Soundproofing an open loft

[Hisham]

I live in a duplex that has an open loft for the top floor. I have my music equipment up there and am trying to minimize the amount of noise that gets out of our apartment. Will soundproofing the walls I do have do anything or will all the noise just go out the open side? What do you guys recommend I sound proof my walls with. I don't need total noise reduction, but I do need something that will make a difference that is easy to install.

[bjnash]

:
: I live in a duplex that has an open loft for the top floor. I have my music equipment up there and am trying to minimize the amount of noise that gets out of our apartment. Will soundproofing the walls I do have do anything or will all the noise just go out the open side? What do you guys recommend I sound proof my walls with. I don't need total noise reduction, but I do need something that will make a difference that is easy to install.
Sound is like water, it finds the path of least resistance and goes that way.  If you leave a side open, it will go that way.  If you leave a gap large enough to slide a knifeblade through, it will find it.
Using mass loaded vinyl as a wall curtain will help close off the open space.  This should be done first.  

• Using opaque curtains as a sound wall.

[Hisham]

: I can't really use that option because I cannot close off the open space due to a stairwell. Would it make any difference is I just soundproofed the other three walls. The speakers are setup to point towards the walls and away from the open space. Won't the soundproofing the walls lower the noise at all?
: I live in a duplex that has an open loft for the top floor. I have my music equipment up there and am trying to minimize the amount of noise that gets out of our apartment. Will soundproofing the walls I do have do anything or will all the noise just go out the open side? What do you guys recommend I sound proof my walls with. I don't need total noise reduction, but I do need something that will make a difference that is easy to install.