Fabric advice

[Sharritan]

I have 2 large windows in my room. I am looking to put up curtains to help with sound absorbsion/reflection. Any advice on what fabrics are best for this? My goal is to make these so I can open them up when not mixing or tracking. I am looking for something to deaden the room a bit but not to kill it completely.

A little off topic but.....

[Bazzle]

A nice flowered print would be cool.. ..Sorry, I couldn't resist

[Sharritan]

I felt that one coming.....

[IntelDoc]

Sharitan,
Something heavy is better, but it is also expensive. The fabric that I used was rather thin, but I was going for look rather than deadening effect. You might check Ebay for Theatre Curtains. Those are heavy and weighted.

Good luck... Sometime you can find someone to make them for you, but when I priced it out it was in the realm of $1000.00 bucks.

- Doc

[Sharritan]

I hadn't thought of theater curtains. Good suggestion. And maybe I can even find them in a floral print....

[lemix]

Custom ordered vertical blinds. Floor to ceiling. In the heaviest fabric possible. With floral design, of course. Could be partially open or fully closed for "variable acoustics" ..

[cruisemates]

Theatrical drapes (aka "pipe & drape" in the staging industry) are thick velvet curtains heavy enough to block 100% light, even 1000 watt stage lights. These drapes will absord a lot of sound.

Keep in mind, that if this is for your studio you do not want a completely dead studio, you want some life. Wood lends a warm sound to a room, and you can vary between live surfaces and drapes, wood floors and carpet, and use acoustic tile on the ceiling.

[Ducky]

You could always custom cut acoustic foam to the size of the window and just put it in when you are tracking. I also like the wood blinds since wood has some very warm qualities. They make some very handsome wooden blinds these days. ...and as stated above, you can adjust the reflective properties up to and including canceling effects. If you really want to get fancy with them, you could put 3/16" adhesive foam on one side of the slats kill some of the reflectivity.

I have the narrow curved metal miniblinds in a room with large windows. For some reason, it is the best reflective (bright) room in my house. Another tracking room has insulation in all 4 walls and a 'chamber' on one end. it is notably darker acoustically.

Just a thought.

[Sharritan]

My room also has a chamber on one end. It is adds to the character of the room quite a bit. I am just looking for a practical solution for echo more than anything. I have plans for some spot treatments but I think the curtains may help some too. I have large faux wood blinds in there now and they havent helped at all. Would wood work that much better?

I need to call trading spaces.....

[Bazzle]

I need to call trading spaces.....

Yes you need Vern or Hildi's advice..Not the chunky guy Frank..He would have wagon wheels or boat anchors attached to the ceiling..And Doug may try to put the make on you, if you are a guy..

I think a chartreuse sheer may add a touch of class..