[DanG]

My friends have a band in Boston and to avoid practice room costs rented a house together in Allston. They built a little stage in the basement, put up some carpets on the walls, set up their gear, and started playing there. It's a residential neighborhood with the distance between houses the same as in any city in America.

They've been receiving noise complaints for about a month or two now, however. I was playing one of my songs with them and when the police came, they said they can't say who it was specifically, but apparently it's someone halfway down the block. So clearly they need better soundproofing and none of us knows enough about it to figure out what's the best thing to do here.

They play in the basement which is about 3/4 underground. The walls are solid stone and so we assume that's not the problem. If it's wrong to assume that, please let me know. What seems most likely, however, is that the thin wooden ceiling in the basement doesn't block any sound and so it goes straight through the walls of the house itself.

So, construction experts and loud-music-loving speaker audiophiles and musicians, what can be done here? Do they need to put sheet rock on the ceiling? Is there another solution? And about how much will each option cost and how effective will it be?

Thanks in advance for your help. I'll send a nice CD to anyone who gives us a good solution (either from my collection or I'll buy a new one).

 

[Homeless]

My friends are in the same situation as your friends, they have a house and practice there, anyway, they put up cardboard from apple cases from the grocery store (bigger versions of egg cartons sort of), they also put pink stryofoam insulation in the basement windows, egg cartons on the ceiling, and more styrofoam on the door. It works really well to deaden the sound...

 

[BlindTiger]

From what I've read in some other forums, you need to build a "room within a room". Sounds expensive.
Are there any indoor ranges nearby? they would know.

 

[MrEcted1]

Maybe start with something like www.soundproofing101.com

Also, I hear that hospital bedding (that egg-carton bedding) works pretty well. If there are windows down there, then that might be the source of the problem.

 

[mbriant]

Windows, doors, and the ceiling are probably all a problem. Since this is a rental house, and you likely don't want to spend a lot of money soundproofing it, you might try stapling carpet or rubber underpadding to the ceiling and making large, roll-up flaps to cover the doors and windows while you're there playing. Fill up the window wells with foam rubber as well. The more the better. I've heard large rolls of thin lead is a great solution, but it would be expensive and would have to be drywalled over and sealed in ( to protect everyone from the lead) A friend of mine who was in a band, completely filled the ceiling and wall cavities with expanding foam insulation and it worked great. But that was in his own house.

 

[pne]

Fiberglass is always the cheapest sound absorbing material. Big rolls of it in front of the windows, and extra pads in the ceiling can't hurt.

 

[jerb]

start with a foam on the windows, and tape. make sure the panes cant move then on the inside sill place dense foam and thick bedding behind it between the taped glass and foam. on the outside pile whatever you can (a foam if possible) around the windows.

Next use rigid foam insulation and egg crates in ceilings.

lastly make sure there is as little air movement as posible so seal the door nice n tight

 

[Firam]

Somebody has yet to be a jackass so I'll do it. Don't play so loud you'll go deaf.

But, I think foam insulation would be the easiest to put and and take down.

 

[DanG]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I've forwarded this thread to one of my buddies who lives in the house and I'll let you all know what they end up doing (and who gets CDs

).