John NelsonNashville Recording Connection

Acoustically Speaking Posted on 2015-08-02 by John Nelson

How amazing is it, that you can spend thousands of dollars on gear, instruments, computers, monitors, plug-ins, etc., and that an un-treated room can thwart your efforts go gain a good sound.  Conversely, you can spend some time and effort treating your room, and make “cheaper” gear that much better.  Now, I’m not saying that the ‘egg crates’ that you have on your bed on the back wall will make your $50 ‘no-name’ brand monitors sound amazing…but at least it’s a start! 

What I loved about this chapter was the fact, that you can truly “calculate” the details of how to build your room. Put pen to paper, and meticulously create a space that will work well for your needs.  Do you want more room sound?  Great, treat the room accordingly.  Do you want a totally dead room?  No problem…treat the room this way.  Much of this really boils down to going after what you want, and realizing that different projects will have different necessities for sound.  It’s important as an audio engineer to try and prepare for as many scenarios as you can, so that you’re ready for whatever your clients throw at you.  Or…at very least…know where you can rent the space to do it!  At the end of the day this was a very helpful chapter to open my eyes to the importance of Acoustics, and to pay closer attention (and not take for granted) how much of a difference Acoustics, and the treatment there of, make in the whole process!

I would like to say, that I really wish that I had more time with my mentor to go through some of the finer points of acoustics.  Shoot, I wish I had more time with my mentor period.  But, I suppose that’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.  I guess that this has been a good lesson about how tough this industry really is…and that you have to fight for what you want.  Nobody, including your school, parents, friends, family, etc. are going to hand you your dreams on a silver platter…you have to go and get it.  We have to be INTENTIONAL with every step we take.  The same applies with acoustics.  Cut corners, or rather leave the corners exposed, and you will ultimately pay the price.  Know what you want, and be intentional about getting out of life (and your studio…for me the same thing) what you really want.  Life is way too short, to leave it “un-treated”.

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