Chapter 1 General requirements and common errors This chapter lays out the fundamental requirements of premises for profes- sional recording purposes, including: common underestimation of need for good isolation; avoidance of disturbance from plant and equipment noises; influence of location on isolation requirements; considerations of artistic needs; control room monitoring basics; types of buildings to avoid; and the need for adequate space and building strength. 1.1 The general requirements Some of the things that set a professional recording studio apart from a per-