For audio recording at home, people are always looking for creative ways to save some money and do a lot of work without the use of an actual studio. That is why for some people, the solution is building a soundproof booth in a particular area. Maybe the easiest way to create something like this is to soundproof a closet.
The good news is that a closet has a lot of features that a person might be looking for with a soundproof booth. It is very small, so the adjustments that need to be made won’t cost so much money or take much time. It’s also fairly isolated already, and usually tucked away in an area that is fairly quiet. Many people can do it themselves, as long as they do a little bit of research and have some patience.
Picking Out the Right Closet
The first step is to determine what type of closet works best. Most homes have at least a few closets, and people often need them for actual uses. Finding something that is small enough and not in use is the best way to go about it.
Most people prefer to go with either a closet found beneath the stairs, or one that is on the top floor. There are advantages to both of the setups. Stair closets are usually very small, and they are tucked inside of a home.
That means there are minimal sounds for the most part, but what some people run into is the fact that the stairs themselves can be noisy if someone is going up or down.
A closet that is upstairs is not going to have as much sound as a typical closet downstairs. Think about living in an apartment or a shared area of any sort. It is pretty easy to hear people moving around upstairs, but very difficult to hear what is going on downstairs.
The same rules apply for this, meaning that a person might not have to invest as much money into soundproofing material by building on the top floor.
Closet Vocal Booth Treatment
After picking a particular place, clear it out and prepare it as much as possible before starting. That means removing any clutter that might be in the closet, and also taking down shelves and racks if attached to the wall.
Ideally, a person should be striving to have a completely clear room so that they are comfortable doing whatever they want inside. This is going to provide the clearest sound possible, and also free up what little space there is. Most of these closets are only going to comfortably fit one person, so it is worth taking that extra bit of time.
One final thing to keep in mind when preparing the space for what is about to happen in the future is to add light if possible. Some closets already have lighting solutions, so it won’t be that big of an issue.
Other areas might not be so lucky, and it’s going to be tough to add light after everything wraps up. Do it beforehand, and be thankful that it does not need to be addressed later on.
Stepping up the Soundproofing Process
There are a few materials people can explore when thinking about soundproofing an area. It might not seem like that big of a challenge, but most of it depends on if it is meant to be a permanent or temporary solution.
With a more permanent solution, bigger steps, in the beginning, pay off in the end. Temporary solutions are easy to take down, and perfect for those people who are building something in a rental.
The Best Temporary Soundproofing Solutions For a Closet
Starting out can be pricey in certain situations, so maybe the best way to go in the beginning is with a temporary solution. This gives a person freedom if they don’t like it, and they can move to a different area without any issues. It may not be the best soundproofing out there, but it does vastly improve everything in a closet.
Blankets
There are a lot of sounds and packing blankets out there that are very simple and easy to set up. As one might expect, these blanket look very similar to something that goes on a bed. Just drape it over certain areas of the closet to kill sound and improve the acoustics dramatically.
Some people will drape a blanket over the door at the very least, because that is where a lot of sounds can leak in and out.
In most cases, a person can buy a few blankets for under $100. It’s not going to be the most professional set up out there, but it’s certainly pretty inexpensive. It might take a little bit of time to have them placed in the right area of the closest, but that’s nothing that can’t be figured out with some trial and error.
Soundproof Shields
To go with blankets, or work alone, soundproof shields are also very good for voice recording. This essentially shields off surrounding noise, and it allows for a very isolated sound in general.
The drawback to this is that some people don’t like speaking in a very specific area all the time. Maybe they want to move around a bit, or they have other things making sounds picked up by the microphone. Most of the shields also do not protect a person from picking up sounds coming in from any angle, so there is still some soundproofing needed to get a truly professional set up.
Egg crate-shaped Foam
When we start talking about egg crate foam, this is where solutions work either temporarily, or permanently. Some will use egg crate foam and stick it temporarily in areas that are producing quite a bit of sound. They work pretty well without any professional setup, but the more permanent solution is to attach it to the walls and ceiling.
The way this foam is set up makes it very easy to block out any unneeded sounds. Most think of this foam as being covered by something else, but it also is usable as a standalone product. Many of the solutions listed above will use something similar to egg crate foam to make things quieter. It just might not be as thick.
Permanent Closet Soundproofing Solutions
If this is meant to be a place to record consistently, there should always be a focus on doing things the right way the first time. It’s going to make things a lot easier overall, and it makes for a great place to record.
With these setups, blankets might still work, but why not go the extra mile and close off the gaps with a higher-quality solution?
The first thing is to buy the right type of equipment if it is a permanent solution. Look into acoustic panels and professional sound foam if this is meant to be set up for serious work, or something a person is passionate about.
This will provide the best sound. Even though the solution is a little pricey, that’s why people are only buying a small amount of it for a closet instead of having to soundproof an entire room.
What these solutions do is help with absorbing sound, and overall diffusion. Closets usually are not big enough to echo, but it can be a slight problem. When setting up correctly, the professional-level sound foam makes a pretty significant difference.
As noted above, the central focus should be on the door, and the surface that is connected to the most noise. In some cases, that might be an inner wall. In other cases, a downstairs voice recording booth needs protection on the ceiling. On the second floor, the floor needs extra soundproofing.
Materials Needed For do-it-yourself Soundproofing
Along with the soundproofing material, simple things such as tacks, nails, and adhesive will be necessary. Some people are a little worried about having to deal with something like hardwood floors, but one way to remedy that is to put a rug or carpet down. That not only helps soundproof a room, but extra soundproofing material can be placed underneath without much of an issue.
Hardwood floors, generally speaking, aren’t the best for voice recording because of the chance of echoes.
If any issues pop up once in a while, it’s perfectly fine to ask for professional assistance. Even if the entire voice recording booth relies on a professional setup, it is not going to cost a person that much money. That’s because most of the work is very straightforward. There is no need to feel like the entire process is completely overwhelming.
The only way that recording booth transformation could go south is if a person wants to have everything hidden. That means knocking down walls and putting soundproofing material behind it. It might look a little cleaner to people checking it out, but overall it’s not going to make that much of a difference. Some people prefer the exposed look, because there is no way for the sound to rebound even a little bit off of the standard wall.
Try Out All the Equipment Needed in Soundproofing a Closet
Since a soundproofing closet is so small, only put the bare necessities in there. If it is something that might move around a bit, make sure that they can securely sit on the floor to avoid any unnecessary sounds.
It’s important to test out the equipment from time to time when doing a project. In the end, it is especially important, because a person can get a feel as to whether or not they should make improvements or leave it as it is.
What if There are no Serviceable Cosets to Work With?
For those people who don’t have any closet space but do have areas where some voice recording is possible, there are pre-built sound booths if a person wants to try them out. They don’t take up that much space, and can go anywhere in a home.
The best news is, they aren’t that expensive anymore, as more companies are putting them together as solutions. There are certainly ones that can cost thousands and thousands of dollars, but cheaper solutions are available that most people will end up going with. Even if it does cost a decent amount of money, it pays for itself within a year or two in most cases.
Is it Easy to Record at All hours of the Day?
Since it is a do-it-yourself solution, the quality of the vocal sound booth is going to depend on the materials used, and just how well it is all put together. Most people can achieve something that they never thought was possible, and that is recording at all hours of the day.
Yes, if a person tries, they can probably hear other things that are going on in the home. It might be best to pick quieter hours, just so there are fewer distractions. More often than not, people are only able to hear something like this if they are trying.
Can a Closet be Turned into a Soundproof Area for a Quick Project?
Some people might either need a small amount of voice recording, or they are on the road and looking for some type of solution. If that is the case, that is where a lot of the temporary solutions can come in handy once again.
Soundproof blankets are the best way to travel if an isolated place needs just a little bit better sound. These blankets are very versatile, and could theoretically help just about any closet around the world. It’s also pretty easy to travel with a portable sound booth, especially one that can collapse rather easily. As long as it doesn’t take up too much space, it should be a good way to get some recording done we’re on the road.
A Project that Pays for Itself
what drives people to go ahead and pursue something like this? It all comes down to saving time and money. Some of the best recording studios out there are going to be pretty costly on an hourly basis, and truthfully, some people won’t even notice that much of a difference.
Since most people don’t live near a recording studio, it also takes a lot of time to do a project that might only take an hour or less at home.
Some of the basic materials are so cheap that even if they end up not being enough, it could be stacked with something else to help with soundproofing as well. As long as a person doesn’t go crazy with trying to do something in a closet that is next to impossible, it’s going to all work out in the end.
Recording at home doesn’t have to be a chore, and many professionals are already working from home without any issue. The crazy thing is, most people don’t even realize the difference if they were told whether or not it was recorded in a studio, or a closet on the second floor of their home.