Personal computing devices, digital emulators of analog machinery, and professional editing software is now easily attainable by anyone with an interest in music and a little money to spend in pursuit of their dreams. Songs, albums, and careers have been born out of laptops and microphones set up in bedrooms, guest rooms, and basements. What used to require breaking your back in hopes of getting a record contract can now be accomplished independently, through hard work, talent, and of course, plenty of luck.

One thing that record labels do have that most at-home-artists do not is a good-sounding recording area. Room acoustics play a major role in the sound of recordings and how an engineer hears the music they are mixing. Studios are able to outfit rooms that are designed with dimensions and treatment that offer the cleanest sounding tracks. Meanwhile, the small, boxy rooms many at-home recordings are made in are the worst acoustical spaces for recording.

Fortunately, along with technology, the progress of acoustical treatment has advanced too. With the right combination of research and testing, you can identify what sonic areas you need to address most. And more companies than ever offer surprisingly affordable treatment products, like bass traps, reflection panels, and diffusors, to help you make your room sound as good as it can. [Photo source: thefoamfactory.com]

When building a home or recording room in an existing home, it is important to add proper soundproofing foam to improve the acoustics of the room and to absorb background noises that shouldn’t be in the recording. The Foam Factory can provide pyramid foam, wedge foam, eggcrate, and more for this purpose. No matter how expensive or flashy your gear, music can only sound as good as a room allows it to. But with the advances in acoustics, great music is more attainable than ever.