic/top floor which is above our bedroom. However I have come across a problem.

When I play my keyboard/synth, the action of me hitting my keys sounds like a herd of stampeding elephants in the bedroom below even though the room where I am playing sounds normal: the sound that is made when you hit synth keys. The floor seems to absorb the action of me hitting the keys and magnifies it significantly waking up my wife in the middle of the night.

I stuck a towel under one of my synths to absorb and deaden the sound and that helped a bit, though not enough.

During daytime hours it is fine of course but if I feel like playing in the wee hours of the night, I am banned from doing so until this problem is solved. Any suggestions? I would of course prefer not to rip up the floor and place some kind of insulation there until I have tried more simple solutions first.

xrayfish
Posts: 237
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:03 pm

Post by xrayfish » Thu May 01, 2008 2:22 pm

Get rid of the wife

fishmonkey
Posts: 4478
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:50 am

Post by fishmonkey » Thu May 01, 2008 2:26 pm

i've got the same problem: when my girlfriend types on her computer (she's quite a fast 1.5 finger typist) in our upstairs office/studio (wooden floorboards) it sounds like a small herd of pygmy hippos downstairs...

sorry i'm not really being much help, but i guess you need to isolate your synth stand/table/desk from the floor with foam or something... maybe even isolate the synth from whatever it's sitting on too...

common problem for electronic drum kits in apartments too... the kick drum pedal that is...

Warminstrel
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:40 am
Location: Bristol, South West, UK
Contact:

Post by Warminstrel » Thu May 01, 2008 2:28 pm

You say "our" bedroom; If this means you and your partner/g-friend/wife etc then you may find that even if you fix the noise problem, just the fact that your in the studio may be enough to wind her up.

(if she's anything like my missus anyway)

Could you wall-mount stuff? Suspend from rafters? partner/g-friend/wife wear ear protectors?

My wife wanted my studio in the roof but fortunatly its full of asbestos (yay asbestos)

Best of luck mate...

:D

Tarekith
Posts: 19072
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:46 pm
Location: Ableton Forum Administrator
Contact:

Post by Tarekith » Thu May 01, 2008 2:46 pm

Get a thin piece of carpet foam to put under the keyboard. My wife has the same issue, when she types on her laptop you can hear it below us quite loudly. This solved it.
Tarekith
Ableton Forum Administrator
https://tarekith.com

gjm
Posts: 3679
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:53 am

Post by gjm » Thu May 01, 2008 8:01 pm

If you need something thicker, then the foam used in furniture comes in different densities, either closed or open cell. You only need small pieces, enough to support at either end and middle. Getting the dnser foam would minimize the movement of your unit. Even try one of those foam camping bedrolls folded once or twice.
iMac - 10.10.3 - Live 9 Suite - APC40 - Axiom 61 - TX81z - Firestudio Mobile - Focal Alpha 80's - Godin Session - Home made foot controller

Post Reply