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idk man you're just like the most respectable, non-arrogant or overly confident, yet most helpful and enjoyable person to watch among anyone that makes music related tutorial videos
Update: last week I finished my eight panels using this design. The inner frame makes wrapping and stapling easier, and the outer frame keeps the fabric clean and scratch free - I was able to use a lightweight white muslin without worrying about it getting shabby over time. Based on what I know now, I’d use 5/8” or 3/4” Baltic birch plywood instead of pine for the inner and outer frames. Pine was too fussy to flatten and thickness-plane. One modification I’m glad I made: I added a 2-foot 1x2 pine strip across the middle to prevent the panel from bowing out. One mistake I made: I cut all the inner and outer parts first. Then I assembled the inner frames and the outer frames. But I failed to adequately account for the 3/16” hardboard dimension around the inner frame, so the first wrapped inner frame didn’t fit into an outer frame. If I did it again, I’d cut the outer frame members a little long until after I wrap the inner frame. Then I’d cut them to fit the wrapped inner frame. I was too focused on batching all the dust-producing table saw operations before moving onto the clean fabric work in my limited work space. To fix it, I had to unscrew the hardboard sides from all the inner frames and trim off about 3/16” from the 1x2 pine frames and the hardboard parts, then screw the hardboard sides back on. Good thing all that got covered up by the muslin and outer frames! Notes: 1) I used Rockwool 3”x2’x4’. I do recommend gloves, but with care I don’t think a mask is necessary. 2) Corner wrapping. My first panel, my prototype, came out with two pretty good corners and two bulky ones. After that, I got serious and developed templates for trimming off a specific shape out of the corners of the muslin before wrapping. The other seven panels have tidy, professional looking corners. If I knew how to make a RUclips video, I'd go into detail about the trimming templates. I think they make short work of the wrapping and I'm proud of the innovation. Total material cost: about $340, including detachable hinges, or $43 per panel (California, 2023). I think Michael's $25 estimate leaves out the outer frames. Time investment: don’t ask. Finished quality: outstanding. Smooth and waxed with softly eased edges. Chose the color I wanted. Satisfaction from DIY: incalculable.
I’m so glad this worked out for you and for your detailed advice! This is exactly why I love RUclips. I’ll pin this comment so others can see and learn/modify my design a little.
@@inthemix Michael, I’m honored. I’ve also been advocating your design on the Acoustic Guitar Forum, and one member is going to build his panels this way, too. If you’re interested in my corner trimming templates, let me know and I can email some photos to you. Thanks again for the elegant inner frame idea!
43 dollar per panels seems like a good deal, panels with properties like shown in the video are going here for 90 dollar (Euro in my case but its basically 1:1) Panels of less density or width are not useless but not worth the price. such things you can get for 40-50 Euro/ Dollar here.
Dude, Michael is such a rare person. He always goes out of his way to make videos that really help people, in all different ways. Not pushing sponsors, or merch, or anything - sharing everything he knows out of the interest of others and his own good will. Because that's what he loves doing (I hope!). Round of applause for everything you do. You are an inspirational figure.
hvaing made acoustic panels before, I can definitely day this is one of the best tutorials out there. He adresses a lot of the common problems people run into when making panels for the first time. Great job!
As a training finish carpenter by day, before I found producing, I appreciate your attention to detail when you recommend counter sinking. I also appreciate you educating people about the frame and which way the wood should be framed. You've framed the foam the same way the faceframe of a bookcase would be framed. Well done. Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I knew I wanted to make my own panels but I'm renting at the moment and I was putting it off because I couldn't think of lighter ways to build the frame that would hold the foam. I was stuck in the "Robust" carpenter mind set lol. This is brilliant!!!
@@buskingforlife absolutely. The reason for hanging/mounting them on the wall is to get them up to my ear height and roughly in the middle of the wall which increases the performance slightly.
@@inthemix 3:48am and I just gotta say thanks for what u do man… all your videos are extremely helpful and knowledgeable and tbh idk where I would be without ur channel cuz it’s helped me understand a lot from fl studio plugins all the way to headphones
I just finished making 5 panels, 5.5" thick. They turned out (relatively) light, solid, and visually beautiful. Acoustically, the difference is night and day. Thank you, sir!
@@Muravchix, thank you! I bought the wood, MDF, and insulation from Home Depot (in USA). I bought the acoustic material online from ATS Acoustic, and any miscellaneous items from Amazon. They turned out 10x better than I had hoped for, both acoustically, and visually. (I went with 5.5" / 14cm insulation, and I have sizable airgaps behind the panels, so that really helps.)
great video! quick tip which makes a very big difference: I suggest making the frame about 10cm wider than the panel, so you leave an air gap between the actual panel and the wall. This drastically extends the frequency range which your panel will absorb towards the low end of the frequency spectrum.
I'm trying to wrap my head around how this all works as I hear up to make a few panels for my room: so if I'm using 4cm panels I should want there to use 15-20cm sides so I have the +10cm extra distance from the wall?
@@felixmarques if your panels are only 4cm thick, I'm pretty sure making the frame 10cm wider is a bit over the top. I'd say around 5 cm more is enough. So in your case, your frame should be around 9cm thick, that way you have 4cm of space for your panel and another 5cm air gap. hope this helps :)
Would this be the same as the external frame? I am a little confused of you making the frame wider and how that increases the air gap... wouldnt increasing the frame size leave space between the insulation and the frame now?
Just finished this project. It took a few days time, but wasn't difficult to do by myself. I found a 6 pack of 4'x2'x2" cotton batts on Amazon and got the rest of supplies at home depot, and fabric at Walmart. I spent a total of $360 to make 8 panels, (4) 4'x2' and (4) 4'x1'. This came out to $45 per panel. Timber was $70, insulation was $180 shipped, fabric $40, hardware and tools were $70. It was a fun project and I'm glad I have some treatment in my home studio now, but expected the cost to be a bit lower.
I build mine also DIY, the frame is MDF because that wood is denser, I use Rock wool for damping sound, and a special carpet for cars (back in the day, my specialty was building heavy sound systems for cars). If you make them yourself, you can precise tune them for your room, each room is different, works great, and I like that kind of work. I made bass traps too from the same materials. Glad to see you did the same, a friend of mine cut panels with his laser for dispersion panels. And they have a nice pattern. They are great and are esthetic beautiful. I also did my floors, with springs that I got from my work between the concrete and MDF 24mm plates and a special dampening underfloor and on top laminate flooring. Back in the day I bought a big stock Dynamat 300, they used that for removing resonances in cars for big car stereo's. That is the underfloor. If you are a little handy you can do a lot, much cheaper, and better. Because it's all custom build. I have 3 studios that were concrete "bunkers" a nightmare for a studio. Cheers :)
Bass trap is a description of a specific type of absorber. For best results, determine the frequencies of nodes and compute the trap volume vs material to match those nodes. Just building a random box full of absorption will never work. You may tame a frequency that was helpful and that will only exacerbate a frequency that was the real problem. These things are instruments and bass traps are typically large and expensive. Find out what you need first, then do the research to specify them. I’ve found the info readily available and generously shared.
@fartpooboxohyeah8611 That is absolutely incorrect. It is as basic as it gets that absorption, refraction, transmission each are used to achieve a balanced result. Foam or glass-filled traps are just one tool with a very narrowly focused effect. Nobody, anywhere has ever benefited the sound of their room by using traps or resonators alone. The base material of the walls of a space is the number one contributor to sound control, and cannot be dismissed from the total treatment. You make no mention of that. I design professional spaces for music production. If you have questions, I’d be happy to discuss this.
Yo my man! I followed your instructions here and made 12 panels! Made a massive difference in my studio. Thank you so much. If you want any pictures of it I can send them your way! I'd love to chat!
Love the insulation alternatives. The health & safety implications are important but it's also important to note that the denim, hemp, wood and recycled insulation are much more environmentally friendly and sustainable too. Doing your part for you, your room and the planet!
I haven't personally tried them but I've spoken to those who have (and seen some studies/tests) that are extremely positive. Recycled denim and hemp seem to perform extremely well!@@Mrcheesydancer
@@Mrcheesydancerso as the video says the higher the density the better the panel. Wood fiber has a density of 50kg/m^3 (at least the one I just bought). The glasswool isolation (very common one) had only 12kg/m^3 I never tried anything else, but I’m very happy with my wood fiber panels
My friends and I just finished decking out our new music studio with 12 of these panels, and they make a WORLD of difference! Relatively easy to build (we built all 12 of them in a day with the 3 of us including getting the materials), and so much bang for buck! We came out to approx. 500 euro for the 12. Thanks so much for a great video!
I LOVE this. I see a few commenters upset that you didn’t whip out an SPL or RTA meter to do before and after measurements (I get it, treating specific frequencies is important) but something tells me that wasn’t the goal here. The goal was to DIY some affordable and decent acoustic treatment using dense, absorptive materials. Honestly, this is an excellent solution for reflections and for those higher frequencies (and, depending on the materials the individual has chosen, one could target mids and potentially even lows). You achieved that goal, well done!
I’m so happy that this is how the video came across to you. It’s precisely what I wanted to do. Hopefully people can see that treatment is accessible and doesn’t need to be too scientific to be helpful.
Thank you so much! And finally there's a DIY acoustic treatment video on RUclips making clear that rockwool, stonewool and fiber is bad for your health!!! Really great video! 🙌By the way, great channel!
Thanks. Someone had to be the first to say it, I hope it doesn’t get me in any trouble! I’m sure they are okay as cavity insulation but definitely not in panels.
This is the most thoughtful instruction on making panels (I watched more than 10-15 others). 2 months ago I made 4 panels according to this video, everything went well, I highly recommend it!
Well done! I love this channel, I have been making music for a little bit now and this channel has been friendly, extremely helpful, entertaining, and just overall incredible. Big up to you Michael 🙌
his tutorials are ok for beginners, this isnt ideal, fire hazard is real, when you need more you need to learn from The BEST like Bobby Owsinski, he did a masterclass of 2 hours over insulation and treatment for everybody, and its on youtube for free. its covers everything you need. Rockwool is what he recommends, he manipulated it and he says its no health hazard. you can play with rockwool all day long. its not more dangerous than dust etc go watch the masterclass all
Best panel build guide yet👍🏻 thanks for sharing! Worked on roof construction for a few weeks as a summer job... no safety at all and lots of rockwool insulation. Came home every day itchy literally everywhere. But hey. It stopped itching now:')
Great video. I’ve been wanting to make some panels of my own for quite awhile now but I watched too many videos which left me with too many options and too many questions. These panels look super clean, practical, easy to make, affordable and easy to mount, which was always something that left me with uncertainty with heavier build designs. Thanks for this, Michael.
This is fantastic! My aunt recently disassembled a "music room" that the original owner didn't want anymore, and they had gone super overboard with the materials. Each wall panel requires like 6 people to lift up because they're made out of sheetrock and thick plyboard. And the worst part is, when it's all put together, the acoustic inside the room are just awful. thanks for the tutorial, this'll come in handy.
Just as your tutorials on mixing are better than most, more concise and to the point, so is this tutorial on acoustic panels making. One possible alternative to avoid wall mounting, is to built a larger base or some kind of "feet" so the panels would be freestanding, and would be movable around the room and double as gobos, if necessary.
Thank you for the kind words. Making stands is an excellent idea especially if you want to use them in a recording space. I have to admit, I haven’t thought much about how to design the legs but I’m sure there are some good designs out there.
This is great. I'm not doing any music stuff at all, but I may still put a few of these panels into my living room to reduce reverb. I'm pretty sure these things could also double as wall art if you can get someone to paint something onto the fabric.
Last vid, I mentioned the consistency of your audio from scene to scene (seat to seat) and WOW… the very next vid you explain how you’ve accomplished it. You deserve to be right where you are, on the precipice of 1 MIL!!! The quality, efficiency and relatability of your videos honestly deserves 10 MIL…. Keep it up bro. You’ll be the premier RUclips channel leading the pro-audio revolution in no time.
I used heavily padded natural cotton blankets (4x7 feet. 4kg each) - hung it strategically around my room. Absolute echo killer. They worked well as sound proof screens as well, when hung against a window and balcony door. Also cheap foam mattresses, that absorb echo well. Altogether everything cost me around 150$ (in India).
I absolutely love this, people don't talk enough about how dangerous fiberglass and rock wool are to work with. I've even used old towels stapled into a frame before (SHOCKINGLY effective) but fiberglass isn't worth the risk. Recycled denim/fabric is a brilliant idea. Thanks for the great content!
you should fear fire hazard more than rockwool, besides those materials you listed are very different. fiberglass has many kinds old and new. rockwool is a different beast its an industry standard
@@MrFree-vj8qj Sure, rock wool is commonly used and cheap. But there is no need to worry about fire hazard with cellulose based products; they are all chemically treated to be fire retardant and they comply with fire codes.
@@tjblues01hey I saw cellulose at my local Home Depot and couldn’t find anything else.. is that safe as well.. don’t know what it really means .. couldn’t find the ones listed
@@benjaminmeirelles5120 Yep cellulose is pretty safe to use. It's basically wood pulp of the same sort you'd see in paper production. The biggest issue is inhalation, so use a respirator when working with it. Commercially available cellulose is treated with a boric acid compound that makes it fire resistant, which is the larger issue with DIY recycled denim or cotton batting. Cellulose can also settle when used in tall vertical applications like this, so you'd want to check after a while to see if there's a gap towards the top.
You are absolutely right in material point. To be more specific: It is strictly prohibited in EU region to use glasswool, rockwool, etc... in living rooms without insulation. The proper insulation is an air-sielded, air-tight shielding. Like a completely closed bag - if you wish. Glasswool can harm eyes, nose, can cause severe blood vessel damage in nose and damage in retina. Rockwood can cause lung damage. It does not matter if it is treated to not releasing any dust, but by time, it will... The material which is not releasing any dust is having about 2 - 3 - 4 times price compared to the standard ones, but still not recommended to use without proper insulation, like hiding it behind plasterboard. By the way, nice video.
Excellent tutorial. I've got to admit that the reduction in reverb/resonance of your voice and the claps in the before and after recordings was greater than I expected, so after initially dismissing the idea of making/installing panels in my room I'm now thinking I should do something about it.
And yes i have watched so many of ur high quality vids buddy on buying audio gears for home studio.. and now this on buildng ur own acoustic panels. Man u r simply amzing and ever so genuine. U cud so easily create paid courses on music/audio and make hell lot of money..😃😄
We’ve just been quoted over £9k to provide sound insulation for our village hall. This seems like something we could achieve at a fraction of the price. Thank you
the concepts are right. the panels are well made and well designed. there is one important thing: that without correctly measuring the specific acoustic decay times in the room, the panels remain placed at random.
A friend and I spent a few weekends building acoustic panels after watching an older guide of yours! One thing we realized was that-at least in the United States-the cost of lumber from hardware stores can add up really really quickly. If we were to do it again, we'd probably try buying direct from a mill. And I'm glad you mentioned safer fillings. We ended up reluctantly using Rockwool with a lot of precautions, just because it was difficult to find information on alternatives.
You can use any material that's strong enough for the job. Doesn't have to be wood, and can certainly be recycled, like saving old Ikea panels from the trash for example. I know in some part of the world, more and more people building tiny houses, cabins, sheds or even full blow houses have switched to steel (light steel framing) because it's cheaper (while usually being stronger, lighter). Especially if you can borrow a good drill and an angle grinder, you can go very inexpensive this way by buying longer pieces of metal on sale, and adjusting to your dimensions. Just a warning: for _some_ applications, don't buy to thin a metal piece, you don't want them to start to resonate with your audio.
This was fantastic. I had never seen someone explain how one can save money on wood but also explain the true stress point for the frame itself. Panels can be daunting with wood prices because as you mentioned, everyone goes for 3/4” thick, 3.5” wide frames. That adds up FAST. Anyway, loved this approach and idea. Thank you.
I need to do these in my house. I have vaulted ceilings and the echoes are insane. Great job on the ending demonstrating how well these things work. I've watched several builds and I actually quite like these.
You are the best, Michael! A major part of my music making process is watching your videos and rewatching them! Your channel has helped me a tonne! Thank you! 🙏🏻❤
This is one if not the best make you're own acoustic panels tutorial I've seen so far, you have basically answered any question I can come up with. Amazing explanation and video, I liked and subbed to support you because you really earned that Michael!
I know that some people comment about how you have to have different panels and traps for different frequencies and all that, and of course that's true to certain extent. When you listen to the before and after though, there's no denying that the sound both of the voice as well as the claps is much better with the panels up. And that is what most people watching videos like this are going for. If you need super accurate treatment, then you're probably not watching a video like this or building your own stuff.
There is another consideration that factored into me using rockwool in the end - the fire rating. I will caveat that by saying I treated the entire interior surface of my room though, so fire considerations were part of that element of the design. I did make floating panels like these to go over the main reflection points, so in retrospect I probably would have used something easier on the skin/body for those, but I had spare rockwool knocking around and it made sense. Cheese cloth is another incredibly cheap option for the back fabric. I ended up completely covering mine in cheese cloth before using an aesthetically nicer fabric for the finish.
It sounds like you did what made most sense. I want to quickly thank you for sharing advice in replies to another comment. I noticed that and it was really great to hear you chip in to the conversation. My main issue with mineral and glass wool is that a lot of young folks (like myself when I first used it) are simply not aware of how dangerous it is when handled incorrectly.
@@inthemix Indeed. And other fiber insulation, like hemp for example, as even easier to work with, no always more expensive, and can also be found in fire retardant version. Well hemp is extraordinarily fire resistant by itself, it's not a lot of work to make hemp wool or panels official fire certified for construction.
@@inthemix we're all here to help one another! Also, I agree. I'm a bit of a stickler for looking things up before I do anything, but that's probably because I come from an engineering background. You've done the right thing by highlighting the risks of rockwool, getting that stuff in your lungs is no joke.
@@SeanofAllTrades it was more a case of being able to find comprehensive information from the rockwool suppliers on properly certified fire resistances. Quite a few of the alternatives have decent fire retardant properties, but I couldn't find as much information on the alternatives as I could the rockwool. I'm not by any means shitting on the alternatives for fire retardance, rockwool just looked like less of a gamble given the information available to me at the time.
Yet again another professional video! Always puts some much detail into his work & always covers the need to know basics! Would be interest to know where you picked up the denim slabs? (Website wise)
Good video, thanks for sharing. Worth mentioning that density is important, but thickness and gap from the wallis your priority when it comes to building those panels. Also, nothing unhealthy or wrong with mineral wool etc.
Remember that these panels will not soundproof a room, this is purely to control the acoustics of the room. The more you have in your room the lower the reverb time will be. If you want know what frequencies your panel will absorb, you can calculate it. To treat a frequency you need the absorbing material to be 1/4 the wave length of that frequency, and it will treat every frequency up but not lower. For example if you want to treat 800 hz and up the absorbing material will need to be 4.24 inches. Also place your panels based on first reflection points to help with reflections. Sit in your mixing position and look at the walls and think if I put a mirror on the wall what parts of the wall would I be able to see the monitors and then put a panel there.
i wonder, if you choose a thicker version, will that absorbe BOTH the higher and lower frequencies So if im after controlling both higher reverberation and control real low frequencies A thicker material will do both? Cheers
@@eddiexx leave an air gap behind the panel as it effectively makes the panel a little thicker as far as the sound is concerned. A couple of inches is ideal.
When you do add the outer frame you also have the option of mounting that onto a set of legs so you can stand them up anywhere and don’t need to hang them on the wall at all
I just want to share my experience with building my panels (after watching this video) I found it difficult getting a hold of acoustic treatment materials like the recycled denim, which was my preference. I settled for Rockwool. Used gloves to install, didn’t have any spillage or any of the material falling out or getting everywhere, it’s not like the messy stuff you find in lofts. I bought them in slabs (1200x600mm) and they worked amazingly. They’ve killed all reverberations and reflections in my room from 6 panels. So if you’re wondering if Rockwool works ? I can’t recommend it highly enough, I’ll deffos use it again. Thanks for this video Michael, it was a huge help.
I built a few of these today. Really solid construction, much better than just smacking a bunch of 2x4s together and calling it a day. Thanks for the video!
Michael, this tutorial was both unexpected and hugely helpful. You've shown this is so quick, easy and inexpensive to do, now I can take my studio space to the next level. Thank you!
When I built my video studio, I used Duct Board which is used for making air conditioning ducts. It's made of fiberglass with a silver back and comes in different thicknesses. I screwed it directly to the ceiling. It worked very well removing the pin pong sound effect in 20'x30'x12' space. You can also build sound panels on wheels to move them about as needed. Other wall treatments included an off-set stud wall, fiberboard, Z channel and double layers of 5/8" drywall. Lots of work and lots of money. Cheers
This is a beautifully produced video presented by a uniquely bright and personable young man. I think of how much better my day would be if there were more people like this. I am grateful for the efforts and knowledge that this young man has shared with the rest of us. Well done!
But he's not discussing absorption coefficient curves and the importance of having the best absorption coefficient curves for mid and high frequency absorption to reduce reflections. as well as low frequency pressure problems. . I would suggest going to Acoustic Fields' site. They have, IMO, the best open cell foam on the market and they cater to the DIY crowd that wants the best treatment. They have DIY build plans to make the best low frequency pressure absorption, and you can add their foam to the front to make a full range absorption box. Also, they have build plans for Quadratic Diffusors. They can also design a barrier and treatment wall for those that need to build their own room. It gets expensive, but the results are of the highest quality.
I made some panels like this, years and years ago, for a kind-of-industrial space. When you've got a really noisy space full of machinery, it's very easy to tell that the design is extremely effective. I'd suggest going to your local fabric store and finding something with an attractive design on it, works all the same and looks better. Something I'd like to try if I ever make more is to get some custom fabric printed up with actual artwork on it.
Great video. Often I found it difficult to find easy understandable videos about this topic and this one here is simple and easy to understand. Also nice you make the room test afterwards. Great video. And thanks for the tip about don't use rockwool or other unhealthy materials.
Iv'e watched so many acoustic treatment panel construction videos my eyes are about to bleed. :) He's got all the basics down. If you are short on space, just use six layers of bath towels as filler with a thinner wood frame ... a couple of centimeters/one inch. fabric cover just like this video to finish it off. For most applications, you don't need several centimeters of filling unless you have a rock band or shooting range to treat. :)
+1 request for suggestion of count and location of acoustic panels, although I’ll just start experimenting. With the first claps I was thinking I can still hear your room, then the panels went off and I my jaws dropped. Good job upgrading a mansion to a bachelor apartment! :P
this is such a great tutorial, I'll definitely be coming back to this when I've gathered the materials needed and it's time to do some acoustic treatment also I am really thankful for your insights into the insulation materials you used, because otherwise I'd probably have used rockwool or something like that
Huge difference. Just finishing up a project trying to soundproof my bedroom. I have some rockwool left over and I'll be making a couple of these to hang in there. 👍
Could you share what materials you used for the insulation and where you got it from? :) I'm having a hard time finding denim insulation in my area (New York, USA)
This is a really good tutorial! Thank you for your concern and advice on structural strength, healthy materials, price - and overall efficiency of the whole design! Great job and great video!
Nice rich informative video as usual! Thanks, Michael! Will definitely incorporate some of these ideas to our own, especially the health and safety aspects. For some of you folks who find it somehow a burden to DIY, feel free to hire us! Variety of acoustic panel products and very flexible services so you can customize materials to your taste!
For vocals, and general purpose this would work great. But the material used for professional studio panel are usually much denser (form 40 up to 80 kg/m3), and that's because 20 or 30 kg/m3 just won't do much to tame really low frequencies from acoustic drum sets or a bass cab, or even for making bass traps. Although for most home studios I'd say your design would work nicely. Great video!
Hey man! For the isolation material I can choose between recycled cotton or hemp fibre. In my country (The Netherlands), the recycled cotton plates are 120x60x4,5 cm, so I probably need two of them per panel. The measurements of the hemp fibre plates are 120x58x10 (but can get them in different thicknesses). The recycled cotton has a density of 45 kg/m3, whereas the hemp fibre plates have a density of 37 kg/m3. What’s better, having two of the recycled cotton plates (which make them 9 cm thick) or should I stick with one hemp fibre plate of 10 cm per panel? What’s the ideal thickness of the panels? I am also considering to make two bass traps, should I make them twice as thick as the other acoustic panels? The sad thing is that the recycled cotton is much more expensive, but I prefer working with panels that are 120x60 instead of 120x58. Thanks for the video by the way! This video came right on time, since I have been looking for afordable options to threat my room!
Hey man, can I ask what you ended up buying? I also live in NL and want to build panels and I'm looking at the Métisse acoustic isolation panels (45 kg/m3) Did you end up using those and what's your experience?
@@Lucafro I chose the 60 x 120 cm recycled denim panels by Métisse with a density of 45 kg/m3. Ensure you apply 2 layers of 4.5 cm (so 9 cm without the air gap) for the broad band absorbers and consider using 3 layers for the bass traps. I would also recommend one of that Camira fabrics that has been used in this video. I personally crafted 10 broad band absorbers and 6 even thicker bass traps for my studio. Don't forget to incorporate an air gap into your design. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions!
Hi michael! Great video and advice on acoustic panel building, especially like the lighter frame design. One question for you: I have been hesitant about using Rockwool as I have had a bad experience in the past working from a studio that stung everyone's eyes from the moment you walked through the door lol. Regarding alternatives, I live in Vietnam so sourcing the alternatives you mentioned is not easy, however I have come across a product made from Polyester fibres that is apparently a safe, environmentally friendly, dust-free, hypoallergenic material. It is sold in densities from as little as 10kg/m2 all the way up to 100kg/m2 with plenty of choices in-between. Do you think this would be a good option? I was thinking of using 80kg/m2. Appreciate the help.
As someone who self taught before going to college for sound engineering then having too stop due to life getting in the way, i have recently picked back up my obsession with music/sound. I just want to say man, this channel is an absolute treasure trove of information ranging from complex too entry level stuff and its all articulated In a way that us meer mortals can understand, Honestly man i salute you and i urge you too never stop teaching in some kind be it on here or becoming an actual lecturer you're killing it dude one of the best sound related channels i have found, you have my support and my gratitude. Keep it up man, if you ever see this give yourself a pat on the back, Phenomenal work. Edit: I just noticed as well, you have a great ability of laying out the foundation for something but not straight up telling people the way to do it, you show them how then explain how important it is too express you're own creativity and figure it out for youself this dosnt happen enough in this day'n'age. awesome stuff
Great video, thank you so much! One question: would you have a #panel/m² ratio (and I mean how many panels per m² of room) and mounting distance from one panel to the next to suggest?
Thanks. That's a great question. I do not have a formula and believe that each room has different needs. Some rooms might need a more lively sound for recording and other rooms might need to sound controlled and large (a mixing or mastering studio for instance). I would focus on first having some sort of coverage on each surface to cut down the slap echo. In a small/medium room, this could be 2 panels right, left and in front of your desk. If I look around my room, around 30% of the walls are covered in bass traps and absorbers. The floor is carpet and rugs so the room is naturally smoother sounding than wood or solid floor. There is also a lot of furniture and a big couch to soak up and diffuse more sound. I think many rooms will get a significant improvement from 4-6 of these panels, more than that is a luxury. I hope that maybe gives you some ideas!
you will need to figure this out on a room by room basis, it's a huge faff and unless you have access to acoustic modelling software, it's quite a difficult thing to get right without some trial and error. You definitely can't go wrong by working out the reflection points in your room and starting with some decent depth treatment at those points, then a thick cloud panel. Once you go beyond that, I'd leave it unless you are designing a proper studio space from the ground up.
@@squoblat I have to admit most of your reply went right over my head ^^" I am in no way/shape/form even an amateur audio designer or musician, I just dabble in podcasting and video recording, but in general I like to "sound good", and I try to minimize the sound processing needed to achieve that I'll do some research on the things you mentioned and see what might apply to my needs, than you for all the info :)
@@TheLeK00 it's worth googling reflection points, but that's usually more important if you're mixing in the room. If you're using headphones and recording on a microphone for podcasting, it will matter a LOT less where these panels go on the walls, you'd be better suited covering as much of the hard reflective surfaces (like bricks or plaster) with these as possible.
Great video, I love that you got right to the point and that you do an OVERVIEW, other youtube noobs just start talking nonsense like 4 minutes at the beginning
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I've been dreaming of having a space where I could do this since I favorited this video. Three months ago I got that space and this weekend assembled six 4'x2'x2" panels. Some cost breakdown for audience members in the US, because "affordable" is somewhat debatable with how inflation is hammering us since the year this was published. I see California reported in, but my experience was pretty different. In my opinion, I did this the most bare bones I could have possibly done it and my costs came out quite a bit higher than theirs. I don't have outside frames on mine, either. Final materials cost: $384 for $64 per panel (Minnesota 2024). Could have been $57 per panel. More on why later. Labor hours: 20ish For reference, cost per panel to get these from Acoustimac, professionally done: $99.64 (including shipping) I made 6 panels, and I got the cheapest frame materials I could get ahold of from Home Depot that wouldn't be a complete waste of money: 1"x2"x8' furring stripboard, QTY 11, $14.63 (warped, but I made it work) 1 pack of galvanized steel staples, $4.87 1/8"x2'x4' MDF board, QTY 3, $19.47 Stainless steel eye screws, QTY 12, $35.76 Stainless steel hanging wire, $9.08 Black duct tape, $8.98 Weed Barrier, $29.99 For the fabric cover I used burlap from Joann Fabrics: 12 yards, $48.05 The one thing I did NOT skimp on was the acoustic insulation. Initially I was going to make four 3" thick panels, so I got a pack of twelve 48"x24"x1" pieces of their ECO-Core recycled cellulose, paper and cotton. With shipping that came to $213.63. If I had known going into it I was going to end up with six thinner panels, I could have saved $7 per panel because they sell a box of six 2" thick pieces for cheaper. This would have brought my cost to $57 per panel. Things I already owned or did not include in the materials price here but were absolutely necessary to do the job right: - Circular saw (to rip the MDF strips), drill, counter-sink drill bit, stapler, two industrial clamps, clamping work table, 3" screws Am I happy I did this instead of ordering them, saving myself $213? Yes. Both the internal and external validation are immense. Would I do this again though? Ehhhhh. Maybe if I used better wood for the frame, but I would have needed the equipment to plane and rip the frame boards myself or increase the costs even further.
The difference is insane. Also great build. I modified it slightly to make wood front frame so I can hang it on the sealing on something load bearing. Thanks mate
Hi Michael. It’s just a bit more than one year after your video, and today I began the build of what will become eight 2’ x 2’ x 4” panels using your clever inner-frame design. Using the 1/4” board for the inner frame keeps the panel solid but still light, while a sturdy outer frame keeps the fabric on the sides clean and free of scratches. I’m opting to include the pine outer frame so I can hinge panels together to use as moveable gobos around me when tracking. The outer frame will take the scuffing. They’ll also double as wall hangers when I mix. If I was only going the hang them on walls, I’d skip the outer frames. I have the insulation and wood, and I made the first cuts today. Still need to get the fabric. I’ll start with one panel to work out the bugs. Thank you for the design inspiration. You got me off the fence I’ve been on for two years. One modification: I’m going to use pocket-hole joinery (Kreg system) for the 1 x 2 frame, and for the 1 x 4 outer frame. This avoids both screwing into end grain and visible screws! Also, I plan to add a cross piece of 1 x 2 joining the four-foot sections, to reduce deformation when carrying the panels around.
Good advice! Thank you. I've seen that most DIY videos for acoustic panels recommend rockwool, but they entirely ignore that it's made with formaldehyde! That some is toxic and can cause cancer. They also ignore that rockwool is designed to be BEHIND drywall rather than in your living space. So, I like the material suggestions here. What I need are sources of alternative materials that are cheap in the U.S. I haven't found any, so I haven't made any DIY panels.
Thanks Ramon. I’m glad that some folks like you are well researched and know the dangers. I’m sorry to hear about your issues sourcing materials. The marketplace for building materials has been highly turbulent in recent years. I hope something reveals itself at a good price for you soon!
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Thanks so much!
Appreciate what your doing mate
idk man you're just like the most respectable, non-arrogant or overly confident, yet most helpful and enjoyable person to watch among anyone that makes music related tutorial videos
For real, just a genuine, authentic musician that likes helping the community. What a goat
Update: last week I finished my eight panels using this design. The inner frame makes wrapping and stapling easier, and the outer frame keeps the fabric clean and scratch free - I was able to use a lightweight white muslin without worrying about it getting shabby over time.
Based on what I know now, I’d use 5/8” or 3/4” Baltic birch plywood instead of pine for the inner and outer frames. Pine was too fussy to flatten and thickness-plane.
One modification I’m glad I made: I added a 2-foot 1x2 pine strip across the middle to prevent the panel from bowing out.
One mistake I made: I cut all the inner and outer parts first. Then I assembled the inner frames and the outer frames. But I failed to adequately account for the 3/16” hardboard dimension around the inner frame, so the first wrapped inner frame didn’t fit into an outer frame. If I did it again, I’d cut the outer frame members a little long until after I wrap the inner frame. Then I’d cut them to fit the wrapped inner frame. I was too focused on batching all the dust-producing table saw operations before moving onto the clean fabric work in my limited work space. To fix it, I had to unscrew the hardboard sides from all the inner frames and trim off about 3/16” from the 1x2 pine frames and the hardboard parts, then screw the hardboard sides back on. Good thing all that got covered up by the muslin and outer frames!
Notes:
1) I used Rockwool 3”x2’x4’. I do recommend gloves, but with care I don’t think a mask is necessary.
2) Corner wrapping. My first panel, my prototype, came out with two pretty good corners and two bulky ones. After that, I got serious and developed templates for trimming off a specific shape out of the corners of the muslin before wrapping. The other seven panels have tidy, professional looking corners. If I knew how to make a RUclips video, I'd go into detail about the trimming templates. I think they make short work of the wrapping and I'm proud of the innovation.
Total material cost: about $340, including detachable hinges, or $43 per panel (California, 2023). I think Michael's $25 estimate leaves out the outer frames.
Time investment: don’t ask.
Finished quality: outstanding. Smooth and waxed with softly eased edges. Chose the color I wanted.
Satisfaction from DIY: incalculable.
I’m so glad this worked out for you and for your detailed advice! This is exactly why I love RUclips. I’ll pin this comment so others can see and learn/modify my design a little.
@@inthemix Michael, I’m honored. I’ve also been advocating your design on the Acoustic Guitar Forum, and one member is going to build his panels this way, too. If you’re interested in my corner trimming templates, let me know and I can email some photos to you. Thanks again for the elegant inner frame idea!
@@mattwhite399 I'm not sure how to add any images here.
43 dollar per panels seems like a good deal, panels with properties like shown in the video are going here for 90 dollar (Euro in my case but its basically 1:1)
Panels of less density or width are not useless but not worth the price. such things you can get for 40-50 Euro/ Dollar here.
@b1j would you be able to post the cuts you used in US customary units? For all us idiots not using metric. :)
Dude, Michael is such a rare person. He always goes out of his way to make videos that really help people, in all different ways. Not pushing sponsors, or merch, or anything - sharing everything he knows out of the interest of others and his own good will. Because that's what he loves doing (I hope!). Round of applause for everything you do. You are an inspirational figure.
Yes he does. It's the Irish way. Good people
The kindness of your comment has made my day. Thank you very much! p.s, I’m Scottish but often mistaken for an Irish accent!
@@inthemix Of course! No need to thank me. I've had many, many people come and go from my life, so those that I really appreciate, deserve to know :)
@@inthemix Oops... I should have checked that. My family bloodline is Irish and...Scots, so my Western lack of candor. Peace!
12:26 French Cleats work well and it makes it easier to make them level/in line. Also they give you slightly more air gap.
hvaing made acoustic panels before, I can definitely day this is one of the best tutorials out there. He adresses a lot of the common problems people run into when making panels for the first time. Great job!
Thank you so much Josiah. That’s high praise!
Cayenne Peppers
As a training finish carpenter by day, before I found producing, I appreciate your attention to detail when you recommend counter sinking. I also appreciate you educating people about the frame and which way the wood should be framed. You've framed the foam the same way the faceframe of a bookcase would be framed. Well done.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I knew I wanted to make my own panels but I'm renting at the moment and I was putting it off because I couldn't think of lighter ways to build the frame that would hold the foam. I was stuck in the "Robust" carpenter mind set lol. This is brilliant!!!
This is such high praise, you've really made my day!
I havent actually watched the video yet but would it work to build the frames ect and just place them against the wall instead of mounting?
@@buskingforlife absolutely. The reason for hanging/mounting them on the wall is to get them up to my ear height and roughly in the middle of the wall which increases the performance slightly.
@@inthemix 3:48am and I just gotta say thanks for what u do man… all your videos are extremely helpful and knowledgeable and tbh idk where I would be without ur channel cuz it’s helped me understand a lot from fl studio plugins all the way to headphones
@@954DYLN Thank you so much for the kind words. I’m happy to help.
I just finished making 5 panels, 5.5" thick. They turned out (relatively) light, solid, and visually beautiful. Acoustically, the difference is night and day. Thank you, sir!
great job! would you please be able to post what websites or shops did you source the materials from?
@@Muravchix, thank you! I bought the wood, MDF, and insulation from Home Depot (in USA). I bought the acoustic material online from ATS Acoustic, and any miscellaneous items from Amazon. They turned out 10x better than I had hoped for, both acoustically, and visually. (I went with 5.5" / 14cm insulation, and I have sizable airgaps behind the panels, so that really helps.)
@@xyzct amazing thank you! Enjoy!
How much did you spend?
The most knowledgeable, insightful, & deeply compassionate audiophilic educator in the video- internet all things audio dimension. Love your work.
great video!
quick tip which makes a very big difference:
I suggest making the frame about 10cm wider than the panel, so you leave an air gap between the actual panel and the wall. This drastically extends the frequency range which your panel will absorb towards the low end of the frequency spectrum.
Does this mean that hanging such panels from the ceiling instead of drilling them right in benefits the absorption too?
@@Nearest_Neighbor yes, absolutely!
I'm trying to wrap my head around how this all works as I hear up to make a few panels for my room: so if I'm using 4cm panels I should want there to use 15-20cm sides so I have the +10cm extra distance from the wall?
@@felixmarques if your panels are only 4cm thick, I'm pretty sure making the frame 10cm wider is a bit over the top. I'd say around 5 cm more is enough. So in your case, your frame should be around 9cm thick, that way you have 4cm of space for your panel and another 5cm air gap.
hope this helps :)
Would this be the same as the external frame? I am a little confused of you making the frame wider and how that increases the air gap... wouldnt increasing the frame size leave space between the insulation and the frame now?
What a coincidence, last night I was talking to a guy in music store about how to make your own acoustic panels and today we have a video 😂😂
It's not a coincidence, they're listening, always 👁️ hehe
Google listens to your conversations
Lucky you lol, I’ve been trying to find video like that for like a month
@@Moderately_Peacefulglad you find it
@@Moderately_Peacefulright well it seems you're about two years late
Thanks!
Just finished this project. It took a few days time, but wasn't difficult to do by myself. I found a 6 pack of 4'x2'x2" cotton batts on Amazon and got the rest of supplies at home depot, and fabric at Walmart. I spent a total of $360 to make 8 panels, (4) 4'x2' and (4) 4'x1'. This came out to $45 per panel. Timber was $70, insulation was $180 shipped, fabric $40, hardware and tools were $70. It was a fun project and I'm glad I have some treatment in my home studio now, but expected the cost to be a bit lower.
I build mine also DIY, the frame is MDF because that wood is denser, I use Rock wool for damping sound, and a special carpet for cars (back in the day, my specialty was building heavy sound systems for cars). If you make them yourself, you can precise tune them for your room, each room is different, works great, and I like that kind of work. I made bass traps too from the same materials. Glad to see you did the same, a friend of mine cut panels with his laser for dispersion panels. And they have a nice pattern. They are great and are esthetic beautiful. I also did my floors, with springs that I got from my work between the concrete and MDF 24mm plates and a special dampening underfloor and on top laminate flooring. Back in the day I bought a big stock Dynamat 300, they used that for removing resonances in cars for big car stereo's. That is the underfloor. If you are a little handy you can do a lot, much cheaper, and better. Because it's all custom build. I have 3 studios that were concrete "bunkers" a nightmare for a studio. Cheers :)
An Bass Trap Tutorial would be appreciated as well!
Bass trap is a description of a specific type of absorber. For best results, determine the frequencies of nodes and compute the trap volume vs material to match those nodes. Just building a random box full of absorption will never work. You may tame a frequency that was helpful and that will only exacerbate a frequency that was the real problem. These things are instruments and bass traps are typically large and expensive. Find out what you need first, then do the research to specify them. I’ve found the info readily available and generously shared.
@fartpooboxohyeah8611 That is absolutely incorrect. It is as basic as it gets that absorption, refraction, transmission each are used to achieve a balanced result. Foam or glass-filled traps are just one tool with a very narrowly focused effect. Nobody, anywhere has ever benefited the sound of their room by using traps or resonators alone.
The base material of the walls of a space is the number one contributor to sound control, and cannot be dismissed from the total treatment. You make no mention of that. I design professional spaces for music production. If you have questions, I’d be happy to discuss this.
The results at the end... wow.
Amazing. Dude wasn't kidding about DIY being superior.
Yo my man! I followed your instructions here and made 12 panels! Made a massive difference in my studio. Thank you so much. If you want any pictures of it I can send them your way! I'd love to chat!
Hey Danny, I'm so happy to hear they worked! Share a picture on Instagram maybe? My handle is @michael.inthemix
Are you the UK? What insulation did you buy and how much did it cost you per panel?
what fabric would you recommend then?
Love the insulation alternatives. The health & safety implications are important but it's also important to note that the denim, hemp, wood and recycled insulation are much more environmentally friendly and sustainable too. Doing your part for you, your room and the planet!
but do they insulate better than the more dangerous materials??
I haven't personally tried them but I've spoken to those who have (and seen some studies/tests) that are extremely positive. Recycled denim and hemp seem to perform extremely well!@@Mrcheesydancer
@@Mrcheesydancerso as the video says the higher the density the better the panel. Wood fiber has a density of 50kg/m^3 (at least the one I just bought). The glasswool isolation (very common one) had only 12kg/m^3
I never tried anything else, but I’m very happy with my wood fiber panels
My friends and I just finished decking out our new music studio with 12 of these panels, and they make a WORLD of difference! Relatively easy to build (we built all 12 of them in a day with the 3 of us including getting the materials), and so much bang for buck! We came out to approx. 500 euro for the 12. Thanks so much for a great video!
I LOVE this. I see a few commenters upset that you didn’t whip out an SPL or RTA meter to do before and after measurements (I get it, treating specific frequencies is important) but something tells me that wasn’t the goal here. The goal was to DIY some affordable and decent acoustic treatment using dense, absorptive materials. Honestly, this is an excellent solution for reflections and for those higher frequencies (and, depending on the materials the individual has chosen, one could target mids and potentially even lows). You achieved that goal, well done!
I’m so happy that this is how the video came across to you. It’s precisely what I wanted to do. Hopefully people can see that treatment is accessible and doesn’t need to be too scientific to be helpful.
This has been the best, simplest and most demistifying guide I have seen on acousic panels so far. Cheers
Awesome timing, I was actually looking for an affordable solution when it comes to treat my room. Thank you Michael! 😊
I hope this works for you. Maybe share how your build goes with our Discord community?
@@inthemix I'll definitely share the work on the Discord server :)
Same for me. Perfect timing, and great instruction.
Same
Seriously, I was just looking at tons of options for acoustic panels and DIY solutions.
You are the most humble, pleasant, practically orientated and hugely knowledgeable production expert on all RUclips channels. Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much! And finally there's a DIY acoustic treatment video on RUclips making clear that rockwool, stonewool and fiber is bad for your health!!! Really great video! 🙌By the way, great channel!
Thanks. Someone had to be the first to say it, I hope it doesn’t get me in any trouble! I’m sure they are okay as cavity insulation but definitely not in panels.
This is the most thoughtful instruction on making panels (I watched more than 10-15 others). 2 months ago I made 4 panels according to this video, everything went well, I highly recommend it!
Well done! I love this channel, I have been making music for a little bit now and this channel has been friendly, extremely helpful, entertaining, and just overall incredible. Big up to you Michael 🙌
his tutorials are ok for beginners, this isnt ideal, fire hazard is real, when you need more you need to learn from The BEST like Bobby Owsinski, he did a masterclass of 2 hours over insulation and treatment for everybody, and its on youtube for free. its covers everything you need. Rockwool is what he recommends, he manipulated it and he says its no health hazard. you can play with rockwool all day long. its not more dangerous than dust etc go watch the masterclass all
This man is just out here casually doing the lords work c: Thank you!!!
Best panel build guide yet👍🏻 thanks for sharing!
Worked on roof construction for a few weeks as a summer job... no safety at all and lots of rockwool insulation. Came home every day itchy literally everywhere.
But hey. It stopped itching now:')
Great video. I’ve been wanting to make some panels of my own for quite awhile now but I watched too many videos which left me with too many options and too many questions. These panels look super clean, practical, easy to make, affordable and easy to mount, which was always something that left me with uncertainty with heavier build designs. Thanks for this, Michael.
This is fantastic! My aunt recently disassembled a "music room" that the original owner didn't want anymore, and they had gone super overboard with the materials. Each wall panel requires like 6 people to lift up because they're made out of sheetrock and thick plyboard. And the worst part is, when it's all put together, the acoustic inside the room are just awful. thanks for the tutorial, this'll come in handy.
You're so articulate my friend :)
Thanks!
Just as your tutorials on mixing are better than most, more concise and to the point, so is this tutorial on acoustic panels making.
One possible alternative to avoid wall mounting, is to built a larger base or some kind of "feet" so the panels would be freestanding, and would be movable around the room and double as gobos, if necessary.
Thank you for the kind words. Making stands is an excellent idea especially if you want to use them in a recording space. I have to admit, I haven’t thought much about how to design the legs but I’m sure there are some good designs out there.
This is great. I'm not doing any music stuff at all, but I may still put a few of these panels into my living room to reduce reverb. I'm pretty sure these things could also double as wall art if you can get someone to paint something onto the fabric.
I’ve seen people use large coffee sacks or canvas instead of plain fabric. There is so much room to be creative with it.
Last vid, I mentioned the consistency of your audio from scene to scene (seat to seat) and WOW… the very next vid you explain how you’ve accomplished it. You deserve to be right where you are, on the precipice of 1 MIL!!! The quality, efficiency and relatability of your videos honestly deserves 10 MIL…. Keep it up bro. You’ll be the premier RUclips channel leading the pro-audio revolution in no time.
I used heavily padded natural cotton blankets (4x7 feet. 4kg each) - hung it strategically around my room. Absolute echo killer. They worked well as sound proof screens as well, when hung against a window and balcony door. Also cheap foam mattresses, that absorb echo well. Altogether everything cost me around 150$ (in India).
I absolutely love this, people don't talk enough about how dangerous fiberglass and rock wool are to work with. I've even used old towels stapled into a frame before (SHOCKINGLY effective) but fiberglass isn't worth the risk. Recycled denim/fabric is a brilliant idea. Thanks for the great content!
you should fear fire hazard more than rockwool, besides those materials you listed are very different. fiberglass has many kinds old and new. rockwool is a different beast its an industry standard
@@MrFree-vj8qj Sure, rock wool is commonly used and cheap. But there is no need to worry about fire hazard with cellulose based products; they are all chemically treated to be fire retardant and they comply with fire codes.
yeah i see a lot a recycles cotton. and DIY perks uses towels. i think im just gonna use that for stuffing boxes and sound panels.
@@tjblues01hey I saw cellulose at my local Home Depot and couldn’t find anything else.. is that safe as well.. don’t know what it really means .. couldn’t find the ones listed
@@benjaminmeirelles5120 Yep cellulose is pretty safe to use. It's basically wood pulp of the same sort you'd see in paper production. The biggest issue is inhalation, so use a respirator when working with it. Commercially available cellulose is treated with a boric acid compound that makes it fire resistant, which is the larger issue with DIY recycled denim or cotton batting. Cellulose can also settle when used in tall vertical applications like this, so you'd want to check after a while to see if there's a gap towards the top.
Thank You for this! So far the best before and after accoustic demonstration I have seen/heard. ...and most effective.
This was the tutorial I needed to confidently build my own panels! My studio sounds so much better now. Thanks for the top-quality content Michael 🙏
You are absolutely right in material point. To be more specific: It is strictly prohibited in EU region to use glasswool, rockwool, etc... in living rooms without insulation. The proper insulation is an air-sielded, air-tight shielding. Like a completely closed bag - if you wish. Glasswool can harm eyes, nose, can cause severe blood vessel damage in nose and damage in retina. Rockwood can cause lung damage. It does not matter if it is treated to not releasing any dust, but by time, it will... The material which is not releasing any dust is having about 2 - 3 - 4 times price compared to the standard ones, but still not recommended to use without proper insulation, like hiding it behind plasterboard. By the way, nice video.
Excellent tutorial. I've got to admit that the reduction in reverb/resonance of your voice and the claps in the before and after recordings was greater than I expected, so after initially dismissing the idea of making/installing panels in my room I'm now thinking I should do something about it.
And yes i have watched so many of ur high quality vids buddy on buying audio gears for home studio.. and now this on buildng ur own acoustic panels. Man u r simply amzing and ever so genuine. U cud so easily create paid courses on music/audio and make hell lot of money..😃😄
Hi I'm Larry and this is one of my favorite videos. It helped me treat my room so I can record my goat.
-Larry
We’ve just been quoted over £9k to provide sound insulation for our village hall. This seems like something we could achieve at a fraction of the price. Thank you
What a gem of a channel. Always such thoughtfully planned content.
the concepts are right.
the panels are well made and well designed.
there is one important thing:
that without correctly measuring the specific acoustic decay times in the room, the panels remain placed at random.
A friend and I spent a few weekends building acoustic panels after watching an older guide of yours! One thing we realized was that-at least in the United States-the cost of lumber from hardware stores can add up really really quickly. If we were to do it again, we'd probably try buying direct from a mill.
And I'm glad you mentioned safer fillings. We ended up reluctantly using Rockwool with a lot of precautions, just because it was difficult to find information on alternatives.
This is one of the reasons I removed the old video, it just doesn’t make sense in these times to use that much wood or use dangerous materials.
You can use any material that's strong enough for the job. Doesn't have to be wood, and can certainly be recycled, like saving old Ikea panels from the trash for example.
I know in some part of the world, more and more people building tiny houses, cabins, sheds or even full blow houses have switched to steel (light steel framing) because it's cheaper (while usually being stronger, lighter). Especially if you can borrow a good drill and an angle grinder, you can go very inexpensive this way by buying longer pieces of metal on sale, and adjusting to your dimensions.
Just a warning: for _some_ applications, don't buy to thin a metal piece, you don't want them to start to resonate with your audio.
I love that you used the healthy kind of insulation for your safety.
This was fantastic. I had never seen someone explain how one can save money on wood but also explain the true stress point for the frame itself. Panels can be daunting with wood prices because as you mentioned, everyone goes for 3/4” thick, 3.5” wide frames. That adds up FAST. Anyway, loved this approach and idea. Thank you.
I need to do these in my house. I have vaulted ceilings and the echoes are insane. Great job on the ending demonstrating how well these things work. I've watched several builds and I actually quite like these.
You are the best, Michael! A major part of my music making process is watching your videos and rewatching them! Your channel has helped me a tonne! Thank you! 🙏🏻❤
Great video man! What do you recommend for an insulation material in Canada? Except Rockwool Safe n Sound, I could not find anything. Thanks
This is one if not the best make you're own acoustic panels tutorial I've seen so far, you have basically answered any question I can come up with.
Amazing explanation and video, I liked and subbed to support you because you really earned that Michael!
I know that some people comment about how you have to have different panels and traps for different frequencies and all that, and of course that's true to certain extent. When you listen to the before and after though, there's no denying that the sound both of the voice as well as the claps is much better with the panels up. And that is what most people watching videos like this are going for. If you need super accurate treatment, then you're probably not watching a video like this or building your own stuff.
There is another consideration that factored into me using rockwool in the end - the fire rating. I will caveat that by saying I treated the entire interior surface of my room though, so fire considerations were part of that element of the design. I did make floating panels like these to go over the main reflection points, so in retrospect I probably would have used something easier on the skin/body for those, but I had spare rockwool knocking around and it made sense. Cheese cloth is another incredibly cheap option for the back fabric. I ended up completely covering mine in cheese cloth before using an aesthetically nicer fabric for the finish.
It sounds like you did what made most sense. I want to quickly thank you for sharing advice in replies to another comment. I noticed that and it was really great to hear you chip in to the conversation.
My main issue with mineral and glass wool is that a lot of young folks (like myself when I first used it) are simply not aware of how dangerous it is when handled incorrectly.
@@inthemix Indeed. And other fiber insulation, like hemp for example, as even easier to work with, no always more expensive, and can also be found in fire retardant version. Well hemp is extraordinarily fire resistant by itself, it's not a lot of work to make hemp wool or panels official fire certified for construction.
@@inthemix we're all here to help one another! Also, I agree. I'm a bit of a stickler for looking things up before I do anything, but that's probably because I come from an engineering background. You've done the right thing by highlighting the risks of rockwool, getting that stuff in your lungs is no joke.
Are you saying rockwool is more or less fire retardant than other solutions?
@@SeanofAllTrades it was more a case of being able to find comprehensive information from the rockwool suppliers on properly certified fire resistances. Quite a few of the alternatives have decent fire retardant properties, but I couldn't find as much information on the alternatives as I could the rockwool. I'm not by any means shitting on the alternatives for fire retardance, rockwool just looked like less of a gamble given the information available to me at the time.
You are the GOAT of online mixing/producing/recording advice. Thanks for all you do for the community!
Yet again another professional video! Always puts some much detail into his work & always covers the need to know basics!
Would be interest to know where you picked up the denim slabs? (Website wise)
Got a nice trick here with the making of the frame: I put staples in before the screws to keep the join tight, worked a charm
Honestly that’s such a great idea. First time I’ve heard of that!
Wow. You always explain everything to perfection, really appreciate it.
Good video, thanks for sharing. Worth mentioning that density is important, but thickness and gap from the wallis your priority when it comes to building those panels. Also, nothing unhealthy or wrong with mineral wool etc.
Remember that these panels will not soundproof a room, this is purely to control the acoustics of the room. The more you have in your room the lower the reverb time will be. If you want know what frequencies your panel will absorb, you can calculate it. To treat a frequency you need the absorbing material to be 1/4 the wave length of that frequency, and it will treat every frequency up but not lower. For example if you want to treat 800 hz and up the absorbing material will need to be 4.24 inches. Also place your panels based on first reflection points to help with reflections. Sit in your mixing position and look at the walls and think if I put a mirror on the wall what parts of the wall would I be able to see the monitors and then put a panel there.
i wonder, if you choose a thicker version, will that absorbe BOTH the higher and lower frequencies So if im after controlling both higher reverberation and control real low frequencies A thicker material will do both? Cheers
@@eddiexx thick should do both
@@eddiexx leave an air gap behind the panel as it effectively makes the panel a little thicker as far as the sound is concerned. A couple of inches is ideal.
From what i have seen and read, 4" Rockwool panels will absorb pretty well down to around 200Hz.
How do you know what frequencies you need to treat?
Im going to try this denim. I hope it actually works.
Amazing video! Very helpful 👍🏼
Could you do another one explaining how to positioning the panels on your room correctly?
When you do add the outer frame you also have the option of mounting that onto a set of legs so you can stand them up anywhere and don’t need to hang them on the wall at all
possibly some wheels on those legs too
I just want to share my experience with building my panels (after watching this video)
I found it difficult getting a hold of acoustic treatment materials like the recycled denim, which was my preference.
I settled for Rockwool. Used gloves to install, didn’t have any spillage or any of the material falling out or getting everywhere, it’s not like the messy stuff you find in lofts. I bought them in slabs (1200x600mm) and they worked amazingly. They’ve killed all reverberations and reflections in my room from 6 panels.
So if you’re wondering if Rockwool works ? I can’t recommend it highly enough, I’ll deffos use it again.
Thanks for this video Michael, it was a huge help.
Rockwool is absolutely fine to use. No health issues unless you try eating the stuff.
@@fluphybunny930 If you inhale it, it stays in your lungs forever.
I built a few of these today. Really solid construction, much better than just smacking a bunch of 2x4s together and calling it a day.
Thanks for the video!
Michael, this tutorial was both unexpected and hugely helpful. You've shown this is so quick, easy and inexpensive to do, now I can take my studio space to the next level. Thank you!
When I built my video studio, I used Duct Board which is used for making air conditioning ducts. It's made of fiberglass with a silver back and comes in different thicknesses. I screwed it directly to the ceiling. It worked very well removing the pin pong sound effect in 20'x30'x12' space.
You can also build sound panels on wheels to move them about as needed.
Other wall treatments included an off-set stud wall, fiberboard, Z channel and double layers of 5/8" drywall. Lots of work and lots of money. Cheers
This is a beautifully produced video presented by a uniquely bright and personable young man. I think of how much better my day would be if there were more people like this. I am grateful for the efforts and knowledge that this young man has shared with the rest of us. Well done!
But he's not discussing absorption coefficient curves and the importance of having the best absorption coefficient curves for mid and high frequency absorption to reduce reflections. as well as low frequency pressure problems.
. I would suggest going to Acoustic Fields' site. They have, IMO, the best open cell foam on the market and they cater to the DIY crowd that wants the best treatment. They have DIY build plans to make the best low frequency pressure absorption, and you can add their foam to the front to make a full range absorption box. Also, they have build plans for Quadratic Diffusors. They can also design a barrier and treatment wall for those that need to build their own room. It gets expensive, but the results are of the highest quality.
I made some panels like this, years and years ago, for a kind-of-industrial space. When you've got a really noisy space full of machinery, it's very easy to tell that the design is extremely effective. I'd suggest going to your local fabric store and finding something with an attractive design on it, works all the same and looks better. Something I'd like to try if I ever make more is to get some custom fabric printed up with actual artwork on it.
Great video. Often I found it difficult to find easy understandable videos about this topic and this one here is simple and easy to understand. Also nice you make the room test afterwards. Great video. And thanks for the tip about don't use rockwool or other unhealthy materials.
Iv'e watched so many acoustic treatment panel construction videos my eyes are about to bleed. :) He's got all the basics down. If you are short on space, just use six layers of bath towels as filler with a thinner wood frame ... a couple of centimeters/one inch. fabric cover just like this video to finish it off. For most applications, you don't need several centimeters of filling unless you have a rock band or shooting range to treat. :)
Holy Smoke! This video is precious. Will you have another video on how to arrange them?
If the demand is high enough I think I will make a video about how many you might need and effective ways to position them.
@@inthemix I can assure you the demand is unprecedented. I'm wondering how you go about the acoustic treatment for the ceilings as well...
@@inthemix can confirm, demand is high
@@inthemix would be awesome to see!
+1 request for suggestion of count and location of acoustic panels, although I’ll just start experimenting.
With the first claps I was thinking I can still hear your room, then the panels went off and I my jaws dropped. Good job upgrading a mansion to a bachelor apartment! :P
Best video, description and tutorial for building Acoustic Panels EVER!!! Thank you so much!
this is such a great tutorial, I'll definitely be coming back to this when I've gathered the materials needed and it's time to do some acoustic treatment
also I am really thankful for your insights into the insulation materials you used, because otherwise I'd probably have used rockwool or something like that
Huge difference. Just finishing up a project trying to soundproof my bedroom. I have some rockwool left over and I'll be making a couple of these to hang in there. 👍
Old towels as a filler do a great job as well! 👍
I just remade six of my panels using your method. Worked like a charm, inexpensive, straightforward. Thanks so much for making this video.
Could you share what materials you used for the insulation and where you got it from? :)
I'm having a hard time finding denim insulation in my area (New York, USA)
Where did you get the filling material? I don't see a link in the description. Plan to use this fabric over a window. thx
Great video! The difference it makes is absolutely crazy!
This is a really good tutorial! Thank you for your concern and advice on structural strength, healthy materials, price - and overall efficiency of the whole design! Great job and great video!
I loved the tip about having the wooden frame done with thin strong pieces of wood. it makes sense it also much easier to work with.
Also cheaper
Nice rich informative video as usual! Thanks, Michael! Will definitely incorporate some of these ideas to our own, especially the health and safety aspects. For some of you folks who find it somehow a burden to DIY, feel free to hire us! Variety of acoustic panel products and very flexible services so you can customize materials to your taste!
100% agreed with the fiberglass material, it is safe behind the wall :)
For vocals, and general purpose this would work great. But the material used for professional studio panel are usually much denser (form 40 up to 80 kg/m3), and that's because 20 or 30 kg/m3 just won't do much to tame really low frequencies from acoustic drum sets or a bass cab, or even for making bass traps.
Although for most home studios I'd say your design would work nicely.
Great video!
Good to know, the local store near me only sells 40. I'm primarily mixing and recording vocals
Hey man! For the isolation material I can choose between recycled cotton or hemp fibre. In my country (The Netherlands), the recycled cotton plates are 120x60x4,5 cm, so I probably need two of them per panel. The measurements of the hemp fibre plates are 120x58x10 (but can get them in different thicknesses). The recycled cotton has a density of 45 kg/m3, whereas the hemp fibre plates have a density of 37 kg/m3. What’s better, having two of the recycled cotton plates (which make them 9 cm thick) or should I stick with one hemp fibre plate of 10 cm per panel? What’s the ideal thickness of the panels? I am also considering to make two bass traps, should I make them twice as thick as the other acoustic panels? The sad thing is that the recycled cotton is much more expensive, but I prefer working with panels that are 120x60 instead of 120x58.
Thanks for the video by the way! This video came right on time, since I have been looking for afordable options to threat my room!
Hey man, can I ask what you ended up buying? I also live in NL and want to build panels and I'm looking at the Métisse acoustic isolation panels (45 kg/m3) Did you end up using those and what's your experience?
@@Lucafro I chose the 60 x 120 cm recycled denim panels by Métisse with a density of 45 kg/m3. Ensure you apply 2 layers of 4.5 cm (so 9 cm without the air gap) for the broad band absorbers and consider using 3 layers for the bass traps. I would also recommend one of that Camira fabrics that has been used in this video. I personally crafted 10 broad band absorbers and 6 even thicker bass traps for my studio. Don't forget to incorporate an air gap into your design. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions!
@@omarz7301 Thank you so much man! That's really helpful
this is exactly what I was looking for. your step by step is just exceptional. thanks mate.
You’re welcome! I hope the build goes smoothly for you :)
Hi michael! Great video and advice on acoustic panel building, especially like the lighter frame design. One question for you: I have been hesitant about using Rockwool as I have had a bad experience in the past working from a studio that stung everyone's eyes from the moment you walked through the door lol. Regarding alternatives, I live in Vietnam so sourcing the alternatives you mentioned is not easy, however I have come across a product made from Polyester fibres that is apparently a safe, environmentally friendly, dust-free, hypoallergenic material. It is sold in densities from as little as 10kg/m2 all the way up to 100kg/m2 with plenty of choices in-between. Do you think this would be a good option? I was thinking of using 80kg/m2. Appreciate the help.
he said everything above 30kg/m2 ist hard to work with.
what did you end up buying?
As someone who self taught before going to college for sound engineering then having too stop due to life getting in the way, i have recently picked back up my obsession with music/sound.
I just want to say man, this channel is an absolute treasure trove of information ranging from complex too entry level stuff and its all articulated In a way that us meer mortals can understand, Honestly man i salute you and i urge you too never stop teaching in some kind be it on here or becoming an actual lecturer you're killing it dude one of the best sound related channels i have found, you have my support and my gratitude.
Keep it up man, if you ever see this give yourself a pat on the back, Phenomenal work.
Edit: I just noticed as well, you have a great ability of laying out the foundation for something but not straight up telling people the way to do it, you show them how then explain how important it is too express you're own creativity and figure it out for youself this dosnt happen enough in this day'n'age. awesome stuff
Great video, thank you so much!
One question: would you have a #panel/m² ratio (and I mean how many panels per m² of room) and mounting distance from one panel to the next to suggest?
Thanks. That's a great question. I do not have a formula and believe that each room has different needs. Some rooms might need a more lively sound for recording and other rooms might need to sound controlled and large (a mixing or mastering studio for instance).
I would focus on first having some sort of coverage on each surface to cut down the slap echo. In a small/medium room, this could be 2 panels right, left and in front of your desk.
If I look around my room, around 30% of the walls are covered in bass traps and absorbers. The floor is carpet and rugs so the room is naturally smoother sounding than wood or solid floor. There is also a lot of furniture and a big couch to soak up and diffuse more sound. I think many rooms will get a significant improvement from 4-6 of these panels, more than that is a luxury. I hope that maybe gives you some ideas!
@@inthemix thank you for the super-quick and very useful reply!
Keep up the amazing work! :)
you will need to figure this out on a room by room basis, it's a huge faff and unless you have access to acoustic modelling software, it's quite a difficult thing to get right without some trial and error. You definitely can't go wrong by working out the reflection points in your room and starting with some decent depth treatment at those points, then a thick cloud panel. Once you go beyond that, I'd leave it unless you are designing a proper studio space from the ground up.
@@squoblat I have to admit most of your reply went right over my head ^^"
I am in no way/shape/form even an amateur audio designer or musician, I just dabble in podcasting and video recording, but in general I like to "sound good", and I try to minimize the sound processing needed to achieve that
I'll do some research on the things you mentioned and see what might apply to my needs, than you for all the info :)
@@TheLeK00 it's worth googling reflection points, but that's usually more important if you're mixing in the room. If you're using headphones and recording on a microphone for podcasting, it will matter a LOT less where these panels go on the walls, you'd be better suited covering as much of the hard reflective surfaces (like bricks or plaster) with these as possible.
Great video, I love that you got right to the point and that you do an OVERVIEW, other youtube noobs just start talking nonsense like 4 minutes at the beginning
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I've been dreaming of having a space where I could do this since I favorited this video. Three months ago I got that space and this weekend assembled six 4'x2'x2" panels. Some cost breakdown for audience members in the US, because "affordable" is somewhat debatable with how inflation is hammering us since the year this was published. I see California reported in, but my experience was pretty different. In my opinion, I did this the most bare bones I could have possibly done it and my costs came out quite a bit higher than theirs. I don't have outside frames on mine, either.
Final materials cost: $384 for $64 per panel (Minnesota 2024). Could have been $57 per panel. More on why later.
Labor hours: 20ish
For reference, cost per panel to get these from Acoustimac, professionally done:
$99.64 (including shipping)
I made 6 panels, and I got the cheapest frame materials I could get ahold of from Home Depot that wouldn't be a complete waste of money:
1"x2"x8' furring stripboard, QTY 11, $14.63 (warped, but I made it work)
1 pack of galvanized steel staples, $4.87
1/8"x2'x4' MDF board, QTY 3, $19.47
Stainless steel eye screws, QTY 12, $35.76
Stainless steel hanging wire, $9.08
Black duct tape, $8.98
Weed Barrier, $29.99
For the fabric cover I used burlap from Joann Fabrics:
12 yards, $48.05
The one thing I did NOT skimp on was the acoustic insulation. Initially I was going to make four 3" thick panels, so I got a pack of twelve 48"x24"x1" pieces of their ECO-Core recycled cellulose, paper and cotton. With shipping that came to $213.63. If I had known going into it I was going to end up with six thinner panels, I could have saved $7 per panel because they sell a box of six 2" thick pieces for cheaper. This would have brought my cost to $57 per panel.
Things I already owned or did not include in the materials price here but were absolutely necessary to do the job right:
- Circular saw (to rip the MDF strips), drill, counter-sink drill bit, stapler, two industrial clamps, clamping work table, 3" screws
Am I happy I did this instead of ordering them, saving myself $213? Yes. Both the internal and external validation are immense. Would I do this again though? Ehhhhh. Maybe if I used better wood for the frame, but I would have needed the equipment to plane and rip the frame boards myself or increase the costs even further.
The difference is insane.
Also great build. I modified it slightly to make wood front frame so I can hang it on the sealing on something load bearing. Thanks mate
This is one of the gentlest and pleasant tutorials I've gotten to watch, on any subject.
Great project! Will have to give it a try... I think a great addition would be adding 1/4 round to the facing of the frame to give it curvature.
That might look really nice, I don’t think I could pull that off successfully though!
@@inthemix I'll be sure to tag you if I find success :) thanks again for the awesome vid!
Hi Michael. It’s just a bit more than one year after your video, and today I began the build of what will become eight 2’ x 2’ x 4” panels using your clever inner-frame design. Using the 1/4” board for the inner frame keeps the panel solid but still light, while a sturdy outer frame keeps the fabric on the sides clean and free of scratches. I’m opting to include the pine outer frame so I can hinge panels together to use as moveable gobos around me when tracking. The outer frame will take the scuffing. They’ll also double as wall hangers when I mix. If I was only going the hang them on walls, I’d skip the outer frames. I have the insulation and wood, and I made the first cuts today. Still need to get the fabric. I’ll start with one panel to work out the bugs. Thank you for the design inspiration. You got me off the fence I’ve been on for two years.
One modification: I’m going to use pocket-hole joinery (Kreg system) for the 1 x 2 frame, and for the 1 x 4 outer frame. This avoids both screwing into end grain and visible screws! Also, I plan to add a cross piece of 1 x 2 joining the four-foot sections, to reduce deformation when carrying the panels around.
Duuude I always thought those panels were professionally made and installed! Absolute legend
WOOOOAH! thank you for this.... That was a Huge Difference
Good advice! Thank you. I've seen that most DIY videos for acoustic panels recommend rockwool, but they entirely ignore that it's made with formaldehyde! That some is toxic and can cause cancer. They also ignore that rockwool is designed to be BEHIND drywall rather than in your living space. So, I like the material suggestions here. What I need are sources of alternative materials that are cheap in the U.S. I haven't found any, so I haven't made any DIY panels.
Thanks Ramon. I’m glad that some folks like you are well researched and know the dangers.
I’m sorry to hear about your issues sourcing materials. The marketplace for building materials has been highly turbulent in recent years. I hope something reveals itself at a good price for you soon!
Rockwool does not contain formaldehyde.
I really like your steampunk light in the right corner. It gives the video the warmth it needs. Great content