A Different Tune: Music Room vs Home Studio

Today's blog is geared toward the musically inclined homeowners out there. For many of you, listening to your favorite artists on surround sound speakers or watching them on a plasma television isn't quite enough. You want the ability to perform your own music in the comfort of your home. Now, when it comes to choosing your instruments and learning how to play, well, you're on your own. But once you've decided to get serious, I suggest you strongly consider transforming a part of your home into either a traditional music room or a fully equipped home recording studio.

Music Room

Obviously, the level of your dedication is essential to this decision. Many homeowners happily take on music room remodeling projects, transforming their basement, attic, garage, guest room, or study into a comfortable space for practicing the piano, guitar, saxophone, triangle, or pretty much any other type of instrument. Typically, it's wise to a choose a room that has good acoustics, but is closed off enough from bedrooms and main living spaces, so as not to disturb others. Music room decorating can be a lot of fun, too, as you may want to include anything from retro furniture to rock posters to bring home the ambiance. The key is, with a traditional music room, there's not a whole lot of effort required.

Home Studio

Rather than an alternative to the music room, the home studio is a music room turned up a notch. This is for extremely dedicated musicians only! If you're ready to stop messing around on guitar and start laying down some tracks the way the pros do, then a home recording studio could be your dream remodeling project. Unfortunately, home studio remodeling is a lot more complex than throwing together a music room. Here, acoustics are essential. Not only will you have to pick a room isolated from the rest of the home, but you will almost certainly need to consult a remodeling contractor well versed in sound proofing techniques and electrical systems. Furthermore, modern mixing boards ain't cheap, and most require state-of-the-art computers and software to function efficiently. Still, many musicians swear by the advantages of having first rate recording capabilities available at all times, and if your heart's in it, it could be an investment that pays you back tenfold.

And the winner is. . .

The Music Room. The simple fact is, most people don't have the dedication or the talent to justify the expense of having a proper home studio added to their property. As a compromise, start off with a simple music room, and if you wind up spending most of your free time there, then perhaps a home recording studio might suit you, after all.