Fixing Noise Pollution from Windows for Sound Mixing

[qwerty123]

I moved into a new apartment, and it's great... for everything except sound editing / mixing!

I've done a good job of getting rid of echo by laying down thick carpet on the floor, having furniture, irregular books, etc in the room. The main issue now is that two of my walls have two windows each, and even when they are shut I can still hear cars, etc outside--and sometimes quiet loudly.

Would sound blankets help with this situation? Do people have ideas on some strategies I can use to deal with this?

 

[Richard Crowley]

You want to BLOCK sound from the outside if you can. ABSORBING outside sound after it has already entered is a catch-up game you will never win. What blocks sound is MASS. Either lots of air (i.e. distance) between you and the noise, or else something dense and inflexible. Assuming it isn't practifcal to put up a concrete block wall in front of your windows, you need to find something that will seal up the window opening and block it with mass. There are many ways of doing this depending on how portable/permanent you need, what your budget is, if it needs to look pretty, etc.

 

[Allan Black]

+1, but check anything you do like that with the super in your building .. also your immediate neighbours for sound levels and happy mixes.

Cheers.

 

[beachhead98]

Perhaps this is obvious but when you can't always get the perfect room check your audio on good headphones...

 

[Michael Carter]

You can make some temporary window blocks with plywood, etc...

Owens-Corning 703 is often the starting point for DIY sound panels... it's a good absorber but probably better for killing reflections. If your windows have sills or casings, you may be able to rig something up with sheets of 3/4 plywood, weatherstrip, fiberglass, & fabric. How effective they'd be? probably better than blankets if you can make something that's a tight fit.

Soundproofing and treating are two very different things, and as stated above, soundproofing takes a lot of mass (and sealing - any air gaps will make soundproofing moot) and isolating vibrating surfaces. You should be able to knock down the outside noise by a few DB though.

Poke around Ethan Winer's forum - good stuff here, though more emphasis on room treatment: http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/24/page/1

 

[qwerty123]

Thanks for the advice guys. Hmmm... I think I may also be able to hang sound blankets outside of my windows (my windows are the kind where you can pull down the top): I wonder if that might help... I'm on the third floor, so it's not completely terrible, but I'd like a few dbs off if possible.

 

[notharrylume]

Here are two more thoughts:

• seal all cracks around windows and sash with a temporary sealant like Mortite - sound loves to go around a barrier and in through a crack
• consider interior storm windows - adding a layer of dead air will reduce transmission as well - maybe $50 per window

Good luck!