How To Record Loud Vocals In An Apartment

How To Record Loud Vocals In An Apartment: Apartment Vocals

Soundproofing A Room

If you love to record yourself singing in your apartment; however, you do not want to disturb your neighbors because of your loud voice, then one effective way to do it is to soundproof your room. If you can dedicate a room in your apartment where you will solely do your recording, it would be much better, as you can isolate the volume easier than recording in your living room.

In soundproofing a room, there are three important points that you should always keep in mind. These are the source of your sound, its entry point, and the last is its reflection point. These things will surely make your room noisy if not properly treated. You just make sure that you know its location, as it is an essential factor in soundproofing a room.

So, where is the source of the sound that you need to conceal due to its noise? Whether it is a television, a musical instrument, kitchen utensils, or noise from the road, you must be able to determine where the noise is coming from, so you can better conceal the sound for a better audio result.

The second thing is the space where the noise is coming from. This entry point must also be concealed, whether it is from an existing wall, or even your exterior windows, if the room has any, as these are the most common locations where the sound can easily enter.

The third and last thing is the reflection point of the sound after it enters your space. Typically, the sound would likely just bounce back and forth between the footboard and headboard before it ultimately dissipates. This is why you will need to be able to conceal the point, so you won’t affect the quality of sound from the recording.

Ways To Soundproof A Room

Curtains

The first affordable way to soundproof a room is to use thick curtains or drapes. Not only that, these things can protect you from people peeking at your windows, being a visual barrier, but they can also efficiently dampen the sound as well. As they can absorb extra sound from the outside, such as traffic noise, they can also absorb the ambient noise from the inside that floats around the room.

Rugs

The second thing that you can add to soundproof your room is to put some thick area rugs on your floor. This is very efficient in absorbing the noise that comes from your lower neighbors if you are situated in a multi-story apartment. You can also add pads under the rugs, as it will greatly help mask the sound without having to use additional space in your room.

Upholstered Furnitures

The third thing you can do is add upholstered furniture to your room. Not only is it efficient in absorbing sound, but it also keeps the sound from bouncing, which is one of the purposes of soundproofing. However, this might be a little bit expensive if you purchase a new one. You can also place lots of thick pillows and blankets, as they can also help in absorbing the sound inside the room.

Bookcases

Although not a typical way to soundproof a room, if you are a bookworm and have lots of books in your apartment, maybe now would be the perfect time for you to build bookcases in your sound room. With lots of books on the cases, it can efficiently absorb the sound. It would be ideal if your bookcase extends from the floor up to the ceiling, so you can also place more books into it. The more, the better it would be when it comes to soundproofing.

Drywall

Although a little bit expensive compared to the other alternatives mentioned above, adding extra drywalls to your sound room would do so many wonders for your soundproofing goal. Drywalls can also be additional protection against noise, thanks to their thickness and with the newer ones now that use dampening compounds.

Resilient Channels

Another alternative way to soundproof your room is to install resilient channels. Although you have to make some adjustments to your room to install them, it would be worth it if you are hoping to make your soundproof. Installing these resilient channels will result in a decoupled wall, which is known for its effectiveness in stopping sound waves that pass through the room’s walls.

Acoustic Panels

When it comes to the real deal in making your room soundproof, most audio engineers use acoustic panels and hang them in their studios. Although they can be a little expensive, especially if you are just making your own soundproof room, the result can be very rewarding as they are highly efficient in absorbing around a room.

Not only are they very light, but you also can choose lots of options in terms of color that would match the interior decor of your room. Although you can find different sizes, it would be preferable to choose the largest that would fit your room for better results.

Acoustic Foams

A cheaper way but still used in the music industry as a proven way for soundproofing a room is to use some acoustic foams. As it is very efficient in absorbing the soundwaves inside the room, it can also add some nice aesthetics to the space, as you can choose different colors that would suit the interior decoration of the room.

Sound Booth

Lastly, and maybe the most expensive of all the methods mentioned above, setting up a sound booth would be an excellent option for you; if you are determined to record loud vocals in your apartment without distracting other people or getting unwanted noise from the outside.

Sound booths are known to help isolate the sound before it can bounce around the space in the room. Although there are some cheaper sound booth options, the more expensive one also means that it is more effective in isolating the sound. If you are really dreaming of soundproofing your room so you can record loud vocals, this might be your best bet.

Best Microphones For Recording Vocals

Neumann U 87 Ai

A classic microphone in the industry, the Neumann U 87 Ai is a perfect match for recording vocals in studios. This condenser microphone comes with three directional characteristics to choose from. It also has a switchable low-frequency roll-off and 10 dB pre-attenuation, which are excellent features for recording vocals or even musical instruments. Though very expensive for many, trying one can really make you realize why lots of people in the music industry love to use this microphone for recording.

Shure SM57B

Loved by Michael Jackson, the Shure SM57B is known by many for its rich and balanced tone, which is perfect for recording vocals. Nowadays, more and more people are using this microphone for podcasting also. As it is a versatile mic, it is also protected from the electromagnetic hum, so you get the best audio quality from it.

So, how to record loud vocals in an apartment? The best way to do it is to soundproof a room, absorbing all the sounds from the outside and inside, so you or other people won’t get distracted.