Converting your Closet into a Vocal Booth

Converting your Closet into a Vocal Booth
Things you will need:

• Box fan
• Soundproofing foam blocks (Auralex has a 32 piece kit for $99)
• Utility knife
• Spray adhesive
• Hammer
• Nails
• Sound blankets
• Hard soundproofing foam (You get buy at Lowes)
• Scrap carpet
• Carpet tacks
• Drill
• Microphone stand
• XLR cable
• Small table

A vocal booth is essential for recording clean signals for singing or other vocal work. The soundproofing deadens echo and gives you the signal in perfect isolation. However, renting a studio can be expensive or inconvenient. Fortunately, assembling a vocal booth at home is a simple process that can be done by anyone, even people who are uncomfortable with home remodeling. With a little patience, you can build a vocal booth ideal for music or voiceover recording.

1)      Empty the closet completely, removing the shelves and clothes rod. Place the box fan in the door facing out at the highest setting to vent fumes. Spray an X and a circle around it on the flat side of a soundproofing block with the spray adhesive, and then spray an X on the ceiling. Press the Xs firmly together and hold for a few seconds. Take your hand away and ensure the block has bonded to the ceiling.

2)      Tile the ceiling, walls, and inside door with the foam blocks. Place each block so that the triangles on it are at right angles to each other to break up reflections. Cut the blocks to fit with the utility knife as necessary. Leave 1 inch above the floor clear on the walls. On the door, drill a 1-inch wide hole and tile around it, leaving as little room as possible near the hole.

3)      Cut the hard soundproofing foam to fit the floor, leaving room for the door to close firmly shut. Nail it to the floor with the carpet tacks, and lay the scrap carpet over it. Nail the sound blanket to the top of the door frame to serve as a curtain.

4)      Place the microphone stand on the floor, and drape one end of the cable on the stand's clip. Place the small table next to the closet door, and feed the cable through to it. Shut the door firmly and test your booth to ensure the isolation is as clean as possible.

Well there you have it. The other alternative is using a Reflection Filter, which I will talk about in my next post.
Rory
http://www.thenextsoundyouhear.com/