Build a $21 Portable Vocal Booth

This is all well and good, but the vo artists NEEDS to be comfortable when reading....that is essential. Where does one put the copy for an easy read?

@A: Harlan Hogan now sells a fancier version of the Portabooth that can be used standing. See www.harlanhogan.com. Also see the idea below about fishing line.

Anyone have any ideas of how to mount this if the artist wants to record vocals standing up?

I'd rather go with a reflection filter I just brought one of these AE-F things for cheap http://www.soundkitz.com/Gargoyle%20Reflection%20Filter.htm and it's been doing the job. Those boxes are just foam it might give you that enclosure effect but it's not going to cancel out or stop reflections and that's what I'm really looking for.

I only wish getting good vocals was as easy as putting 4 pieces of foam in a collapsing drawer.

I use a that reflection filter with ableton it gives my voice a good sound, but with a such a small square box shape I wonder how awkard it would sound.

If you're in the UK, Studiospares sell both Auralex 'Wedgies' (the one-foot-square tiles) individually, and Auralex 'Wedges' (the 2-foot by 4-foot sheets); both in a range of colours: charcoal, orange, or purple.

At the time of writing—before the UK VAT rise (!)—the Wedgies cost £5.38 and the Wedges cost £33.49 (or about £8 less than buying eight tiles would be).

Hope that helps if you're reading this in the UK!

What type of micophone is recomended for voice recording?

There was additional info on both the box and the foam which I will pass on, namely:

The boxes are available at Walmart $15.88 (site-to-store). Not available in the store - you order from the site and then pick up at your local Walmart store - it's free shipping.

The foam can be purchased in 12X12 inch squares (exact same foam but already cut) for $4.95 for a pair - thus for $9.90 for 4 squares (tiles). Buy online at zzounds.com

Hope that this additional information is helpful. Cheers!

Not too different from my former 'audio booth'. It was created accidentally while trying to block out the sound of my computer fan with a box. I was placing various things on and around the box - but my computer kept alerting me the temp was too high. While I moved the computer behind my desk, I shoved the pillows and mic into the box, then realized the mic was on, and not picking up much sound. So I knew I was onto something.

I used 4 high density foam orthopedic pillows - you can find them in a medical supply store for about $50 each. The last piece was initially a bath mat, but later a carpet remnant, all placed in a packing box from U-Haul. The pillows were arranged on the sides and top, carpet on the bottom. My body acted as the fourth side of the box. I would set my mic w/ shock mount and windscreen inside on a tabletop stand. Then just fold the page(s) of copy in half, holding just below the mic. After doing some sound checks for level, away I would go! Worked very well and, for my purposes it was free. The downfall is it did take up a bit of room and was not entirely portable.

I just found this page while looking for a way to make my own acoustic mic booth. FYI, I found the pyramid-type audio foam squares on ebay starting at about 5 bucks each.

Damnit i swear i thought of this years ago. Tight work people!!!!!

@Mark: Thanks for pointing out the vocal baffle. We've reviewed two similar products, the SE Electronics Reflection filter and SM Pro Audio Mic Thing.

Hi,

I clicked the advert link on this page for the vocal booth: www.editorskeys.com

Works great

@evan- I had the idea of using fishing wire to suspend the box from the ceiling from a few points- just tie the wire around some pushpins or something similar and thread it through the fabric on the top of the box. I get the impresion that the cloth box and foam combined probably don't weigh all that much.
I did this project with a milkcrate since I wasn't as concerned with portability as I was with simply reducing reflections. It seems to be working pretty well so far, though I may cut a new back piece since there's a few gaps between the pieces and I'm wondering how much of a difference it will make.

Acoustic foam IS NOT the same as mattress foam.

The biggest difference is that the polyester-based foams will break-down very quickly. You'll end-up with poly-crumbs everywhere. Polyester is also very flammable, so don't smoke near your box, or you'll cook your mic. If you do cook your mic, please record it! I'd live to hear it. :-)

Another difference is the acoustical characteristics of the foam. Acoustic foam is made to generally dampen a room. Mattress foam is made to dampen your butt.

@Philasso: Have you actually tried using both types of foam for audio? My impression is that true acoustic foam is denser than Wal-Mart mattress toppers.

The foam is good but if u r on a real budget, just goto Wal-mart, Target, etc... and purchase the foam mattress pads (Full or Queen size)for like $5. lol, it's the same material, u just have to cut it urself!

The link below is a pic of the foam mattress pad.

http://foamsupport.com/index/MedicalPicture/eggtopper.JPG

@Shanna: the instructor told us the best place to record was in a walk in closet

I do the same thing! I push apart some hanging shirts and suspend the mic from the clothes bar with heavy rubber bands. I finally invested in a "popper stopper" screen as well, which drastically sped up editing. Even with conscious mic technique, explosive P's and B's were getting through.

During a Mastering Camtasia class, the instructor told us the best place to record was in a walk in closet and/or with a comfortor over the recorder's head and mike. I am able to take my laptop into my closet and record very good audio. I use the Samson CO1U. A photo of the process would be interesting :-)

I have tried USB headset, lapel mic, and telephone connection direct to my sound card for webinars. The Samson is the best (in the closet.)
Shanna

@Evan: How would this work out with a mic stand?

You might be able to rig up a frame to support the cube using the harp from an old lamp. But see Spencer Critchley's review of this premade baffle for another take.

I also heard from a schoolteacher who builds podcasting sound booths for her students out of cardboard boxes and packing foam.

How would this work out with a mic stand?

Great idea! I like it!

@Pariah:

Aren't cardioid and hypercardioid microphones designed to prevent background noise?

They can reduce off-axis sound, but they don't eliminate it. Also note that the portabooth is designed more to focus the voice (by eliminating reverberation) than reduce background noise; I should have clarified that. Designer Harlan Hogan writes:

Even a very quiet room can sound like a "big, boomy box" to your microphone, instead of the tight sound booth quality we are used to in purpose-built studios. That's because in addition to picking up the sound of your voice directly, the microphone also "hears" the ambient sound of the entire space.

Notice the photo of the booth with a hypercardioid mic.

Aren't cardioid and hypercardioid microphones designed to prevent background noise? The problem would only be present using an omnidirectional microphone. You might look into more information about microphones. The Cole reporter microphone, which perhaps is one of the coolest ribbon mics is designed to give a clear signal in high winds outside.

@Felix: Jake Ludington used $25 chunks of 2x24x48 Auralex Wedge foam, which he then cut into eight 12-inch squares. I Googled Auralex wedge foam and found several mainstream stores selling individual 12x12x2-inch Auralex tiles for $5 each.

Do you know where i cn buy the foam??
If you do please email me where i can buy it....
Thank you

I want a booth where I will be able to record vocals like rap and singing, pretty much getting the same quality recording sound one gets in an isolated recording studio, provided a good mic and pre amp is used.

Please email me:
tonycastanho@yahoo.com

@Daniel: Spencer Critchley has some interesting recordings using the SE Reflexion Filter, a partial baffle. I've had pretty good results recording in my bedroom closet, pushing apart the shirts and suspending a mic between them from rubber bands. Reading the script in that position is a pain, though. I liked Harlan Hogan's idea of reading from his iPhone inside the box.

Hmmm,

I tried this a year ago with two different microphones and recorded samples with and without the "booth" and with the microphone placed in three different positions. To my surprise, my testers were unanimous in preferring the recording I made not using the mini booth.

My best reviews so far (and I'm still searching) is a quilted jacket that I lift over my head and shoulders and above the mic to deaden most of the bounces I might get.

Anyone have better ideas?

D