Treating a domestic room to optimize vocal recording?!

[andrewlowemusic]

Firstly, hello to everyone! I came here as I picked up a few things from dv247.com and noticed there was a forum... Naturally I'm a complete novice at this whole home studio thing - I've only ever recorded using my trusted Edirol MP3 Recorder! But I'm taking a big swing at doing things proper now, hence why I'm here...
I'm wanting to optimize my room for recording vocals, which is the only thing I'll be recording live. I have a condenser mic which picks up so much background noise that it just sounds rubbish... One of the reasons, I think, is because of my bare wooden flooring, which I have now eliminated as I just ordered carpet. So my next point of call, I'm assuming, is treating the walls?
Here is my problem - I know absolutely nothing about wall panels/foam things/etc, where to place them... Which company to order from in terms of good quality/prices/etc... I've attempted doing some research via google but there are that many options to choose from its just confused me more! If anyone could throw any suggestions my way to get the best out of what I'm working with I'd really appreciate it.
The room itself is obscurely shaped - my ceiling is slanted, going from the shortest point, 7.3 ft high, to the tallest point, 10.2 ft high. The wall of the shortest point has a big window, and the wall of the tallest point is hollow. I'm not sure if these factors are good or bad, but thought they might help. Like I said, I'm basically wanting to eliminate, or at least reduce the surrounding sounds of my room so that my mic is only listening to me. Prime example is the sound of my old-ass computer.
Anyway, like I said any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!

[Wilty]

If you have a hunt round on here a lot of information has gone up for situations just like yours.

Check out Bespoke Acoustic Treatment... Again & Again i Know for some basics but if you use the search function and type in 'room treatment' you'll get a couple more helpful tit-bits.

There are a couple of bone fide acoustic wizards on here so some more than decent advice is never far away.

Welcome to the forum by the way, a wealth of information and useless banter

[TrevCircleStudios]

Easiest/cheapest way to get a decent vocal recording is to buy an SE reflexion filter and a duvet. Hang the duvet in a corner of your room. Stand with your back to it so you are singing into the room. Have the reflexion filter behind your mic. That basic arrangement will solve a lot of your rooms problems. Avoid foam.

[Dave Boulden]

I can vouch for Trev's suggested setup, as it's exactly the arrangement I use when recording vocalists... see pic below. In fact, it was upon Trev's advice (amongst others) that I bought the SE Reflexion.

n530535241_2192352_4988966.jpg

[TrevCircleStudios]

Glad it's workin for ya Dave (though I'd have had the duvet back in the corner by the curtain and her looking into the middle of the room )!

Here's a link to the reflexion: http://www.dv247.com/invt/31474/

[andrewlowemusic]

Aah cool, thanks for the suggestion. I remember checking out the SE Reflexion Filter ages ago but wondered how serious it actually was. So would there not be any benefit from me putting even a couple of wall panels up?

[TrevCircleStudios]

Originally Posted by andrewlowemusic

Aah cool, thanks for the suggestion. I remember checking out the SE Reflexion Filter ages ago but wondered how serious it actually was. So would there not be any benefit from me putting even a couple of wall panels up?

Not if by "wall panels" you mean 'foam'. If you mean proper broadband bass trapping, that will certainly be an improvement. Speak to forum member "FrankGIK" if you want the real deal.

[andrewlowemusic]

Okay cool thanks for the tip...

[FrankGIK]

Typically vocals only require treating for the higher range...say 500Hz and up or so. The smaller the room is though, the lower you have to treat because the lower part of the spectrum will become more dominant in the room sound. To put it another way, the smaller the room the THICKER the traps need to be. I know that's counterintuitive, but there you have it. How many should you put up? It depends on the size of the room and how much room sound you want in the mics (the mic you're using also plays into this). Many rooms benefit from just six 2'x4'x2" panels...that may be all you need.

Frank