Recording Studio Build Page 3
The Q Team
Drywall, Floor & More
Behind the Drywall
Teardown Reveal
Structural First!
The Right Approach, Perspective,
Planning, Research, The Q Team
Welcome to Page Three of the structural to spiritual (and back again) build of Quintessence Studio - The Workplace of Higher Being. Follow along as we go - meeting goals with planning and research, facing challenges, solving problems and doing our cooperative best to transform this residential garage to a project recording studio that will offer high resolution recording and DSD format production. Meet the team I've put together to help me see this dream come into being.
For decades I have been a solo artist, composer, singer-songwriter, arranger and producer, I am also a teacher and mentor. I create the kind of sound and music that penetrates and captivates, to bring back the felt experience of sound, beyond what our ears receive.
As a creative growth specialist, my process asks for and welcomes the deepest best from the soul. I welcome what is in you, at any age and stage where you're at, we can bring your project to life, from conception through to completion. Work with me to let your dreams and voice be both heard and felt by listeners. I can guide you without judgment to express yourself without fear, if you might be nervous in a recording studio, if you need to tell your story, if you want to sound authentically yourself, or to learn how to produce your own project. I provide vocal expression lessons unique to Quintessence Studio, of the Italian-Swedish lineage of voice training that promotes clarity, power, ease and agility for how you naturally sing.
Watch the creation of a solo creative artist's professional music studio unfold, to become an intimate, warm, comfortable place that can accommodate a small group. Surrounded by quiet nature, Quintessence Studio sits on sacred Mohawk meadow land bordering Lake Ontario. CONTACT ME
Q Team
besides me and Stevie
L to R: Mike Vance 1st Officer, Peter Yee Structural Engineer, Captain Bill
WILLIAM J. HYNDMAN, Owner and General Contractor
Hyndman Contracting Ltd, Belleville Ontario
The Captain who has done it all, government, corporate and private, commercial & residential, and more. And now add to his impressive portfolio amassed over 35 years, a project recording studio for a homeowner. He and everyone he subcontracts is fully credentialed and licensed and vetted by him.
I was beyond lucky to have found Bill about a year before we moved out of Colorado, while still there, when I discovered we'd been defrauded by the builder-contractor we hired in 2021 for mothership work. The Hyndman team, including Mike Vance and Gord Moore, picked up from the mess we'd been left in and we haven't looked back. A master builder, Bill knows residential & commercial code, has worked with all agencies and people from a place of integrity and expertise. He has experience and knows how to seamlessly harmonize minute details with the bigger picture. Bill is a genius problem solver when it comes to working with and around realistic limitations of existing structure. He was willing to work with me and that's the beyond lucky part (for me). He knew what this project studio would require before I did. And admits that our barn was *not* the sketchiest place he'd ever tackled. And he knows exactly who to call, and when, in these last 3+ years, everything that has succeeded here at mothership has been because of him (infrastructure, interior, outbuildings and more...)
WARREN BECK, Midtown Media Toronto
SC Media Broadcast Specialist, Audio Engineer
Warren rescued me when I arrived back in Canada having to start completely from scratch. It's because of him that I even have the DSD recording studio equipment I needed for bringing the felt experience back when listening to music. In him, I have a brother, a colleague with experience and connections in every avenue of music production in Canada, a mentor, audio equipment repair specialist and microphone expert. Warren knows my soul as a musical artist and vocalist. He gets what I'm trying to do, and he hasn't said no to what we're trying to get done either. Like Bill Hyndman, Warren knows who to contact and what to research. So with both Bill and Warren, I get to learn what a project studio for DSD recording requires at bare minimum, from engineering and construction first principles - from the very physical 'materials and methods' perspective, to the nuanced considerations of sound in space that only an acoustic engineer experienced working at various budget levels would know about. He knows what will get these acoustic goals met.
GUS SKINAS, SuperAudio Center, Octave Records Colorado
Mastering Engineer, Sony Phillips Developer of Sonoma DSD
'In his great career, Gus has worked on projects for Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Al Kooper, George Harrison, Queen, Joni Mitchell, Chick Corea, Frank Zappa, and The Police (to mention a few). Octave Records (est. 2020) records on the Sonoma and Pyramix multi-track workstations which both use pure one-bit Direct Stream Digital® (DSD) technology.' The whole reason I'm even doing any of this is because Gus saw (and heard?) something in/of me. Gleaned from what I consider to be quite little evidence, it is his unwavering confidence, which he has instilled back in me, that has put this spiritual path and purpose into motion...in me, and through this studio, it shall be heard and felt. He has witnessed my piano ambient sonic effect and he advised me to give stereo
(left/right channel) DSD a chance since he insists no one has used it to its fullest potential - yet. At his home in Longmont Colorado, we listened to NeuroSound that I created and he said it was as powerful and engaging as Pink Floyd he'd mixed and mastered in the 70s. And if people could feel the effects of this kind of sound healing at levels as full as analog, via DSD, we'd be on a very different plane of healing experience. During my time with him working in both studios, at home, he showed me what this technology has the capability to do, and at Octave studios how simple build and treatments lets sound move in an ideal organic, semi-live space and with his help, we intend for this little recording studio to be optimized to surprise!
TERRY MEDWEDYK
Group One Acoustics Inc., Mississauga Ontario
Founded in 1983, Terry heads up Group One Acoustics Inc. a design firm specializing in architectural acoustics. His fingerprints is upon myriad locations across Canada, including professional recording studios, radio and TV broadcast, Film Mix, Post Audio, home theatres and private home studios for many of Canada's top recording and performing artists. From consulting through to design and creation, projects vary in complexity from remedial work of individual spaces, to designing multi- room facilities, to concert hall finessing.
Clients include: CBC, Corus Entertainment, Bell Media, Noble Street Studios, Footsteps Post Production, Technicolor Inc., Canadore College, Sheridan College, Kwanlin Dunn Cultural Centre, Metalworks Studios, Culture Link Halifax, Vapor Music, Pirate Radio Studios. Current projects: McMaster University, (3) private home studios, Black Box Music, Eggplant Studios, Strategic Coach, Grayson Music.
The Build
Drywall, Floor & More
January 2025
Drywall & Acoustic Sealing
When mounting double layers of drywall, layers are translated so that seams never overlap, for structural, fire and sound leakage reasons. In this photo, layer seams are about 18" apart.
Ideally, a gap of 1/4" is sufficient between adjacent wall to wall, ceiling and floor systems. Wherever gaps were too big, foam backer rod was cut to fit and inset (as would be done around window and door casements) to allow caulking to fill and seal without waste.
Once the first layer of 5/8" type x drywall was mounted on resilient channel, the gaps between structural systems were filled with Dap Dynaflex, which we chose as comparable to Tremco Dymonic 100, slightly cheaper ($7 vs $9, or more depending on where you buy from, both cheaper than green glue, or specialty marketed acoustic caulk, both easier to use, cleaner to work with). Dynaflex is marketed as "an advanced latex formula engineered with silicone-like toughness for a long-lasting seal that flexes seamlessly with joint movements caused by temperature and humidity fluctuations. It is waterproof and will not shrink or crack. Ideal for sealing joints up to 2" wide, best for gaps around windows, doors, and trim. Its 100% waterproof and weatherproof properties resist UV light and harsh environmental conditions, effectively preventing moisture infiltration and resisting mould and mildew growth. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications, it can be painted within 2 hours of application."
Where second layers of drywall are to be mounted, screws and seams are taped/mudded and prepped as per finishing, then all is done again with caulk and mudding/taping on the final surface, ready for painting. This part takes time to make sure everything dries up nicely, and there is no way I can set foot in there until all is cleaned out (dust allergies), so unless Captain takes pictures for us, this is it for now.
Of course, there's no point starting flooring until the majority mess of drywall finishing is done and cleaned up. Recall the flooring plan is to lay down panel dricore, which keeps moisture at bay on cement slab, provides airspace, cushioning and some insulation against what used to be the garage floor. Then topfloor, and area rugs. Also coming up shortly, ceiling prep for fixtures (blocking in attic/rafters for chandeliers and ceiling fan mounting) prep for additional lighting, and the new ventilation vents will be set in place. Also planned is the testing for Stage 3 of sound transmission loss following the FR drywall and acoustic sealing. See the preliminary sound testing report here.
Behind the Drywall
January 2025 Prepping for Drywall
[Pictured: Resilient Channel, mounting on studs, drywall attachment, studio ventilation]
Resilient channel provides a ½” offset between gypsum board and wall studs or ceiling rafters, enhancing acoustical performance and achieving higher STC ratings in wall and floor-ceiling assemblies. Used as a cross-furring member, resilient channel is installed perpendicular to the framing members where the flange is screwed into studs/rafters and the other edge is left free for vibration isolation. Drywall is fastened to the resilient channel with screws that should not come in contact with the stud, joist or truss. Size of resilient channel is determined by the weight it must hold, in this case 5/8" type X single layer on perimeter walls and double drywall east elevations and any surfaces common to main house.
When drywall is mounted, load per square foot must be taken into account over resilient channel. Double layer of drywall will not overlap seams (translated layers), and all structural systems retain a 1/4" gap to be filled with acoustic caulking for decoupling. We are planning another sound transmission loss test once the drywall is mounted. (see next page/chapter Drywall, Flooring & More).
Ventilation for the recording studio is a separate system from the mothership as per garage conversion to residential heat loss assessment requirements. The new ERV positioned in the squat attic (also sound insulated from studio) has its own fresh intake and exhaust and serves only the studio space. Ducting for fresh/exhaust is through the hip roof attic and vents are in the 15 foot high ceiling so that fan/air noise is furthest away from microphones. An ERV panel is accessible from inside the studio, so the HVAC can be turned off during recording sessions.
PREWIRING & PREP: For modern residential applications PEX pipes and fittings are a great choice for plumbing: the old copper pipes, which condense and sweat, were changed out. PEX pipes are flexible and easy to install, compared to pvc, but should not be exposed to UV light.
The metal conduit electric wiring is armored cable, superior for recording studio electric for emf isolation/insulation compared to regular household insulated copper wiring. The BX shielding still requires a ground at the new 24 circuit panel - all studio-use electric lines are separated out from regular "utility" (lamps, kitchenette appliances, space heaters) electric lines (household 14/2 wire), so instruments, amps and mixers never experience drops or interruptions.
The gray ethernet cable is CAT6 shielded, and each "outlet" is double-wired, for redundancy. The DSD recording system transmits information via IP ethernet rather than standard line or usb cables. Home-base is positioned in the mixing zone north wall and all lines converge to a PoE switchbox; there are ethernet lines coming from the vestibule as well, for when it will be used as a vocal or instrument isolation recording booth.
November & December 2024
STRUCTURAL INSPECTION PASSED! Meet our home building inspector, Shannon McMurter! Captain's creation passes county inspection for structural engineering & architectural. Flying colours yet again and always. Shannon will be back after spray foam insulation stage, which is being scheduled. Bill plans for 4in of spray foam to all the outer walls you see pictured, all around, through and behind staggered stud walls, to make sure we have full air seal and moisture/vapour barrier in every nook, cranny, gap and crack as the first layer against exterior. That gets us up to R28 right away. Once we're done with the mineral wool insulation layer in the interior 2x6 stud wall, we will have surpassed our final Rvalue requirement, and more than met our STC intention for perimeter and common walls. We estimate an air gap of about 1in between stud systems for soundproofing in perimeter "sandwich".
As general contractor, Bill is in the process of setting up bookings for electrical prewiring, plumbing relocation to add to our schedule as well. One of our subtrade specialists is off hunting, another had been away travelling, so we fill the downtime in the build with other needfuls - I've been working on this website (studio, music school page) and re-recording music tracks to upload to same, Bill and Mike rebuilt an inoperable gate/fence for one of our Defrauded By Builder Contractor facebook group members out of kindness to our community.
2ND INSPECTION for STAGE 1 INSULATION PASSED!! Again with flying colours, this time the light blush hue of the 4 inches of closed cell spray foam (R24) that seals and provides a moisture barrier at the most exterior layer. It is rigid once it sets and does not contain formaldehyde. This stuff is low VOC, but intended use means all needs to be covered and sealed in drywall, which it will be, just as we've done in the barn/garage hayloft under the gambrel roof. Quality of installations matters. As has been making the news out of UK, lenders refuse homes with softer open-cell, moisture degrading compounds, or where poor installation has caused moisture to get trapped and rot roof timber.
This crucial task completed, the new triple pane windows and patio door can go in. Typically, in door and window installs, spray foam and caulking is used to seal all gaps at the frame. For the patio door which sits on concrete slab at grade level, Captain insisted on additional protection to keep rain water & snowmelt outside where it belongs. He chose to bead with Dymonic 100 (limestone polyurethane), which is a waterproof, non-shrinking caulk that never hardens - it stays permanently pliable.
While a tube of Tremco's Dymonic ($10) is more expensive than ordinary latex caulk ($3), it's cheaper than acoustic caulking - we decided Dymonic 100 or Dap Dynaflex would be the way to go to fill joints and seams between structures in the recording studio to provide acoustic sealing and vibration isolation. Captain stated that ease of use over messy acoustic caulk was a primary benefit as well. So we are going to experiment with this, in keeping with the off-the-shelf residential approach rather than pricey specialty stuff.
Next stage electrical has all receptacle boxes wired up (they can be sealed with fire-rated silicone) and mounted 1-1/4" out for double drywall. All circuits are ready to go to single point ground on the new panel in the vestibule. Utility circuits already wired to panels in the mothership are retained and reconfigured.
With ESA inspection on electrical passed, now we're onto stage 2 insulation, all that rockwool R24 @ 6" thickness forms the inframing insulation layer that will have us exceed R40 bringing us up to R48 for all wall systems. All electric and ethernet receptacles are position, protruding the right amount for drywall. Next stage is drywall mounting prep with resilient channel that will decouple the wall surface from the studs. The first R24 sprayfoam layer (exterior-most) gave a sound reduction of about 22dB overall, stage 2 dB readings suggest a min 45dB reductio without drywall. Remember there is an air gap between stages, but nothing is sealed yet, so the air gap is not contributing what it will following drywall mount and structural sealing. Thus far, my hypothesis: *if* R24 does in fact equate to Transmission Loss 22, then we expect to be at about 44 or 45 dB down at stage 2.
To learn more about our attempt at determining sound reduction at various stages of the build, see "Preliminary Sound Testing" article.