Man cave/studio/practice space is happening

Pine Apple Slim

Pine Apple Slim

Kick Henry Jackassowski
Got some stock I inherited from my Mom that's done really well. Wife wants a pool, I want a building. We live comfortably without the dividends, house is paid for, no debt. You only live once right? So we're gonna enjoy retirement.
I'm building a 16'x30' out back. I'm thinking 8' walls with a 10' vaulted ceiling. Gonna do it so it could be made into a grandma suite if we ever sell(unlikely but you never know). Full bath and walk in closet will take about 8'x16', so my music space will be 16x22'. The closet should hold most of my instruments, cases, extra amps, and assorted do das like cables, etc. I'll set up my 2 Mackie SM450s and mixer, couple of amps, a ragtag drum set, and some mic stands. A small desk and a few chairs.

I'd love to add some recording equipment but I've been very frustrated trying to do computer based recording in the past. Every time I've tried it, old IMac, Dell Laptop, MacBook Pro, iPad, I've never been able to get rid of latency to the point where I could successfully multitrack.
So I may just pick up a Tascam or Zoom or something like that.
Unless you guys could recc a daw based system for an idiot that is.
 
Include at least one partition with maybe a window... either it could become a control room, or conversely a vocal booth.
 
Thanks Baimun. That's the kind of input I'm looking for. I had planned to rough in one corner with plumbing & elec for a small kitchenette that could be added by a future owner. Perhaps I could use that area for a booth.
How big would it have to be?
 
A vocal booth doesn't need to be big, but it does need to be away from vibration causing areas like vents and pipes.
 
Or.... Make it free standing with a roof and floor so if need be, you could get some hand trucks under it and move it.

You could also place your amp in there and crank it to hear the mic'd cab in the studio.

Make the outside look like a British phone box. (The Tardis)
 
Awesome project!
Don't give up on computer-based recording, though. A relatively recent iMac, a Firewire interface, and a copy of Reaper will get you where you need to be with as close to no latency as you can get.
 
That sounds great, man. The Mrs. and I have started looking at houses as we're starting to outgrow ours. On her wishlist - a pool. On mine - an outbuilding big enough to house a recording studio. As it is now, I rent a space about 15 minutes from my house that serves as a rehearsal space and studio. It's roughly 12' x 20' with pretty high ceilings. With some minimal treatment, it sounds pretty good in there. I've tracked a bunch in there already. There are some other rooms in the building I have limited access to if I need to isolate. Most of our rehearsals are done with in-ear monitoring, otherwise it gets quite loud in there. With all the gear packed in, (several amps, a recording desk, a drum kit, a keyboard and leslie) it starts getting pretty tight for rehearsals with more than 4 people.

Don't get too discouraged by computer recording. They've really started to nail the latency thing down. My workaround before was to do all monitoring pre-interface, which gets pretty involved with larger projects. I just upgraded to ProTools 11 and I think I can finally do all of my monitoring right from ProTools, without having to deal with splitters, a separate console, etc. But honestly, whatever device matches best with your workflow is what you should use. Technology should be there to help promote creativity, not hinder it.
 
It was gonna be tough to fit a pool and a building on our lot without blocking our nice view out back of the "lakes"(ponds really.
Where my wife wanted her pool was too close to the home foundation to dig.
But the developer of the SD just made me a super deal on the .51 ac lot next door.
Now we have all the room in the world. I think I can go 20'x30' now:)!
 
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Our lot is 8, we're buying #7. As you can see the SD has been slow to develop. We bought the 1st house 8 yrs ago. I'm not complaining:)
 
LeftyTom said:
Build it bigger than you think you need.
Click to expand...

Here's the preliminary sketch. Gives me about 300+ Sq Ft of main area. The bedroom and little offset gives me a control room and isolation areas. The little bedroom suite can double as a guest quarters. Will rough in plumbing for a kitchen sink and a 220v for a stove, but will not actually install a kitchen.
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Lol. The suite can be used for
1. A place for me to sleep when the wife has girlfriends over the weekend, or if she just gets on my nerves.
2. Pool bathroom/changing room.
3. Control room, isolation rooms, storage.
4. For resale (unlikely) but you never know, with the addition of some cabinets and appliances could be a very nice efficiency apartment.
 
I'll get my money back and more when I sell my parents 65 ac and home.
I've been in no hurry to sell it, kinda waiting around for real estate to heat back up a bit.
Right now it's my "escape hatch".
It would make a fine studio, but it's 8 miles from our home, kinda isolated, and I don't want to leave valuable equipment that far away.
 
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