How to Soundproof Walls for a Band Room
It is difficult to really jam as a band when you are worried about disturbing your family or neighbors and whether a cranky neighbor will call the police. For that reason, it is important to have a specified band room with soundproof walls where you and your band mates can just open up and play to your hearts' content. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Masking tape
- Rubber cement
- Foam rubber at least 4 inches thick
- Old carpet
- Pillow
Instructions
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1
Run vertical strips of masking tape down the full height of the walls at 2-foot intervals. Dog-ear the corners so you can peel off the tape. You'll be able to remove the foam rubber much more easily than if it were glued to the wall.
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2
Swab rubber cement onto the tape. Do only a few rows at a time. Otherwise, the cement on the last strips of tape will dry before you can get the foam rubber on them.
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3
Hold the foam rubber pads up horizontally and stick them to the glued surfaces of the tape. It is better for the pads to run in separate directions from the tape so you do not have to worry about the tape lining up with the foam rubber at the proper intervals. Do this all around the walls of the room. You can soundproof the ceiling in the same manner.
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4
Place several layers of old carpet, mats or both on the floor, especially under the drum set and amps. This isn't as important if you have your band room in a basement. But if you have family or neighbors downstairs, this step is absolutely vital. Foam rubber is not durable enough to last on the floor, but put down as many mats or carpet layers as you want.
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5
Place a pillow inside the bass drum. This is important because it is probably the loudest instrument you have.
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Tips & Warnings
Some people would suggest that you cover the foam rubber with plastic and then put nails or screws through the plastic. This is counterintuitive, though, because the plastic is a smooth surface that will negate the deadening ability of the spongy foam.
If you put foam rubber on the ceiling, don't put it too close to the lights, because it could catch fire.
References
- Photo Credit drums image by agno_agnus from Fotolia.com
