sliding doors

[mongoose]

just moved, and so i'm setting up a new band practice room.  there look to be several problem areas, including a sliding glass door that happens to be right near my drumset.

i've noticed the sound curtains, but i'm figuring that's just too simple of an option to actually be a solution.  any ideas?

[supersoundproofing]

Loud sound is not going to be attenuated much by sound control curtains, which workm well for traffic sound...

[mongoose]

knee jerk reaction would be to build some sort of sound absorbing panel.  does that seem like a viable idea?

[agtrojan]

mongoose,

Adding a sound absorbing panel will improve the acoustics of your practice room without blocking the sound from going through the sliding glass door, walls, etc.

To achieve any significant reduction in sound you need to block and absorb the sound in an air-tight, enclosed space.  I take it you're not interested in building a room-within-a-room.  So, that limits what you can do.  Select a room with no windows, if you can, and furthest away from your closest neighbor.

[mongoose]

"you need to block and absorb the sound in an air-tight, enclosed space"

- yep, definitely the task in a nutshell.  i think i can tackle it though. i'll keep you posted.

[joel]

Hi mongoose,
One of our customers who is a musician used the MagnetSeal system shown at http://soundproofing.org/sales/magnetseal_windows.htm  What he did was mount the light gauge painted steel channel around perimeter (floor, sides, top) and then added a double, back-to-back verticle where slider panel of door (in the middle).  He then used two sheets of 3/8" acrylic for sound barrier material.  He caulked the perimeter and middle vertical edges and used SSP Tape (1/8" thick SSP Mat w/self adhesive back - rolls are 1"x30' for $8.00) where any air gaps.  He said it worked great - stopped almost all sound from outside so he could record in the area.  Should work equally well to stop sound from going out.
If you want to add absorbing/blocking material (non see through) then use SSP Mat shown at http://www.soundproofing.org/sales/prices.html  And it is discussed as a window "plug" at http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/windowplug.htm  
Joel