Spare Bedroom for Band Practice

[JustBreathe]

Hi all,

My 16 yo wants to utilize a 11x13 spare upstairs bedroom for his band to practice (metal screamo...although he swears it is 'southern rock').  My first concern is distrubing neighbors.  Second of course would be the rest of the family's sanity.

If I give in to this, we'd probably need to do something to help control the noise level.  Even though we are homeowners and not renters, I would still not want to do any type of permanent or expensive soundproofing.  

Would the aluminum vinyl coated fiberglass cloth blankets, work for us in this situation?   (I'm not looking for sound quality inside the room, just elimination of excess volume outside of the room and house.)

I'm thinking that mounted in some type of curtain rod fashion would allow them to be easily hung (even over windows and doors, then removed and rolled up for stowe away (or use at another band members house!!!)

Can the product be purchased in rolls?  (At 4ft widths, I believe i would need approx 126ft)

Also would this product have any benefit if the room ceiling and (carpeted upstairs) floor are not sound proofed in anyway?  Or would those areas need to be addressed as well?

Thanks in advance!
JB

[johnbergstromslc]

I'm sure you love your kids and all, but don't do it, man.  'Giving in' to a 16 year old will only be the first in a long series of headaches.  And why would you want to turn your house into that kind of environment??

It would be far cheaper to give him gas money and encourage him to practice his 'art' somewhere else....

[JustBreathe]

unfortunately because all the the kids in his band are still in high school and live at home, they have limited options.  They have been practicing for the past year at one of the other band member's home.  We have only recently moved from an apartment to a house, so in one sense I feel obligated to take our turn and give the other families a break.  Regular practice time at the rehearsal studios around here is not really affordable for the kids since they make minimal income from their gigs.  And I look at it as compromise in being able to know where and who he is with, and what they are up too...these are all good kids with a lot of ambition)

JB ('sucker' mom)

[johnbergstromslc]

I see.  

Well, you can certainly try the things you're thinking of, and I'm sure others on this forum will give you some ideas, but my experience with musical instruments (esp. amplified) is that they are way too loud to contain with a 'bandaid' approach.  

You need to do some serious structural modifications or, if you have a basement, locate the practice room down there.  It's easier to isolate the noise when you have a concrete slab and two thick walls as a starting point.  

Plus, the distance from the basement to the upstairs will help too.

Good luck.

[skip]

We agree that the bandaid approch will not give you or your neighbors any acceptable results.



Whether an apartment or a home, live music, band practice or home entertainment centers were never planned on to be used by the builders.



Soundproofing a residential area building from the likes of live music practice sessions can be accomplished, But at a cost in time, materials and dollars.



There are no solutions to your type of sound problem available at Home Depot or Lowes.