Should You Soundproof Your Home Studio?

Are you tired of the neighbors complaining? Are you close to eviction for too many noise complaints? Take action.
If you are an amateur or professional musician practicing in your rented apartment, it is only fair you should soundproof the area in which you practice, not only for the sanity of your neighbors, but also for your own security. Is playing your instrument at home at all hours of the night really worth the wrath of everyone on your block? Is it worth losing your house or apartment because your landlord has received too many complaints from neighboring tenants? The answer in most cases is “No.”

I faced this problem several years ago. I was excited to have moved into a new apartment in a quiet neighborhood. I was also excited about my new drum set and the prospect of gigging with my new band. So excited I didn’t think about the fact that my neighbors were probably sleeping at 2 am when I got home from my latest gig so thrilled with my performance that I had to start playing all over again. It didn’t last very long.

After a month or so of gigging around town with my band, only to retreat to my home and play some more into the wee hours of the morning, my once friendly and accommodating landlord came knocking at my door at 8am on a Saturday morning.
Needless to say, my neighbors had been complaining to my landlord and I was given a frigid warning. That is when I decided to take on the challenging task of soundproofing my home studio. What I found out was that soundproofing a room can be tricky if you don’t understand the basic principles behind it. Hopefully this article will help musicians like me understand how soundproofing works and decide whether soundproofing their home studio is a feasible option or they should start looking for a new place!
1) The principles of soundproofing
Sound travels by vibration. In order to soundproof a room, you need to reduce the ability of a sound wave to travel by noise reduction and absorption. This is accomplished by using space, mass, and dampening.

Using space to reduce noise
Space works by increasing the area that sound must travel before it becomes audible outside the room. For example, if you are playing your guitar inside a closet, the people inside the adjoining room are likely to find it obnoxiously loud! However, if you are playing in the middle of a very large room, the people outside the room will not find the noise as intrusive. Pretty simple, right?

Using mass to reduce noise
The principle of using mass to reduce noise is very similar to the principle of using space to achieve the same effect. Simply put, increasing the thickness of the wall a sound wave must travel through to reach the other side of the wall reduces the transmission of the sound wave. Any audible volume will be reduced as a result.
Using dampening to reduce noise
The principle of dampening is a bit more complicated. Essentially dampening is a method to absorb the vibrations by which a sound wave travels, thus reducing the audible transmission of the sound wave.
2) Common soundproofing materials

Now that you understand how soundproofing works, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the materials you need to do the job. For most people, soundproofing a home studio will include treating the ceilings, walls, and floors. Most soundproofing suppliers will carry everything you need– do a little searching online to find exactly what you need. For now, here is a basic outline of common materials used:

Soundproof drywall

Sound engineered drywall is a special type of drywall that has been treated with a proprietary soundproofing material between layers to block sound. You can apply sound engineered drywall over the existing drywall in your home studio and use the same drywall for your walls and ceilings.

Mass loaded vinyl

To soundproof your floors and ceilings, you will want to add layers. Mass loaded vinyl is often used for this purpose, and may be installed on top of existing flooring, although a new top layer will be required once the vinyl has been installed. Mass loaded vinyl is also sometimes used to soundproof ceilings and is placed between the original drywall and the sheet of soundproof drywall.

Soundproofing adhesive for drywall

Many companies make a soundproofing adhesive to connect your layers of drywall and mass loaded vinyl. This adhesive reduces impact noise and will act as an additional layer of protection. Don’t skip out on the adhesive.

Now, if you have read this far and are thinking it will be impossible to alter the construction of your rented apartment or home, it is probably time to find a new place. However, if you can get permission from your landlord to soundproof your home studio, it is probably a good idea for everyone involved. Either way, find out. It is better to invest in soundproofing now and save yourself a huge hassle later – or to find a place that is better suited to your needs before you get too comfortable in your current place. Finally, remember that this is only meant to be a starter guide, so if you decide to move forward with soundproofing, do a little more research before you get started – it’s a time-consuming and costly process – but ultimately worth every penny!